Once Again James 2 - Zane C. Hodges 

This is what the majority of Christians don't understand.

I was thinking the exact same thing while listening to this video! I have only recently learned that he even existed, and I love his teachings so much! I hope I get to give him a big hug in Heaven, and perhaps we will share a meal and some banter.

Just because James was using certain events in biblical history to prove that works were needed to complete faith, that would justify his belief that works were needed to prove salvation and if you had now works to go along with your faith, you were were not saved. What does it profit, my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ( James 2:14 )

Paul and James both make it clear show evidence of your faith by your works.

@@Be_An_Esther Paul and James did not agree

@@bereangirl7118 If someone has faith but doesn't have works Can faith save him? Answer: absolutely his faith can saved him

+BEREAN GIRL We are to do works of faith AFTER we are saved to PROFIT and BENEFIT those in need - James 2:15-16, 1 John 3:17-18. We are to put our faith into ACTION after we are saved. Christ does not want us to be missing in action. Abraham was justified before God and saved in Genesis 15:6. Later, his willingness in his ACTION of sacrificing Isaac in Genesis 22 justified Abraham before PEOPLE, that is, the nation Israel. Rahab the prostitute was SAVED and justified before God when she BELIEVED in Joshua 2, and her ACTION of hiding the 2 spies and sending them off in a different direction SAVED her and her WHOLE FAMILY from getting killed - Joshua 6:25, Hebrews 11:31. Rahab put her faith into ACTION and her action PROFITED her and her whole family as they were spared from PHYSICAL DEATH - Joshua 6:17, Joshua 6:25. Joshua 6:17 KJV - And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: ONLY RAHAB THE HARLOT SHALL LIVE, SHE AND ALL THAT ARE WITH HER IN THE HOUSE, BECAUSE SHE HID THE MESSENGERS THAT WE SENT. Joshua 6:25 KJV - And Joshua SAVED RAHAB THE HARLOT ALIVE, AND HER FATHER'S HOUSEHOLD, AND ALL THAT SHE HAD; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; BECAUSE SHE HID THE MESSENGERS, WHICH JOSHUA SENT TO SPY OUT JERICHO. Also, our action of putting our faith to work will later earn us ETERNAL REWARDS at the future Bema Judgment Seat of Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

+Honza Rubeš Good question. Regarding Galatians 5:19-21, it is ONLY the ones who are UNSAVED from beginning to end who commit those sins and who die in that very state of mind rejecting the gospel who will not possess eternal life. There are clearly SAVED people who commit those sins, but they will no doubt be chastised by God and suffer other unpleasant earthly consequences, BUT they are still saved as they have the imputed perfect righteousness of Christ. The following Biblical examples are worth considering: 1) Samson is a true man of God and at the same time a FORNICATOR - Judges 16:1 who led Israel for 20 years - Judges 16:31. The Bible is clear that he saw a prostitute and spent the night with her and what is described in Mark 7:20-23 and Galatians 5:19 was in Samson's heart at that very moment. God departed him in regards to fellowship because of his fornication with a prostitute and then he later foolishly revealed the secret of his incredible strength to Delilah whom he fell in love with (Judges 16:17) As a painful consequence of his giving away his secret, Samson was captured by the Philistines and had both his eyes gouged out - Judges 16:17-21, and the Philistines also degraded and ridiculed Samson publicly - Judges 16:25. Samson may have loved Delilah, but it was obvious that Delilah did not love him as she revealed the secret of Samson's great strength to the Philistines. Samson's last prayer just before his simultaneous murder/suicide was NOT a prayer of repentance, but was a request to God to strengthen him so that he could get REVENGE on the Philistines for the loss of his 2 eyes. Then in Judges 16:28-30, Samson commits a simultaneous MURDER/SUICIDE.Yet Samson is listed as a Godly man of faith in Hebrews 11:32. Samson would not be listed there if he was unsaved. Samson is a true man of God who is saved as indicated in Judges 13:7, and Judges 13:24. Samson lost his fellowship with God, lost his strength, lost his 2 eyes, and then lost his physical life as a result of his fornicating with a prostitute and revealing his secret to Delilah which resulted in his capture by the Philistines, but Samson did not lose his salvation in God. 2) KING DAVID is a true man of God who struggled with LIVE PORNOGRAPHY and no doubt at that moment had sexual lust in his heart (Mark 7:20-23, Galatians 5:19) as he watched Bathsheba take a bath from the roof of his palace and then gave in to the temptation and committed ADULTERY/MURDER - 2 Samuel 11:1-21. This happened despite the fact that King David had over 6 wives at the time - 2 Samuel 3:1-5, 2 Samuel 5:13. King David felt no conviction for his sins of adultery and murder because of the deliberate steps that he took to bring Bathsheba to him and then gave orders for the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. God had to send Nathan the prophet to WAKE HIM UP - 2 Samuel 12. God chastised King David with a series of painful consequences for the rest of his life - 2 Samuel 12:10, but his eternal salvation was never in question. King David is a true man of God and is called the "man after God's heart" - Acts 13:22, but the deliberate steps that he took to bring Bathsheba to his palace obviously showed that King David felt NO CONVICTION. David sent an assistant to find out about her -2 Samuel 11:3 and was then informed that Bathsheba is MARRIED to Uriah the Hittite. Then despite knowing that fact about Bathsheba which should have deterred him, he instructs his assistants to bring her to him - 2 Samuel 11:4. Those chronological actions taken by David obviously shows that David felt no conviction about sleeping with another man's wife despite the fact that he was married to over 6 women at the time - 2 Samuel 3:1-5, 2 Samuel 5:13. King David had all the sex that he wanted, but it appeared that his many wives were not enough to satisfy him. Again, there is a big contrast between King David and his sexual lust for Bathsheba in comparison with Joseph and Potiphar's wife. It is important to note that Joseph was SINGLE at that time when Potiphar's wife tempted him on a daily basis. However, Joseph had strong GODLY CONVICTION and refused to give in and because of his strong Godly conviction, the Lord blessed Joseph wherever he went. (will continue in my next comment)

+Honza Rubeš (continued comment) 3) King Solomon is a true man of God, but became a serial polygamist taking 1000 wives and became a DEMON WORSHIPER at the end of his life - 1 Kings 11:1-13. Solomon also had a HAREM full of women - Ecclesiastes 2:8. Solomon even built 2 altars to the 2 demon gods, Chemosh and Molech in 1 Kings 11:7-8. Molech was a demon god that required child sacrifices - A SATANIC PRACTICE. (The practice of sacrificing one's sons/daughters in the fire - Leviticus 18:21, 2 Kings 23:10) THIS WAS KING SOLOMON. Solomon persisted in his sins despite God warning him TWICE - 1 Kings 9:2 - 6, 1 Kings 11:9-11. Because of Solomon's defiance, God declared to Solomon that He would tear away a major portion of his kingdom, but do it in his son's generation because of God's covenant with Solomon's father, King David. God then brought 3 adversaries against Solomon - 1 Kings 11:14, 23, 26. Then we read that Solomon tried to commit MURDER in 1 Kings 11:40. Nowhere in Scripture does it ever say that Solomon "lost his salvation" or "never had it to begin with." 4) Lot is a man of God, but we read in Genesis 19:6-8 that Lot offers up his 2 daughters for SEX to the homosexuals who surrounded his house and in Genesis 19:31-36 we read that he has SEX WITH BOTH HIS DAUGHTERS GETTING THEM PREGNANT. This was clearly a case of INCEST. Yet Peter refers to Lot as a RIGHTEOUS MAN in 2 Peter 2:7-8 and Peter would not have referred to him as "RIGHTEOUS" if Lot was unsaved. 5) Moses is a man of God who committed the MURDER of an Egyptian - Exodus 2:12. 6) Noah is a man of God who got DRUNK and WENT NAKED in his tent - Genesis 9:21. 7) Jacob is a man of God who was also a SWINDLER as he kept all the best livestock for himself, but left all the weak and defective ones for his father in law Laban. Jacob and his mother Rebekah are both LIARS and DECEIVERS as they both deceived Isaac in stealing the blessing meant for Esau - Genesis 27:1-29. Jacob spoke LYING WORDS of deception to Isaac. 8) Abraham is a LIAR as he lied about his wife Sarah being his sister - Genesis 20:2. 9) Simon Peter LIED and DENIED Christ 3 times in front of those who asked if he knew Jesus - Mark 14:66-72 10) The prophet Isaiah is a true man of God, but he was also a man of UNCLEAN LIPS - Isaiah 6:5. People in the Old Testament were saved the exact same way as people in New Testament times, otherwise the apostle Paul would not have quoted Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:2-6, and Galatians 3:5-8 in support of SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE APART FROM OUR WORKS. Hope this helps to clarify, God bless!

+Honza Rubeš Here are Biblical examples from the New Testament. Here are Biblical examples of Godly people in the New Testament whom the apostle Paul affirmed are still saved despite their sinful deeds. The Corinthian Christians of the apostle Paul's time certainly would convince many people that they were "unsaved" or "had lost their salvation." Their lives were deplorable and were living in gross sin and immorality, but Paul affirmed the fact that they were saved in 1 Corinthians 3:1 as he addressed them as "brethren" that were "carnal babes in Christ". Paul would not have addressed them in that way if they were not saved. Paul addresses them as "brethren" in 1 Cor 2:1, as "brethren" and "carnal' "babes in Christ" in 1 Cor 3:1, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 4:6, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 10:1, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 11:2, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 12:1, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 14:20, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 15:1, as "brethren" in 1 Cor 15:58. (KJV) The above list in 1 Corinthians where Paul repeatedly addressed the Corinthian Christians as "brethren" is overwhelming evidence that these are saved people possessing eternal life. Paul would not have addressed them as "brethren" if they were not saved. When Paul addressed the Corinthian church they were living in sexual immorality, lawsuits, divisions, etc, at the very time when he wrote to them. Lordshippers just love to change the plain text and teach that Paul was referring to the Corinthians after they matured. NO, Paul was addressing and rebuking them in their present state while they were living in sin. It makes no logical sense for the apostle Paul to address and rebuke them if the Corinthians "grew" and matured. Paul addresses them as "Brethren" meaning they were saved, but he couldn't address them as spiritual and mature because they were not. They were saved, but CARNAL and BABES IN CHRIST who were still not growing as Paul said they were still drinking milk. 1 Corinthians 3:1 KJV - "And I, BRETHREN, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto CARNAL, even as unto BABES IN CHRIST." 1 Corinthians 3:2 - I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, YOU ARE STILL NOT READY. 1) 1 Corinthians 3:3 - there was ENVYING, STRIFE, and DIVISIONS among the Christians. 2) 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 - A CHRISTIAN MAN WAS HAVING SEX WITH HIS STEPMOTHER and consequently Paul pronounced judgment on this man in 1 Corinthians 5:5 where Paul says, "hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be SAVED on the day of the Lord". The Corinthian Christian's attitude regarding this man who was sleeping with his stepmother was one of PRIDE - 1 Cor 5:2 In 2 Corinthians 2:5-8, Paul gives an update on this man where we read that this man was chastened with CHURCH DISCIPLINE and that God had mercy on him and did not terminate his physical life. Paul instructs the church to forgive and comfort him so that he won't be overcome by excessive sorrow and to reaffirm their love and concern for him. 2 Corinthians 2:5-8 - But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was INFLICTED BY MANY. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to FORGIVE HIM, AND COMFORT HIM, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would CONFIRM YOUR LOVE TOWARD HIM. 3) 1 Corinthians 4:18 - there was ARROGANCE among the Corinthian Christians. 4) 1 Corinthians 6:7-8 - THERE WERE CHRISTIANS TAKING OTHER CHRISTIANS TO COURT and there was CHEATING among them. 5) 1 Corinthians 7:2 - there was FORNICATION among the Christians. 6) 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 - there were Christians EATING SELFISHLY, and there was DRUNKENNESS at the Lord's Supper. Because of their selfish indulgence of food and getting drunk God brought about SICKNESS and PHYSICAL DEATH as punishment - 1 Cor 11:29-30. Scripture is clear that there are indeed carnal Christians that are saved. It's not good or spiritually edifying that they are living in sin. God will CHASTISE them because they are His children, but they are still saved - Hebrews 12:5-11. The book of 1 Corinthians confirms the reality of carnal Christians who were living in sin and Paul affirmed that they are eternally saved by addressing them as "sanctified in Christ Jesus" and "saints" in 1 Cor 1:2. Paul also made it clear that he would deal with those who were sinning in the Corinthian Church with DISCIPLINE/CHASTISEMENT. This, of course, was not a threat against their salvation and eternal security. They were in danger of chastisement from God for their sinful actions and behavior - 2 Corinthians 13:2. Paul had already pronounced chastisement on the man who was sleeping with his stepmother in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. All the other sinning believers were in the same danger of chastisement from God just like the ones who were eating selfishly and getting drunk at the Lord's Supper - 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 and their consequent chastisement of sickness and premature physical death where their life spans were cut short - 1 Corinthians 11:29-30. 2 Corinthians 13:2 - I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others. It appears that Paul was warning the Corinthian believers about imminent chastisement from God if they didn't heed his warnings to them. In 1 Corinthians 11:29-30, it clearly states that God had already dealt with some of the Corinthian Christians who were eating selfishly and getting drunk at the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20-22) by sending sickness and premature PHYSICAL DEATH where their life spans were cut short. Self-righteous Calvinists/Lordship Salvationists and Arminian/Lordship Salvationists would of course deliberately deny the existence of carnal Christians and would deliberately write off carnal Christians who are living in sin as "unsaved" or having "lost their salvation" despite overwhelming evidence from Scripture. Hope this helps to clarify, God bless!

+Honza Rubeš All saved Christians works in this life, whether GOOD or BAD, will be evaluated and assessed at the Judgment Seat of Christ to determine the gain or loss of ETERNAL REWARDS, not eternal life which is free. The Judgment Seat of Christ is reserved for SAVED PEOPLE ONLY - 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. It is separate from the Great White Throne Judgment reserved exclusively for the UNSAVED ONLY - Revelation 20:11-15. 1) FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS in this life that lived obediently, and faithfully and did things that have eternal value will be granted with eternal rewards, and for some, the earned privilege of reigning with Christ in the Millennium is granted - 2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 3:21, and Revelation 2:26. Their lives will be tested with fire (Christ's fiery scrutiny) and WILL PASS THE TEST and be granted eternal rewards and some will reign with Christ. 2) UNFAITHFUL CHRISTIANS in this life that lived disobediently, and carnally will have their works tested with the fire of Christ's scrutiny at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Their lives, that is, their works had no eternal value and WILL FAIL THE TEST and be denied eternal rewards, BUT are still saved because eternal life is a free gift apart from works - Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:20, Romans 3:28, Romans 4:2-6, Romans 9:32, Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Gal ch. 3, Galatians 5:4, Titus 3:5. If we Christians deny Christ in this life by living unfaithfully, disobediently, or carnally in this life and then die in that state of mind, then Christ will DENY us ETERNAL REWARDS and the privilege of REIGNING with Him (latter half of 2 Timothy 2:12), but our eternal salvation remains intact and untouched as 2 Timothy 2:13 clearly states. Believers who endure and persevere under trials and hardships in this life will REIGN with Christ. 2 Timothy 2:12-13 - 12 If we suffer, we shall also REIGN WITH HIM: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, YET HE ABIDETH FAITHFUL: he cannot deny himself. If we DENY CHRIST in this earthly life by living in disobedience, unfaithfulness, carnality, worldliness, laziness, etc, then Christ will DENY US ETERNAL REWARDS and the privilege of REIGNING with Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ - 2nd half of 2 Timothy 2:12, BUT WE ARE STILL SAVED AND POSSESS ETERNAL LIFE in heaven - 2 Timothy 2:13, 1 Corinthians 3:14-15. 2 John 1:8 - Watch out that you do not LOSE what we have WORKED FOR, but that you may be REWARDED FULLY. God sometimes punishes unfaithful Christians who are saved with SICKNESS and premature PHYSICAL DEATH who are living in willful sin which is in essence defiling themselves - 1 Corinthians 3:17, 1 John 5:16-17, but they are still saved. The Christians in the Corinthian church who were eating selfishly and getting drunk at the Lord's Supper are a classic example - 1 Corinthians 11:20-22, 1 Corinthians 11:29-30. Eternal life is FREE, BUT eternal rewards are EARNED. There is a big difference. This is what 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 is talking about: 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder WILL SUFFER LOSS, but YET WILL BE SAVED-even though only as one escaping through the flames. The "gold", "silver", and "costly stones" represents faithful Christian's works in this life that had eternal value and will STAND UP to the fire used to test it, but the "wood", "hay", and "straw" represents unfaithful Christian's works in this life that had no eternal value, but will BURN UP in the fire used to test it. The "gold, "silver", and "costly stones" symbolize a life of obedience, commitment, perseverance, faithfulness, endurance under trial, etc. but the "wood", "hay", and "straw" symbolizes a life of unfaithfulness, disobedience, carnality, laziness, etc. Again, the "burned up" and "flames" in verse 15 is not referring to the flames of hell, but is referring to the works of the carnal, unfaithful, and disobedient Christians in this life that had no eternal value that is BURNED UP when tested with Christ's fiery scrutiny. Their eternal salvation remains intact and untouched, for eternal life is a free gift apart from works - Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23. In conclusion, UNFAITHFUL Christians in this life who lived disobediently and carnally will experience chastisement in this life from God including SICKNESS and premature PHYSICAL DEATH for some - 1 John 5:16-17, Proverbs 15:10, Hebrews 12:5-11, Jeremiah 2:19, 1 Corinthians 11:29-30, Acts 5:1-10, and experience SHAME (1 John 2:28) and a forfeiture of ETERNAL REWARDS at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but loss of eternal life is NEVER one of the consequences - 1 Corinthians 3:15, 2 Timothy 2:13. Hope this helps, God bless!

Read the rest of the passage”5:24” Standard Bible Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified (Aorist tense) or past tense the flesh with its passions and desires. In Galatians 2:20 crucified is in the perfect tense meaning past action with results going on. Crucified isn’t in the present tense in either passage. One’s life that is characterized by sin or works of the flesh are not born again believers

@alvinfen4511 Wouldn't that mean that James had not received from Paul, the revelations, given to him by the ascended Lord Jesus,if he had not received the revelation by Paul yet. Therefore explaining all the Jewish "Works" Gospel in James. The date of James death and Paul imprisonment, makes no difference. It's the time, that James, received the revelation by Paul. And there was a time, that there was contention. But Paul gave them his Revelation, and James, Paul, and John gave him the right hand of fellowship in Chapter 15(Jerusalem Councel) So James could have wrote this letter/book before he knew about Paul's revelation. Wendy - end quote

@alvinfen4511 Wow, just wow......and not in a good way.

@@wendy54321no no just no

Not!

Keeping it simple, as Jesus did: "Then they asked Him, 'what must we do that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'". Jn. 6:28-29, MEV. Nothing is said in this passage or many others calling for us to believe about following any other commandment apart from the commandment to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life. John 10:27 is no different, because in the verse just preceding, our LORD states, "But you do not Believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you." (Emphasis added). Thus, His sheep are believers, or followers; see also Jn. 10:2-5. It's not appropriate to load up the word "believe" with concepts that are not encompassed within its meaning; otherwise, one can end up with Lordship Salvation, thereby distorting the Gospel of faith by the addition of works. Blessings!

@@michaelsinger2921 he says "you do not believe because you are not my sheep". He then goes on to define His sheep or what belief means. He says if you believe you follow or obey! Hebrews 5:9 and Acts 5:32 are a few of many verses that support this. YOUR OBEDIENCE DOESN'T SAVE IT IS A RESULT OF YOUR FAITH. JAMES 2 STATES THIS PRINCIPLE CLEARLY.

@@michaelsinger2921 🙏

@@DW-yl9ww Obedience is not an automatic guarantee after one is saved. There are many OBEDIENT Roman Catholics, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses, BUT ARE NOT SAVED. Following Christ is not imperative for salvation. In the 2 accounts of the man who was demon possessed in Luke 8:26-39 and Mark 5:1-20 by many demons where Jesus cast all the demons out of him and he became saved, that man clearly wanted to FOLLOW JESUS and MAKE JESUS HIS LORD, BUT Jesus made it clear to him that "following Him" and "making Him Lord" is not imperative for salvation. These 2 accounts debunk Calvinism/Lordship Salvation's false teaching that one cannot be saved unless they make Jesus the "Lord of their lives" and "follow Him." Luke 8:38-39 - 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out BEGGED TO GO WITH HIM, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Mark 5:18-20 - 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed BEGGED TO GO WITH HIM. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “GO HOME to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

ok..but what do you do with all the scripture that is crystal clear on faith and works being seperate? And that faith in the Gospel is what saves a man not by works or however you would like to define it. Also ur complete ignorance of the “justified before men” argument, what do You do with this: Romans 4:2-3 KJV [2] For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. [3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Belief… belief/faith saves. His work in this scripture didn’t justify him before God. The bible cannot contradict itself correct? so it’s clearly and interpretation issue. Interesting

@@lionsoftruthministries3126 Paul’s Letter to the Romans is the mature fruit of a line of thought he began developing in Galatians and was his response to the heresy of the judaizers: that Gentiles had to submit to circumcision in order to be saved (Acts 15:5). “Works of the Law” are commonly understood in Rabbinic Judaism as referring to circumcision, observing the dietary restrictions in Torah, and the other observances that set the Jewish people apart from the gentiles. “Works of the Law” did not include the moral law or juridical law. One of the errors that some Christians make in interpreting Romans is assuming that “works of the law” is referring to any human acts at all. It does not. Some rabbis then & today argue that Abraham was keeping the Torah, including circumcision, centuries before Moses lived in a kind of “anticipatory” manner. Paul’s remark that “if Abraham were justified by works of the law, he’d have something to boast about” ridicules this idea. In other words, Abraham couldn’t be observing works of the law because the law wasn’t given yet. Paul’s being sarcastic (Paul’s biting sense of humor is more evident in Galatians but it also surfaces in Romans). Abraham’s faith was more than passive belief but included active co-operation. What was God’s promise to Abraham? “He took him outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness.” The fulfillment of this promise required Abram’s personal involvement: he had to sleep with and impregnate Sarah, even though they were both well past the age of fruitful sexual intercourse. We have in the example of Abraham a picture of the synergistic nature of salvation: faith includes and makes possible human cooperation with divine grace. For Paul, genuine saving faith includes obedience: the “obedience of faith (Romans 1:5 & Romans 16:26).” As you say: Scripture cannot contradict itself - and it doesn’t. But we are explicitly cautioned that St Paul’s writing are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16). 500 years ago, Martin Luther made several errors in his interpretation of Romans and Galatians, and ever since Protestants, rather than correct those errors, attempt instead to re-interpret James and other texts (including the words of Christ) to fit their erroneous interpretation of Paul.

@@sherlockholmes3469 I didn’t realise how completely deluded you are my friend. enjoy establishing your own righteousness which will be thrown into the abyss at the great white throne

@@lionsoftruthministries3126 how refreshing that you offered a well reasoned and charitable reply seasoned with scripture and sound reason rather than resort to insulting my state of mind and threatening me with hellfire.

@@sherlockholmes3469 maybe it’s the shock you need. Read the scripture, it’s pretty clear

Js77 is on the throne of thrones of worst teachers 👨‍🏫 on RU-vid He isn’t just Free Grace, he is perverted grace The worst part is he abuses Galatians 5:4 to damn the righteous to hell He enjoys damning the righteous to hell Proverbs 17:15 I know this was 7 months ago, but repent and turn from him