Thank you! I took your response as a compliment.
The baptism of Jesus was absolutely necessary. He took care f that and everything else for me according to the plain reading of the Bible.
What you reference is a problem common to all communication. What I love about the Bible is that it answers all these questions internally. You see, you have quoted James 2 to mean that you really do have to do the works after all. The Bible claim of not works is academic and theoretical, the Catholic claim of doing the works is real. In other words, either do the works or go to Hell, just be careful to call it faith when you do them.
Another example, you quoted James 2:19 to mean that believe cannot mean believe, but if you look at it what James is saying, it is clear he doesn’t contradict John 3:16.
Jesus is a person, a real person.
He said in His Book that He took care of everything for me.
I trust Him completely because of what He said about Himself in that Book.
I told Him on August 9, 1967 that I believed Him, and “O the joy that floods my soul”.
ebbtide can say I am dumb.
Jesus does not agree.
>> You see, you have quoted James 2 to mean that you really do have to do the works after all. <<
You do not have to do the works, you have to tend to your faith as you would a plant, so that it stays alive and doesn’t die.
If all you did was do the works, but you have no love (sound familiar?), that will not get you into Heaven.
If you once said the prayer asking Jesus into your heart but continued to fornicate and rip off widows and orphans, well, maybe you can explain how that person would get into Heaven?