James chapter 2, James wrote on the difference between a “professed” faith and a “possessed” faith.
If one believes he is saved or damned by his works , then one comforts oneself with the idea that “I am not as bad as my neighbor”
The Bible tells us “ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” That is the inspired word of God . It does not say that some have fallen short and some are “close”
May I quote James to you?
Jam 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.
So the thief is also a murder in Gods eyes.
No where does Jesus say or imply that one is saved by works.
The book of James was written to a converted church , not heathens seeking salvation . It tells them how their conversion is seen by the unsaved world . It is not about becoming saved or being saved. It is about the fruit of your salvation.
Jam 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jam 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
This is an amplification of the teaching of Jesus that we know a tree by the fruit it bears. It is how we know the saved from the unsaved. It does not declare that the man has faith ...but that he SAYS he has faith.
This addresses a hollow profession of faith , not a saving one .Can a hollow profession save him? NO, any more than works can save.This scripture says to the church that this faith is non existent , it is dead.
The bible is clear that it is God that gives the faith and it is God that ordains the works of the saved
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Hbr 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Phl 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
This is true. Though it's still true that the Holy Spirit through James says explicitly and clearly that one is justified (credited with righteousness before God) by works (properly understood) and not by faith alone. These points both go together. The acts James has in view are those of charity, acting in love toward out neighbor. So this is consonant with "God rendering eternal life in accordance with works" (Rom 2:6-7, Mat6. 16:27; 25:31-46).
If one believes he is saved or damned by his works , then one comforts oneself with the idea that “I am not as bad as my neighbor”
And if one accounts for the whole of Scriptural teaching, then one should know that's not an attitude condoned in the least.
The Bible tells us “ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” That is the inspired word of God . It does not say that some have fallen short and some are “close”
This is true. We all stand in need of forgiveness and God's grace. Though this truth doesn't change the truth also stated that works done humbly in faith and grace do justify in the sense that faith justifies. Faith and woks are organically connected.
May I quote James to you?
Jam 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.
Right. And the "law" James has in view here is simply the commandment to "love thy neighbor." James's point is that a person can't claim to be fulfilling that when he shows partiality to whom he administers kindness. But when one acts humbly and impartially in obedience to God, those works justify.
No where does Jesus say or imply that one is saved by works.
To the contrary, Jesus makes clear there is a direct connection between what one does and the reward of eternal life (or reprobation, as the case may be):
"Not every one who says to me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matt. 7:17
"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment." John 5:28-29.
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matt. 25:31-46
These are but a sample. And I'm here not accounting that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One; many more statements on the connection between works and eternal life are found in other books.
The book of James was written to a converted church , not heathens seeking salvation . It tells them how their conversion is seen by the unsaved world .
Though the example James gives of Abraham offering Isaac was an act seen only by God. When we act in accordance with our faith we are justified.
"21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 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.
This is all about Abraham's faith and response in the eyes of God -- not some "others" out there somewhere. Abraham is said to be justified ("credited with righteousness") by his obedient act of offering Issac, just as earlier Abraham was credited with righteousness upon trusting God's promise of future descendants, just as even earlier Abraham was justified when he "by faith" heeded God's call and left his homeland (Heb. 11:8). Abraham's acts of faith justified him before God at various points. So, too, it is with all believers.
There is nothing in James 2 that hints about how Christians are seen by the heathen world. You're pulling this out of thin air.
It is not about becoming saved or being saved.
It's about justification, which necessarily ties it to salvation. And makes explicit reference to salvation: "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?"
I don't know how you can say James isn't talking about salvation.
This is an amplification of the teaching of Jesus that we know a tree by the fruit it bears. It is how we know the saved from the unsaved. It does not declare that the man has faith ...but that he SAYS he has faith.
This is true. Though it's still true that the Holy Spirit through James says explicitly and clearly that one is justified (credited with righteousness before God) by works (properly understood) and not by faith alone. These points both go together.
This addresses a hollow profession of faith , not a saving one .Can a hollow profession save him? NO, any more than works can save.This scripture says to the church that this faith is non existent , it is dead.
This is true. Though it is also true that in making these points, the Holy Spirit through James says explicitly and clearly that we are justified by our works, not just by our faith. These points both go together.
The bible is clear that it is God that gives the faith and it is God that ordains the works of the saved
Exactly so. And in rewarding those works done under grace with eternal life, God is merely crowning His own glory. Our merits are His merits. It's very paradoxical, but there is a lot in Scripture that is paradoxical (a God who is One, but Three; a Savior who is both fully God and fully man; life coming through death . . ).