Quote:
Originally Posted by Winman
I'll probably be sorry I jumped in on this one. I have read James chapter 2 for years and tried to reconcile it with Ephesians 2:8-9.
Now, I don't know if I can explain how I understand this in a way others might understand, but I'll give it a try.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Notice the word "body". There is no such thing as a body without life first existing. For a body to exist, life must have existed at least for a moment. Even in this physical, natural world, for a body to exist, it had to be alive for a time. Now, we all know our physical bodies can die. But the life we receive from Christ can never die.
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
So, James 2:26 cannot be talking about salvation. Once you place your faith in Christ, Jesus gives us eternal life and we shall never perish.
And I do not believe James chapter 2 is speaking of salvation whatsoever. I think the key phrase is "what doth it profit?" in verses 14 and 16.
James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
James 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
So, what I believe James is emphasizing here is that if a man who has faith, fails to do good works, then he is USELESS.
Or as we say down south (I am a Southerner) GOOD-FOR-NOTHING.
Now, there are lots of folks who are good-for-nothing. That doesn't mean they are dead, but they really aren't profitable to themselves or anybody else. So, in that sense they are as good as dead.
So, that's my take on this chapter. I'm sure some might disagree, better men than me have been disagreeing on this chapter for centuries.
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Win, I agree with you in the sense yes, we are new creatures and have the Spirit of Christ and we are created unto good works. No one here who claims kinship with Jesus Christ would abhorr a good work out of a new perspective and appreciation of what the Scriptures call so great a salvation, but brother, trying to reconcile James to Paul is like trying to reconcile Leviticus to Paul. James is TIMES PAST and due to the double prophecy nature of the Scriptures, also to the Messianic Church in the Tribulation in AGES TO COME, because Peter, James, and John preached the Messianic gospel that was rejected at the end of Acts 7 and then Paul was called. James writes to the scattered Messianic church of Acts 8:1. Peter writes in I Peter to the believers he preached to in Acts 2.
Israel fell and we, Gentiles, and Jews equal with us in the Body(there is now NO difference), were grafted into this Body, BUT NOW we provoke Israel to jealousy because through their fall, we received salvation. James is as perfectly at harmony with Paul as the first five books of Moses. Written FOR US, but not TO us.
Brother, James is TRIBULATION doctrine when faith AND works will be required.
Grace and peace to you.
Tony