“Obedience may verify that our belief is sincere.”
Why do you twist scripture with the use of the word “may”
Saint James says “is” here, not “may”:
17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
So is yours a living faith or a dead faith?
http://freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3509997/posts?page=1095#1095
I read the Greek. “May” is an English term used to represent the Greek subjunctive, but in English can represent either conditionality or purpose, so it is somewhat ambiguous in the English. But in the Greek it is very clear. The miracles and teaching presented in John are given for the purpose of leading a person to believe in Jesus, and by so believing, to have eternal life. In other words, believing what John wrote about Jesus is sufficient to obtain eternal life.
As for James, there is nothing to dispute there. I am puzzled you even raise it, as I have already agreed earlier that, yes, works can serve to verify that someone has saving faith as opposed to a superficial faith. But the word of God cannot be found in contradiction of itself. If Jesus grants eternal life to those who believe, based on His power to forgive, it is presumption to add conditions. Jesus made a promise. The apostles confirmed the terms of that promise. Anyone who trusts in Christ has been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, and made fellow heirs with Christ in eternal life and blessing. This is cause for great joy, though Satan would use fake news to snuff out that joy. But it is our birthright as those who have become new creations in Christ by the miracle of new birth, and we will not let go of what God has given us.
Peace,
SR