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Well you're right, I didn't backtrack through your discussion with the Catholic. But you demanded that I answer the questions you posed in that discussion before you would answer mine. So I did.

Then you demanded that I defend my answers before you would answer mine. So I did.

Now you want me to address more of your discussion with someone else? I wonder when you'll stop making demands and start upholding your end. :-)

Of course Paul is talking about works of law in 4:4-5. There isn't any other way to earn a not-guilty verdict. Listen to him:

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin." - 3:19-20 (ASV)

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (KJV)

Why is every mouth stopped by the law? Sin, that's why. We're guilty. We're under the judgment.

Why can't anybody be justified by works of law? Sin, that's why. We're guilty. We're under the judgment.

Now I've got to sign off and get some sleep. I'll check tomorrow to see whether you've kept your end of the deal and answered my questions.

Whoa there dude. You try to take Chapter 3 and apply it to Chapter 4? You had better read the beginning of Chapter 4 again. In Chapter 3 Paul was talking about the law. That would be the law of Moses. Now switch to chapter four and he's talking about Abraham and his obedience to God. Surely you wouldn't purport to tell us that Abraham was under the law of Moses would you? Abraham lived over 600 years before Moses. Abraham was credited with righteousness before he was circumcised and before the inauguration of the law. There is no way possible that Paul was talking about any legal law or obligation.

In verse 4 of Chapter 4 Paul is talking about what a man does to earn a wage. Those aren't works of the law. Those are physical things people do to earn a wage. Then in verse 5 he again uses that same analogy of things people do. Yes he talks about "works of the law" in other passages but in Chapter 4 he is not. If there was something we could do to attain righteousness the righteousness would be due for work done.

Paul told the Ephesians "not by works, so that no one can boast". Do you really think that men would only boast about following the law or do you think they would also boast about all the good deeds they did. Didn't Jesus say he would turn away all those who bragged they did all those things saying "I never knew you"? They weren't boasting about following any law.