Wrong! No one has denied that at all. What HAS been denied is that eternal life is a reward for works. Why would you think Paul would contradict what he had just finished saying? Is he getting senile? Did the Holy Spirit make a mistake? Rather, it is the false gospel of works for salvation that is in error when one tries to make Scripture say God gives us eternal life based on our works when He so frequently says we are NOT saved by our works. But, like I already said, if you want to be accounted worthy of eternal life by the works you do, go ahead. The problem will be you will not be able to boast of that before God. Chances are also that that kind of belief will NOT result in the very thing being worked for.
>>So, NO, God will NOT render eternal life in accordance with our works.<<
Incorrect. Again:
6 For [God] will render to every man according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life[.]
Let's break down the text. 1) Who will render (reward)? -- God. 2) What is the basis stated for the reward? -- "works"; 3) what is the stated reward given to those who persist in "well-doing" -- "eternal life." So, yes, Scripture through the Holy Spirit says that God will reward eternal life in accordance with works. Matt. 25:31-46 provides a vivid illustration of this principal. Though I pointed that out in my prior post and you skipped right by it in your reply.
Curious how you sure skip right by the verses that demonstrate the error of your conclusions. If we were to go by your interpretation of Romans 2:6-7, where does Paul mention faith in that passage? You claim he is saying God will reward eternal life to those who have works of "well-doing", but that passage alone says nothing of faith. You have to gratuitously add that in order to twist it to match your view of faith plus works for salvation.
Just what do you suppose Paul meant by those who "by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality"? Does not Hebrews 11:6 tell us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?
Not if one accepts and recognizes that the "works" which are rendered with eternal life are those done humbly in faith and through God's grace.
Consider the idea that, since God rewards those who seek Him diligently with the grace to have faith as well as the way of life that genuinely desires to please Him, eternal life is the reward, or the result, of soul-saving faith and that it is ALL from God, not something we do within ourselves. You HAVE to ignore many verses that repeatedly say our works do NOT merit eternal life - and works is both works of the law as well as works of righteousness. Once it sinks in that there is NOTHING of ourselves that can merit or earn or deserve heaven, we will comprehend the true and marvelous nature of the grace of God - it brings salvation to all those who believe.
It's more correct to say that we are saved by grace and both our faith and the works which are rendered with eternal life are the products of God's grace. Our works (properly understood as being under grace and not law) "perfect" our faith and also justify us. James 2:20-24.
Incorrect. You are letting works for salvation creep back into the equation and contradicting God's word that says our works are NOT what justifies us BEFORE God. We've already discussed that James is talking about an observable faith before others. He said Abraham was justified by faith before God, but his works were evidence before others that he had genuine faith and Abraham was justified BEFORE he acted on his faith. Did God need to see by his actions what was in Abraham's heart? No, He alone sees the heart (see Luke 15:16; I Samuel 16:7; Acts 1:24; I Kings 8:39; I Chron. 28:9; II Chron. 6:30). We can only see what is on the outward appearance, therefore, we see evidence of someone's faith by what they do. However, we probably all know of people who appeared to be people of faith because we saw their actions, but who later turned out to be wolves in sheep's clothing. THEY will be the "goats" Jesus proclaims He never knew at their judgment.
The whole gist of this argument as presented in the OP is that the kind of faith that saves us is the kind that is obvious by the changed life and motives of the believer. It comes out in a changed heart that comes to know the freedom from sin that is in Christ Jesus and the ability to walk by faith and joyfully do the works God has prepared for us to do. It is certainly NOT the kind that jumps for joy at the thought that one can keep on sinning to his heart's content and get a free pass to heaven when he's done. A genuine faith WILL be evident by how we live, BUT, how we live is not what merits our salvation. It is ALL by grace - from start to finish.
Ping
Right. And that denial runs contrary to what Paul says explicitly in the verse I've been putting in front of you.
Why would you think Paul would contradict what he had just finished saying?
What had Paul said up to that point in Romans that you think is contradictory?
Rather, it is the false gospel of works for salvation that is in error when one tries to make Scripture say God gives us eternal life based on our works when He so frequently says we are NOT saved by our works.
And if you view these passages with the view that "works" has but a singular meaning in every case, you're going to have difficulties explaining the verses without either ignoring some or twisting others around (like Rom. 2:6-7, Matt. 25:31-46, James 2:21-24).
The problem will be you will not be able to boast of that before God.
Recognizing as I do the Scriptural point of view that the works that are rewarded with eternal life are those done humbly in faith through grace, boasting is precluded.
If we were to go by your interpretation of Romans 2:6-7, where does Paul mention faith in that passage? You claim he is saying God will reward eternal life to those who have works of "well-doing", but that passage alone says nothing of faith. You have to gratuitously add that in order to twist it to match your view of faith plus works for salvation.
At the very opening of his letter (1:5) Paul speaks clearly of the "obedience of faith." I have no need to gratuitously add anything nor understand verse 2:6-7 as somehow being opposed to faith or lacking it.
Just what do you suppose Paul meant by those who "by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality"? Does not Hebrews 11:6 tell us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?
The Gill commentary you cited to me describes these as "good works." Though "glory and honor" would necessarily mean to God's glory and honor, not our own. And like I said, the "God will render in accordance with works" Paul copies from his Teacher (Matt. 16:27; Ps. 62:12) and Jesus illustrates that principle in Matt. 25:31-46, where the Sheep are rewarded with eternal life in accordance with their works of charity (feeding the hungry, etc.).
I keep pointing out these verses; you keep ignoring them; then you ask me the same question as to what Paul meant. (eyeroll).
contradicting God's word that says our works are NOT what justifies us BEFORE God.
How can I be contradicting God's Word when God's Word says explicitly that works (understood properly) do justify us before God?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? [A rhetorical question for which the answer is "Yes."]
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:21-24
Pretty clear.
We've already discussed that James is talking about an observable faith before others. He said Abraham was justified by faith before God, but his works were evidence before others
Others? What others? Who was there when Abraham offered his son? It was just Abraham, God, Isaac and God's angel. There were no "others" there to witness this!!! No, only God saw this. And since James cites to the same verse as Paul (Gen. 15:6) we know that the Holy Spirit uses "justify" in the same sense of "credited with righteousness before God."
Faith is an inward disposition; "justified by faith" clearly means before God as only God sees the heart. But in the Protestant twist, one has to take a single sentence ("a man is justified by works and not by faith alone") and split it down the middle -- having "justified by works" mean "seen by other persons" and "justified . . by faith" as meaning "seen by God." That's just silly. A obvious forced reading.
You're offering up classic Protestant eisegesis, born of desperation to maintain "faith alone" in the face of Scripture that clearly refutes it.
Want to try one of the other Protestant textual manipulations to get around these verses? Have at it. I've seen them all. And they are all just as bad as this one you've trotted out.
The whole gist of this argument as presented in the OP is that the kind of faith that saves us is the kind that is obvious by the changed life and motives of the believer.
And on that I agree. And if one thereby says that to know if one indeed had a "true faith" one has to take account of the whole of a person's life, then I'd say I'm in agreement. Where I take issue is when it's claimed a person is "eternally saved" upon heeding the altar call. Maybe that person will exhibit a lifelong, true faith. Maybe he won't. Coming to faith in Jesus is a first and vital step; but it's not over then. The ultimate judgment will come when we stand before the Almighty. And at that time He says we will be judged according to our works. And that's how Scripture repeatedly states it; not that we will be judged according to whether we had a "saving faith." That may be implicit; but "works" is the explicitly stated criterion.
"Faith alone" isn't Scriptural.