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Old 03-25-2009, 07:09 PM
Winman Winman is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 464
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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.