[dsc]

One of Satan's neatest tricks is to convince us that our personal interpretation of Scriptures can be relied upon.

What did Jesus teach? That faith which is not accompanied by action--striving to refrain from some things and practice others--is not the kind of faith he was talking about.

Striving for obedience flows from faith naturally. It's not an "either/or" kind of thing. To say that "faith without works is dead" is to say that faith from which works do not flow is not what Jesus meant when he said "faith."

Of course, you can't work your way into Heaven through deeds in the absence of faith, but the absence of some deeds and the manifestation of others is a sure indicator of the absence of faith.

"what must a man do to be saved if not simply believe? How many conditions other than belief are there?"

Faith. Faith is the condition, not the intellectual act of "belief." And faith leads to works--including the avoidance of sin and the near occasion of sin--as night leads to day.

This whole thread is a tempest in a tea-pot, all over the wrong question.

[jwh_Denver]

Faith. Faith is the condition, not the intellectual act of "belief."

Both the words "faith" and "belief" or "believing" are translated from one Greek word "pistis" or a form of it. I have yet to see in any version a definitive answer on why they translate it into "faith" or "believing".

Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."

Believing is a monumental part of a Christian's life because what he believes will affect his entire behavior.

What would the right question be?