So the last enemy to be conquered is death and it comes under the curse and law of sin. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." When Jesus died on the cross this curse'Thou shalt bruise his heel' cast it shadow upon the Son who did no sin and knew no sin." (Ge.3:15,14) St Paul writes referring to it, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."(Gal.3:13)
Everlasting gospel is consequential in setting the cloud of witnesses similar as the emblem of the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world into one fold. Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God ( John 1:29) delivered whoever was under the curse of death. By the same token he shall deliver the witnesses in the world of the Spirit "and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." His work shall conclude only "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." That God may all in all is life everlasting to which we did no labor. So this saying holds true in the context of the world of the Spirit. "One soweth, and another reapeth./ I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors."( John 4:37-38)
Christ in us is our relationship that does not change in both worlds.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."(v.3)
Towards the end of his earthly ministry Jesus in his prayer to his Father refers to ' thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word." Whosoever consequently abides in him having no confidence in his flesh has faith and also kept the word." the latter part constitute the works which are impossible without the Savior Lord.( John 15:3) Now Jesus speaks he has finished the work, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."(17:4,6)
From the key verse we know that preparing a place in heaven constitutes as work so as he glorified his Father on earth he has certain unfinished work. Even there we are part of his works so 'that where I am, there ye may be also."
Heaven and earth are part of the everlasting covenant. So everlasting gospel must be seen and understood as pendent to this covenant which is part of the divine Will of the Father and shall not change. The Law is eternal forever settled in heaven,(Ps.119:89) and as such heaven must be set in terms of the Law of the Spirit.
Jesus refers to the sheepfold in John 10:1 and here we are examining what possible works he might do so the nature of heaven may be placed under correct context as fulfillment of the Abstract in seven days. "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."(10:16)
Law of sin applies to the world of the Spirit and the son of perdition, collectively applied to children of wrath or disobedience. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."( 1 John 3:8) Death is the work of Satan. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
"if you look about in this forum you shall see my posts, fruits of my labor. It may give a proof. That is my material from my understanding of the word of God." End quote.
I would like to correct my statement when I said I haven't read your material.
What I meant to say is I haven't read anything on the topic of Justification or Salvation by you, so I don't know your take.
This certainly would help in what you are trying to convey to me.
I know you have been posting here for some time now and I've glanced at some of your posting a few times but you do not stay on topic so I left off reading them.
I read and understand the scriptures you gave but I don't understand "YOU"
Please speak plainly and direct with me, perhaps I'm slow of learning or a babe in Christ.
Having studied this short psalm in detail, by the grace given to me 'according to measure of the gift of the Christ' I conclude:
that the psalm can only be understood by the Son who of God has become wisdom. (1 Co.1:30). What I mean by this is that Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh. So a believer can enter into the truth by Christ 'by whom all things consist'. So without the discourse of "I am the door" given in the Gospel of John Ch.10 the Psalm 23 is incomplete. It is what the Word component does. David confessing 'The Lord is my Shepherd' and Jesus declaring "I am the good shepherd" hold together because the Word was with God and also the Word was God.
By the same token the verse, " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." cannot be fully understood without digesting the significance of this verse,"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."(Re.21:1). The Spirit is restating the first verse in Genesis from the standpoint of " Christ in me". St Paul writes,"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."(2 Co.5:17)
Parallelism is what man says with his one leg standing in the world of the body while his other leg has no reach to stand on the world of the Spirit. The controversy of faith and faith with works, epistles of St Paul and James with regards to justification and faith are a case in point.
For this reason without letting Jesus Christ who stands and knocking heaven is merely a controversy for the busybodies who ever learns while their understanding is ever deserting them. It is thus hireling has scattered the flock of Christ because the flock is not theirs and they have not come by the door in the first place. They may call themselves as Pilgrim Fathers or any other. Without 'Christ in me' I am sounding cymbal.
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."
Here is a quote from St Peter, "which things the angels desire to look into."(1 Pe.1:12) There angels out there some of them ar bad actors and we are a spectacle unto them as we cross from one door of our heart to the other door mentioned in Re.4:1. So preparing a table in the presence of mine enemies includes the ungodly of our world without as well as from the world of the Spirit.(Re.3:20). Daily in our intimacy with our Savior Lord we are replenished and fortified to go about our lives.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."(v.6)
The first part is the one hope of our calling that is right out there, for example, the building of God in case our earthly tabernacle is dissolved, and wonderful manner we are able to pass each day despite of irksome pricks that we endure, without falling in despair.
We are spiritually living in the house of God so we have passed from death to life everlasting. So wishing to be there is not a pipe dream." For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."(Ps.84:10) 'Forever' is a tag placed to indicate the Son and abiding in Christ means just that.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;/ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,/
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all./ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."(Ep.4:4-6)
You ask: "I don't quite understand where you are coming from." I am a child of God, my personal antecedents surely must be of no use to understand each other so we shall begin on the same brotherly spirit I commented to your post.
Being called, justified and given certain gifts, 'according to the measure of the gift of Christ' I labor and if you look about in this forum you shall see my posts, fruits of my labor. It may give a proof. That is my material from my understanding of the word of God.
To answer the last part of your reply,"Again I am not quite understanding your rebuttal. I haven't read your material so I don't know your take on Justification and Sanctification, I quoted a passage at the beginning. Read it carefully. It is God breathed so both James and Paul putting down the truth that cannot like putty to be twisted into any shape than for the glory of God.
In order to add to your understanding read He.11:3 God framed the worlds by his word so faith is very much the 'pure speech' God's commandment and the world made to appear is the earth that abides forever.(Ec.1:4) So God is through all and in you all is not about the world we live in where culture wars are fought and nations exploit whosoever they will. As a child of God faith is to be part of the kingdom and as a branch to the true vine. So much as part of sharing my understanding. With joy and peace in Him,
I have a pain on my left side. I need healing I need healing and strength to help me through and be there for my disabled wife and our blind dog. Our car is at the dealership garage with an unknown issue. With faith I had it towed there and it's hard to believe I'll ever come up with the money to get it back. We need our only car to get us to our doctor's appointments. May God bless us and our neighbors who help us with rides to the store. May God Bless Florence Foodshare and may God heal us and help us through these dark times. Thank God for all our blessings and healing. Thank you God for healing our dog's eye infection and giving him the strength to make it as a blind dog. Father please heal me and give me the strength to carry my wife and dog. In Jesus's name Amen.
Hi Momsage. I've been following your discussion with GiGi & would ask a question. You stated, "I never said I was as holy as Jesus, although I am sinless because of His divine blood and being fully sanctified." I was wondering whether you actually meant: 'because of Jesus' Sacrifice for you & your coming to Him for forgiveness, you are now both forgiven & made RIGHTEOUS before God'.
Being 'righteous' in God's Eyes & being 'sinless' (i.e. without any trace of sin, as Jesus was) are quite different states. Being righteous before God, shows us our standing before Him & acceptance by Him because of Christ's Sacrifice. Being sinless would require that not only our spirits & souls would be made new but also our bodies; in other words, through Christ's Blood we should attain an Adam/Eve state, pre-fall. Our flesh, which is corrupt & sin-prone since our birth, can never be changed, at least not until Christ's appearing for us, & it is to that flesh that Satan makes his appeal, to which we succumb (some strong in the Lord will resist, others weaker).
You shared a good illustration of what you considered a fault (i.e. your not exercising which helps you with your Fibromyalgia). I agree that this is not a sinful act. But as you know that sin has its roots in the heart & mind, not just in an outward action ( Matthew 5:21-28); here Jesus is teaching clearly the full meaning of the Law, & not just by the letter that those under the OT Covenant gauged themselves.
Even in my own example that I have shared here before: when witnessing a vehicle accident about to occur (a car ran a red light), my intial reaction of surprise & shock (which isn't a sin as it's a normal human response), turned into a thought of condemnation of a foolish indifferent driver who should know better. But did I know that driver to judge him? (maybe he was distracted, a medical episode, a one-off bad judgement)? My sin in my thoughts alone, not just a fault, came to the fore, for which I confessed.
hello, I would like to get back to posting on the attributes of God_ for "R" I choose REDEEMER
Both in the OT and NT God is spoken of as our Redeemer- one who rescues, ransoms, or makes payment to deliver someone from condemnation, death, evil, sin, slavery, bondage.
Job 19:25 -The LORD is Job's Redeemer
Ps. 19:14 -the LORD is David's Redeemer
Is. 48:17 - the holy One of Israel is Redeemer
Hosea 13:14 from death
Ps. 49:15 from the grave
Rom. 3:24 -redemption came through Jesus Christ
Rom 8:23 Jesus redeems our bodies
1 Cor. 1:30- Jesus is our righteousness, holiness and Redeemer
Eph 1:7 -Jesus paid our ransom with his blood to redeem us
Col. 1:14-in Christ Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins
Heb 9:12- In Jesus we have eternal redemption
Lk. 1:68 -redeemed his people
Gal 3:13; 4:5-from the curse of the law
Titus 2:14 - from wickedness
We know that Scriptures clearly say that God is our Redeemer in the OT and NT.
How great it is that Jesus, (the eternal Word) became flesh to be the perfect Kinsman Redeemer for us-a human man to live a perfect life which He (as God in the flesh) could only do, and to give His infinite and invaluable life as the payment for our sins. The Father gave His Son, the Word, Jesus, for us in the incarnation, the Holy One, to ransom us from the domain of sin, hell, and the grave and bring us into His glorious Eternal Divine Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit regenerates us with the power that raised Jesus from the dead to come to faith in Jesus that we may be saved and inherit what God has determined for us to receive due to the everlasting covenant made within the Godhead before ANYTHING was created.
All praise and worship we bring rightly to the Father, the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit Whom together in unity did all that the will of God determined was to be the terms of our redemption. There has never been a perfect man in all of history. Man is unable to live a perfect life. But God become flesh alone could.
I believe Mcgee is talking about Abraham being towards the end of his journey.
Isaac was a grown man when Abraham offered him.
By the time we get to Genesis 24:1 it reads. Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. Not much more said about Abraham after that. He dies and was gathered to his people in Ch 25 then God blessed Issac.
Abraham was about 160 years old when Jacob was born.
The only thing that I would like to point out is that Mr. McGee says that the sacrifice of Isaac was at the end of Abraham's life.
But from the biblical account, Abraham lived to see Isaac become a grown man, marry and seems to have been alive in the time of Jacob's life. How long into Jacob's life, I am not sure off the top of my head.
At the time of the command to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham was about 110-120 years old, but it seems that he lived to be 175 years old.
I agree that we should end this discussion. We differ in our view of sanctification and what holiness before God is. I can see that we will not come to agreement.
You have explained your view to me, and I have explained my view to you. We can end with that. I don't wish to go back and forth with any accusations. We can certainly re-read our posts and consider prayerfully what each other has said and go to Scriptures. That is the best way forward in this regard and so that is the path I will be taking. Blessings to you.
We prayed for you in church today. Just in the last couple years I hear of so many people who are having aggressive cancers including many who had the cancer go into remission only to return with a vengeance. My uncle passed away a week after his cancer diagnosis but that is already a few years back. Big hug to you from over the pond (I'm in Europe). Will keep praying. And MARANATHA!!! So come Lord Jesus.
GiGi: You did say "It is highly probable that you have faults (sins) such as these or others that when you read of them in Scripture the Holy Spirit pricks your heart so that, hopefully, I will repent of that sin. So you did accuse me of probably sinning because according to YOU faults are sins. The definition of faults according to the rest of the world is that they are "minor character weaknesses. Your refusal to see the difference between faults and sins will never bring you to the biblical understanding that this doctrine is false. As Christians we are told by God Himself, that we ARE to be holy as HE is Holy and we ARE to be perfect as HE is perfect, but you don't believe this teaching because you refuse to believe that our human nature is NOT eradicated when we become a true believer, as the SCRIPTURES, I gave you say which you did not respond to. After salvation we go on in the Lord to grow as He helps us to overcome our faults, again, minor weaknesses of our character, which we still have as humans, and to resist the TEMPTATION to sin. We are no longer sinners. Once again, as usual my "what if" question was ignored. Why, because it can't be answered! Let me give you something else to think about; if sinners go to hell when they die, as the bible plainly says and Christians go to heaven when they die, as the bible plainly says, where do sinning/christian go when they die? Nonsensical question? Not according to what you believe. Of course, we need Jesus to be our advocate with the Father when we repent of our sins. Jesus makes the way for us to be in a sinless state before the Father. But as long as we are here on this earth, Jesus is there for all our other needs as they present themselves to us. God is not a God of just forgiving sin, He is also a wonderful, all loving Father that is there for us always.
I never said I was as holy as Jesus, although I am sinless because of His divine blood and being fully sanctified. Jesus was not born into original sin, as I was, and He didn't have any faults, which I do. I am perfect as God's word defines, perfect because I am not living in sin. One last example of a fault, maybe I didn't exercise as much as I should have yesterday for the sake of my Fibromyalgia, to help me feel better. Is that a SIN, no it's a fault. Should I have gone on my knees and begged God for forgiveness so I don't go hell, no because it was a FAULT and I'll try to do better today. Why is this so hard to understand! How can God give us such assurance through obedience to Him that after salvation, as long as we don't sin, we are sinless. How can no sin equal being a sinner? There is no more use going on in this discussion, as I think you will agree, because we are just going in circles. What you believe in this is between you and the Lord. In honesty, I do believe you are a sinless true believer but with faults. I just pray you could come to believe this so you would stop promoting this false doctrine.
Paul and James are not talking of different things. Since you are quoting another let me explain; faith is one (Ep.4:5-6) Either you are with Christ or you are on the enemy camp. Faith with works to be seen of man is what enemies to Christ do. Simplicity that is in Christ does wonders to whosoever comes to him trusting. In thee is the fountain of light. In thy light we see the light.(Ps.36:9) So the believer who is dead to the world and to sin abides in him in faith and abound in fruits, has fulfilled the word of the Son. "Without me you can do nothing. " So Vernon is talking what he does not have a clue. I have not heard him but I suppose he is a radio personality.
In another place he speaks of God calling Abraham out. He is not simply calling any one in void but in his Son. Abraham is no exception.
Part 9. J Vernon Mcgee. God's Test - Genesis 22 continuing.
We should pause here to consider a deep truth for God's children today. Do you know, friends, that for the Christian the greatest testings do not necessarily come at the beginning of our life as a believer? Sometimes God waits until we have had many years along the path, and then He brings a testing into our life so that He might develop us - a testing that we would never have been given at the beginning of our walk with Him. Often these testings cause Christians to say, "Well, I do not see why God has allowed this to happen to me!" My friend, it is evidence of the fact that you are in favor with God. You have come to the place where He can test you. And remember that He will not test you beyond what you are able to bear (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).
Notice that this test did not come at the first part of Abraham's life. I am very frank to say that I do not believe that Abraham could have stood this test when God first called him out. At the beginning of his life of faith, he never would have gone this far with God. It was only after several times of lesser testings, then backsliding, but always returning to his relationship with God that he was put to this ultimate test.
You may want to buy her a card or flower on your next trip home even if you don't feel like it. Having something planned to say that is nice every day is something I'd recommend.
Part 8. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.)
So Paul's example has to do with the early part of Abraham's life. When James presents his argument, we find that he deals with the end of Abraham's life and the offering of Isaac upon the altar. This was the last appearance of God to this man, and James says, in essence, "Now here is the example of what faith has done in this man's life - it has brought him to make the supreme sacrifice."
Look again at James 2:21: "Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar?" Now in what way does the offering of Isaac reveal the fact that Abraham was justified by works? To see this clearly, we need to notice some very familiar facts. These interesting incidents took place toward the end of the life of Abraham when God called upon him to make the great sacrifice - which was the supreme crisis in his life.
God's Test - Genesis 22.
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham" ( Genesis 22:1). The King James Version uses the word "tempt," but the New Scofield Reference Bible changes it to "test." I know that it's the same Greek word that you will find for "tempt," but you will also recall that James says,
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. ( James 1:13)
Now when a man is tempted with evil, it is never God tempting him; it is Satan. God does not tempt men with evil; He tempts them with the good. He tests men in that sense. God's tests always lead to discipline and development of Christian character and life, while the tests and temptations of Satan always lead to the destruction of the life of the individual. Here we see that Abraham is being tested of God for his own good.
Another failure of the enemy of our souls and his tactics
Satan knows that he failed in using the people such as Judas Iscariot; the Romans and the Pharisees to betray and then crucify Christ after the Resurrection occurred. He has another big surprise coming when the saints are all rewarded due to enduring patiently the trials which were largely devised by Satan to buffet God's saints while on the earth. They will come back to fight with Christ and do the subsequent cleanup of earth after that event (in reality we will be spectators of Christ who goes through the vineyard alone ( Isaiah 63:3) but rule and reign with a rod of iron with Christ afterwards. ( Rev. 2:26-27).
The enemy has; as I have brought out on other occasions two primary tactics. One is of outright persecution and the second temptations to put us out of commission. There are several distinct advantages for the second method to be applied instead of the first. We must consider that if someone is taken out through martyrdom that they will no doubt be influencing others who will be continuing to accelerate the Great Commission. This method of seduction allows for infiltration and compromising of groups of people and exponentially infects the church; and we only need to look at today's sad state of affairs in American churches to see evidence of just how effective the last few decades of deception has been. If the enemy is in the camp then of course he can bring God's sore displeasure and we can see how effective that was with the absence of all seven churches listed in Revelation 2 and 3 from modern day Turkey (even if the Philadelphia church was faithful that nation has succumbed to what is likely about to once again be a Muslim Caliphate in the next few years.) Our country is seeing a shocking rise in paganism and Satanism today which of course has infiltrated many houses of worship in thinly disguised methods (such as cards with "Christian" images basically mimicking Tarot cards.)
Part 7. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Works)
When it comes to the word works, surely Paul and James must mean the same thing, do they not? No, they absolutely do not. When Paul speaks of works, he speaks of the works of the Law. I wonder if you have ever noticed that? Will you listen to him,
Therefore, by the deeds [or works] of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ( Romans 3:20)
So, it is clear that when Paul is talking about works, he is talking about the works of the Law. Then turn to Galatians 2:16 where we read, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Here again Paul is talking about the works of the Law.
But James talks about the works of faith. Could he be any more explicit than when he says,
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith [not the works of the Law, but that which faith produces] without works is dead? ( James 2:20)
Therefore, if man's faith does not produce works, that man's faith is dead. Here we find that the two men have two extremely different sources of works in mind. James, that of faith; Paul, that of the Law.
Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.
At this point, let's bring the teaching of these two men to bear upon the life of God's great servant, Abraham, in the question of justification, for we find both Paul and James using Abraham as an example. This is of keen interest as we see that Paul lets us look at Abraham when God made His first appearance to him, and James goes to the end of his life when God made His seventh and last appearance to Abraham. Paul goes back to the birth of Isaac and the time when God called Abraham - at which time this man had no works and had very feeble faith, but nonetheless a faith sufficient to move out with God. And when he moved out with God, he was justified by faith.-
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die."
The next verse describes how we were yet sinners; or what Colossians 1:21 states in even harsher terms as "enemies of God."
Next time you hear someone talking about how loving we all should be ask them if they would be willing to die for their enemies who hate them. We hear a lot of talk these days about the love of God; usually reduced to some mushy sentimentality and hardly differentiated from human passions. First off; it is only a half truth to go around talking about God's love only when it happens to coincide with pleasant or pleasurable circumstances for people on earth. Yes God loved us when we were yet sinners but provided provision through the Son as His ONLY method to reconcile the enmity between us and Him due to indwelling sin. God cannot look upon sinful man and love Him in the state he is in but DESPITE the fact that he is in a lost state with a heart that is; according to Jeremiah 17:9 "desperately wicked". God's METHOD is by having the Son; for we either have the Son and therefore know God or we know neither (see 1 John 23:24). This involves the Father and Son coming to "dwell within us" ( John 14:23 which also implies the Holy Spirit sealing us until the day of redemption ( Eph. 4:30).
Those who would view Jesus as someone that is primarily promoting some sort of sentimental affection either is Biblically illiterate or willfully deceived. He talked about being a sword to divide families ( Matthew 10:34-36); rebuked the Pharisees harshly a number of times; destroyed the Temple moneychanger market at least twice; and challenged those who would feign to be His disciples but whose heart wasn't in it. He even rebuked His own disciples. This is demonstrating that true love in His own life was obeying God; and we are called to do the same for Christ ( John 14:23).
Part 6. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Faith.)
One of the greatest dangers for preachers of the gospel is that we like to see people converted, and we are willing to accept a brazen and flippant yes from some individual who says, "Yes, I'll trust Jesus." However, it might be just an impertinent, impudent, and insolent nod of the head; it is so easy today to be as phony as a three-dollar bill. James says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" ( James 2:17). Therefore, even though he uses the word faith, James means faithfulness - a faith that makes you faithful before men.
A minister once asked a man who professed conversion, "Have you united with the church?"
"No, I haven't," the man replied. "The dying thief never united with the church, and he went to heaven."
The minister asked, "Have you ever sat at the Lord's table?"
"No, the dying thief never did, and he was accepted," was the man's answer.
The minister asked, "Have you been baptized?"
"No," he said, "the dying thief was never baptized, and he went to heaven."
"Have you given to missions?"
"No, the dying thief did not give to missions, and he was not judged for it," was the reply.
Then this disgusted minister said to the man, "Well, my friend, the difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief and you are a living thief."
Part 5. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Justification.)
Therefore, we see that when Paul uses the term justification he is talking about a man's relationship with God; when James uses the same term, he is talking about a man's relationship with the world. One is perpendicular, and the other is horizontal.
Paul and James View Faith.
The same procedure runs true in their use of the term faith. Again, they mean something different. When Paul talks of faith he is talking about that which is toward God. Paul says that saving faith - a faith that is genuine and real - will transform a person's life. Paul said of himself,
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. ( Philippians 3:7)
A real revolution took place in his life when he came to Christ. Looking again at Galatians 3:6, we read that "as Abraham believed Godit was accounted to him for righteousness." And then in Romans:
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. ( Romans 4:5)
Paul is speaking here of that which we bring to God. The only thing that a sinner can bring to God is faith in Jesus Christ. When James writes about this, he is not talking about faith toward God but about the works of faith. So Paul is talking about the root of faith, and James is talking about the fruit of faith, but they are both defending the citadel of faith.
Here in James 2:14.
James is not talking about the works of the Law. The faith that James is talking about here is professing faith, that which is phony and counterfeit. Paul refers to the same idea when he says in 1 Corinthians 15:2, "unless ye have believed in vain." Paul also wrote, "Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith" ( 2 Corinthians 13:5). James simply says that the faith which saves you will produce works-"works of faith.
Christ's ultimate sacrifice: Primary purpose was to do God's will.
In studying Christ's death on the cross and the resulting salvation of our souls it is no small thing to focus attention and time on such a matter on a regular basis. At least from our perspective the meaning to us personally must be considered with all due reverence for how He took us from death to life. John 17:6-8 makes clear that God was the one who gave Christ all the ones who were to be saved. The following verses ask for unity among them all; and to be in the world but not of it (in general). These verses prayed during His agony in Gethsemane are the summation of much of the earlier chapters in John clearly showing that God was the one who predetermined (predestined) all those who would be saved and hear His voice as His sheep.
However you slice it; there are some who will and will not come to Christ. Also God knows ahead of time who these people are so therefore certainly could have designated ahead of time who would be sheep and who would be a goat; who would be wheat and who a tare; etc. In other words; it wasn't up to Christ to give out any information that could lead someone to the truth in a merely intellectual manner and therefore much of His ministry was spent teaching in parables. Compare Mark 4:12 with Luke 8:12. The lack of insight given so that people can be saved is clear from the first passage; but Satan is used as the agent to blind men's hearts in the second example in Luke of the seed by the wayside.
There are as Deuteronomy 29:29 states some things in the Divine counsel which men are not privy to. Certain things can be searched out; however ( Proverbs 25:2). John 3:16 states that God so loved the world and sent His Son. We should keep in mind here that Christ came first and foremost to do the Father's will. All those called and chosen would be saved EXCEPT for the prophesied son of perdition (see Psalm 69:25; Psalm 41:9; Psalm 109).
So the last enemy to be conquered is death and it comes under the curse and law of sin. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." When Jesus died on the cross this curse'Thou shalt bruise his heel' cast it shadow upon the Son who did no sin and knew no sin." (Ge.3:15,14) St Paul writes referring to it, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."(Gal.3:13)
Everlasting gospel is consequential in setting the cloud of witnesses similar as the emblem of the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world into one fold. Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God ( John 1:29) delivered whoever was under the curse of death. By the same token he shall deliver the witnesses in the world of the Spirit "and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." His work shall conclude only "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." That God may all in all is life everlasting to which we did no labor. So this saying holds true in the context of the world of the Spirit. "One soweth, and another reapeth./ I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors."( John 4:37-38)
Christ in us is our relationship that does not change in both worlds.
Thanks for your feedback. If you have anything specific to ask from the Bible I shall only be happy to clarify it. Greetings,
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."(v.3)
Towards the end of his earthly ministry Jesus in his prayer to his Father refers to ' thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word." Whosoever consequently abides in him having no confidence in his flesh has faith and also kept the word." the latter part constitute the works which are impossible without the Savior Lord.( John 15:3) Now Jesus speaks he has finished the work, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."(17:4,6)
From the key verse we know that preparing a place in heaven constitutes as work so as he glorified his Father on earth he has certain unfinished work. Even there we are part of his works so 'that where I am, there ye may be also."
Heaven and earth are part of the everlasting covenant. So everlasting gospel must be seen and understood as pendent to this covenant which is part of the divine Will of the Father and shall not change. The Law is eternal forever settled in heaven,(Ps.119:89) and as such heaven must be set in terms of the Law of the Spirit.
Jesus refers to the sheepfold in John 10:1 and here we are examining what possible works he might do so the nature of heaven may be placed under correct context as fulfillment of the Abstract in seven days. "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."(10:16)
Law of sin applies to the world of the Spirit and the son of perdition, collectively applied to children of wrath or disobedience. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."( 1 John 3:8) Death is the work of Satan. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
You stated
"if you look about in this forum you shall see my posts, fruits of my labor. It may give a proof. That is my material from my understanding of the word of God." End quote.
I would like to correct my statement when I said I haven't read your material.
What I meant to say is I haven't read anything on the topic of Justification or Salvation by you, so I don't know your take.
This certainly would help in what you are trying to convey to me.
I know you have been posting here for some time now and I've glanced at some of your posting a few times but you do not stay on topic so I left off reading them.
I read and understand the scriptures you gave but I don't understand "YOU"
Please speak plainly and direct with me, perhaps I'm slow of learning or a babe in Christ.
Thanks and God bless.
Having studied this short psalm in detail, by the grace given to me 'according to measure of the gift of the Christ' I conclude:
that the psalm can only be understood by the Son who of God has become wisdom. (1 Co.1:30). What I mean by this is that Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh. So a believer can enter into the truth by Christ 'by whom all things consist'. So without the discourse of "I am the door" given in the Gospel of John Ch.10 the Psalm 23 is incomplete. It is what the Word component does. David confessing 'The Lord is my Shepherd' and Jesus declaring "I am the good shepherd" hold together because the Word was with God and also the Word was God.
By the same token the verse, " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." cannot be fully understood without digesting the significance of this verse,"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."(Re.21:1). The Spirit is restating the first verse in Genesis from the standpoint of " Christ in me". St Paul writes,"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."(2 Co.5:17)
Parallelism is what man says with his one leg standing in the world of the body while his other leg has no reach to stand on the world of the Spirit. The controversy of faith and faith with works, epistles of St Paul and James with regards to justification and faith are a case in point.
For this reason without letting Jesus Christ who stands and knocking heaven is merely a controversy for the busybodies who ever learns while their understanding is ever deserting them. It is thus hireling has scattered the flock of Christ because the flock is not theirs and they have not come by the door in the first place. They may call themselves as Pilgrim Fathers or any other. Without 'Christ in me' I am sounding cymbal.
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."
Here is a quote from St Peter, "which things the angels desire to look into."(1 Pe.1:12) There angels out there some of them ar bad actors and we are a spectacle unto them as we cross from one door of our heart to the other door mentioned in Re.4:1. So preparing a table in the presence of mine enemies includes the ungodly of our world without as well as from the world of the Spirit.(Re.3:20). Daily in our intimacy with our Savior Lord we are replenished and fortified to go about our lives.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."(v.6)
The first part is the one hope of our calling that is right out there, for example, the building of God in case our earthly tabernacle is dissolved, and wonderful manner we are able to pass each day despite of irksome pricks that we endure, without falling in despair.
We are spiritually living in the house of God so we have passed from death to life everlasting. So wishing to be there is not a pipe dream." For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."(Ps.84:10) 'Forever' is a tag placed to indicate the Son and abiding in Christ means just that.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;/ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,/
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all./ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."(Ep.4:4-6)
You ask: "I don't quite understand where you are coming from." I am a child of God, my personal antecedents surely must be of no use to understand each other so we shall begin on the same brotherly spirit I commented to your post.
Being called, justified and given certain gifts, 'according to the measure of the gift of Christ' I labor and if you look about in this forum you shall see my posts, fruits of my labor. It may give a proof. That is my material from my understanding of the word of God.
To answer the last part of your reply,"Again I am not quite understanding your rebuttal. I haven't read your material so I don't know your take on Justification and Sanctification, I quoted a passage at the beginning. Read it carefully. It is God breathed so both James and Paul putting down the truth that cannot like putty to be twisted into any shape than for the glory of God.
In order to add to your understanding read He.11:3 God framed the worlds by his word so faith is very much the 'pure speech' God's commandment and the world made to appear is the earth that abides forever.(Ec.1:4) So God is through all and in you all is not about the world we live in where culture wars are fought and nations exploit whosoever they will. As a child of God faith is to be part of the kingdom and as a branch to the true vine. So much as part of sharing my understanding. With joy and peace in Him,
I am sorry your sister has cancer. May God be merciful to her in this time. I will keep her in my prayers. Let us know how things go.
Being 'righteous' in God's Eyes & being 'sinless' (i.e. without any trace of sin, as Jesus was) are quite different states. Being righteous before God, shows us our standing before Him & acceptance by Him because of Christ's Sacrifice. Being sinless would require that not only our spirits & souls would be made new but also our bodies; in other words, through Christ's Blood we should attain an Adam/Eve state, pre-fall. Our flesh, which is corrupt & sin-prone since our birth, can never be changed, at least not until Christ's appearing for us, & it is to that flesh that Satan makes his appeal, to which we succumb (some strong in the Lord will resist, others weaker).
You shared a good illustration of what you considered a fault (i.e. your not exercising which helps you with your Fibromyalgia). I agree that this is not a sinful act. But as you know that sin has its roots in the heart & mind, not just in an outward action ( Matthew 5:21-28); here Jesus is teaching clearly the full meaning of the Law, & not just by the letter that those under the OT Covenant gauged themselves.
Even in my own example that I have shared here before: when witnessing a vehicle accident about to occur (a car ran a red light), my intial reaction of surprise & shock (which isn't a sin as it's a normal human response), turned into a thought of condemnation of a foolish indifferent driver who should know better. But did I know that driver to judge him? (maybe he was distracted, a medical episode, a one-off bad judgement)? My sin in my thoughts alone, not just a fault, came to the fore, for which I confessed.
Both in the OT and NT God is spoken of as our Redeemer- one who rescues, ransoms, or makes payment to deliver someone from condemnation, death, evil, sin, slavery, bondage.
Job 19:25 -The LORD is Job's Redeemer
Ps. 19:14 -the LORD is David's Redeemer
Is. 48:17 - the holy One of Israel is Redeemer
Hosea 13:14 from death
Ps. 49:15 from the grave
Rom. 3:24 -redemption came through Jesus Christ
Rom 8:23 Jesus redeems our bodies
1 Cor. 1:30- Jesus is our righteousness, holiness and Redeemer
Eph 1:7 -Jesus paid our ransom with his blood to redeem us
Col. 1:14-in Christ Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins
Heb 9:12- In Jesus we have eternal redemption
Lk. 1:68 -redeemed his people
Gal 3:13; 4:5-from the curse of the law
Titus 2:14 - from wickedness
We know that Scriptures clearly say that God is our Redeemer in the OT and NT.
How great it is that Jesus, (the eternal Word) became flesh to be the perfect Kinsman Redeemer for us-a human man to live a perfect life which He (as God in the flesh) could only do, and to give His infinite and invaluable life as the payment for our sins. The Father gave His Son, the Word, Jesus, for us in the incarnation, the Holy One, to ransom us from the domain of sin, hell, and the grave and bring us into His glorious Eternal Divine Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit regenerates us with the power that raised Jesus from the dead to come to faith in Jesus that we may be saved and inherit what God has determined for us to receive due to the everlasting covenant made within the Godhead before ANYTHING was created.
All praise and worship we bring rightly to the Father, the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit Whom together in unity did all that the will of God determined was to be the terms of our redemption. There has never been a perfect man in all of history. Man is unable to live a perfect life. But God become flesh alone could.
I believe Mcgee is talking about Abraham being towards the end of his journey.
Isaac was a grown man when Abraham offered him.
By the time we get to Genesis 24:1 it reads. Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. Not much more said about Abraham after that. He dies and was gathered to his people in Ch 25 then God blessed Issac.
Abraham was about 160 years old when Jacob was born.
Great observation.
God bless.
Thanks for this discourse of Mr. McGee.
The only thing that I would like to point out is that Mr. McGee says that the sacrifice of Isaac was at the end of Abraham's life.
But from the biblical account, Abraham lived to see Isaac become a grown man, marry and seems to have been alive in the time of Jacob's life. How long into Jacob's life, I am not sure off the top of my head.
At the time of the command to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham was about 110-120 years old, but it seems that he lived to be 175 years old.
Otherwise, Mr. Mcgee's writing is edifying.
I agree that we should end this discussion. We differ in our view of sanctification and what holiness before God is. I can see that we will not come to agreement.
You have explained your view to me, and I have explained my view to you. We can end with that. I don't wish to go back and forth with any accusations. We can certainly re-read our posts and consider prayerfully what each other has said and go to Scriptures. That is the best way forward in this regard and so that is the path I will be taking. Blessings to you.
We prayed for you in church today. Just in the last couple years I hear of so many people who are having aggressive cancers including many who had the cancer go into remission only to return with a vengeance. My uncle passed away a week after his cancer diagnosis but that is already a few years back. Big hug to you from over the pond (I'm in Europe). Will keep praying. And MARANATHA!!! So come Lord Jesus.
Faith with works for justification? No!
I don't quite understand where you are coming from.
However, as James and Paul is saying "Saviing Faith produces good works.
James said he will sho you his Faith by his works. James 2:18. Paul is saying the same thing throughout his epistles.
You mentioned fruit and quoted John 15:5. "Without me you can do nothing"
I believe I delivered that in this thread as well.
Again I am not quite understanding your rebuttal. I haven't read your material so I don't know your take on Justification and Sanctification.
Perhaps you could share your understanding.
God bless.
I never said I was as holy as Jesus, although I am sinless because of His divine blood and being fully sanctified. Jesus was not born into original sin, as I was, and He didn't have any faults, which I do. I am perfect as God's word defines, perfect because I am not living in sin. One last example of a fault, maybe I didn't exercise as much as I should have yesterday for the sake of my Fibromyalgia, to help me feel better. Is that a SIN, no it's a fault. Should I have gone on my knees and begged God for forgiveness so I don't go hell, no because it was a FAULT and I'll try to do better today. Why is this so hard to understand! How can God give us such assurance through obedience to Him that after salvation, as long as we don't sin, we are sinless. How can no sin equal being a sinner? There is no more use going on in this discussion, as I think you will agree, because we are just going in circles. What you believe in this is between you and the Lord. In honesty, I do believe you are a sinless true believer but with faults. I just pray you could come to believe this so you would stop promoting this false doctrine.
See you in a new discussion. God Bless :)
Paul and James are not talking of different things. Since you are quoting another let me explain; faith is one (Ep.4:5-6) Either you are with Christ or you are on the enemy camp. Faith with works to be seen of man is what enemies to Christ do. Simplicity that is in Christ does wonders to whosoever comes to him trusting. In thee is the fountain of light. In thy light we see the light.(Ps.36:9) So the believer who is dead to the world and to sin abides in him in faith and abound in fruits, has fulfilled the word of the Son. "Without me you can do nothing. " So Vernon is talking what he does not have a clue. I have not heard him but I suppose he is a radio personality.
In another place he speaks of God calling Abraham out. He is not simply calling any one in void but in his Son. Abraham is no exception.
Part 9. J Vernon Mcgee. God's Test - Genesis 22 continuing.
We should pause here to consider a deep truth for God's children today. Do you know, friends, that for the Christian the greatest testings do not necessarily come at the beginning of our life as a believer? Sometimes God waits until we have had many years along the path, and then He brings a testing into our life so that He might develop us - a testing that we would never have been given at the beginning of our walk with Him. Often these testings cause Christians to say, "Well, I do not see why God has allowed this to happen to me!" My friend, it is evidence of the fact that you are in favor with God. You have come to the place where He can test you. And remember that He will not test you beyond what you are able to bear (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).
Notice that this test did not come at the first part of Abraham's life. I am very frank to say that I do not believe that Abraham could have stood this test when God first called him out. At the beginning of his life of faith, he never would have gone this far with God. It was only after several times of lesser testings, then backsliding, but always returning to his relationship with God that he was put to this ultimate test.
Part 10
The Supreme Sacrifice next.
God bless for now.
Part 8. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.)
So Paul's example has to do with the early part of Abraham's life. When James presents his argument, we find that he deals with the end of Abraham's life and the offering of Isaac upon the altar. This was the last appearance of God to this man, and James says, in essence, "Now here is the example of what faith has done in this man's life - it has brought him to make the supreme sacrifice."
Look again at James 2:21: "Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar?" Now in what way does the offering of Isaac reveal the fact that Abraham was justified by works? To see this clearly, we need to notice some very familiar facts. These interesting incidents took place toward the end of the life of Abraham when God called upon him to make the great sacrifice - which was the supreme crisis in his life.
God's Test - Genesis 22.
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham" ( Genesis 22:1). The King James Version uses the word "tempt," but the New Scofield Reference Bible changes it to "test." I know that it's the same Greek word that you will find for "tempt," but you will also recall that James says,
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. ( James 1:13)
Now when a man is tempted with evil, it is never God tempting him; it is Satan. God does not tempt men with evil; He tempts them with the good. He tests men in that sense. God's tests always lead to discipline and development of Christian character and life, while the tests and temptations of Satan always lead to the destruction of the life of the individual. Here we see that Abraham is being tested of God for his own good.
See Part 9. God's Test - Genesis 22 continued.
Satan knows that he failed in using the people such as Judas Iscariot; the Romans and the Pharisees to betray and then crucify Christ after the Resurrection occurred. He has another big surprise coming when the saints are all rewarded due to enduring patiently the trials which were largely devised by Satan to buffet God's saints while on the earth. They will come back to fight with Christ and do the subsequent cleanup of earth after that event (in reality we will be spectators of Christ who goes through the vineyard alone ( Isaiah 63:3) but rule and reign with a rod of iron with Christ afterwards. ( Rev. 2:26-27).
The enemy has; as I have brought out on other occasions two primary tactics. One is of outright persecution and the second temptations to put us out of commission. There are several distinct advantages for the second method to be applied instead of the first. We must consider that if someone is taken out through martyrdom that they will no doubt be influencing others who will be continuing to accelerate the Great Commission. This method of seduction allows for infiltration and compromising of groups of people and exponentially infects the church; and we only need to look at today's sad state of affairs in American churches to see evidence of just how effective the last few decades of deception has been. If the enemy is in the camp then of course he can bring God's sore displeasure and we can see how effective that was with the absence of all seven churches listed in Revelation 2 and 3 from modern day Turkey (even if the Philadelphia church was faithful that nation has succumbed to what is likely about to once again be a Muslim Caliphate in the next few years.) Our country is seeing a shocking rise in paganism and Satanism today which of course has infiltrated many houses of worship in thinly disguised methods (such as cards with "Christian" images basically mimicking Tarot cards.)
Part 7. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Works)
When it comes to the word works, surely Paul and James must mean the same thing, do they not? No, they absolutely do not. When Paul speaks of works, he speaks of the works of the Law. I wonder if you have ever noticed that? Will you listen to him,
Therefore, by the deeds [or works] of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ( Romans 3:20)
So, it is clear that when Paul is talking about works, he is talking about the works of the Law. Then turn to Galatians 2:16 where we read, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Here again Paul is talking about the works of the Law.
But James talks about the works of faith. Could he be any more explicit than when he says,
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith [not the works of the Law, but that which faith produces] without works is dead? ( James 2:20)
Therefore, if man's faith does not produce works, that man's faith is dead. Here we find that the two men have two extremely different sources of works in mind. James, that of faith; Paul, that of the Law.
Paul and James Use Abraham to Illustrate.
At this point, let's bring the teaching of these two men to bear upon the life of God's great servant, Abraham, in the question of justification, for we find both Paul and James using Abraham as an example. This is of keen interest as we see that Paul lets us look at Abraham when God made His first appearance to him, and James goes to the end of his life when God made His seventh and last appearance to Abraham. Paul goes back to the birth of Isaac and the time when God called Abraham - at which time this man had no works and had very feeble faith, but nonetheless a faith sufficient to move out with God. And when he moved out with God, he was justified by faith.-
Romans 8:7 states:
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die."
The next verse describes how we were yet sinners; or what Colossians 1:21 states in even harsher terms as "enemies of God."
Next time you hear someone talking about how loving we all should be ask them if they would be willing to die for their enemies who hate them. We hear a lot of talk these days about the love of God; usually reduced to some mushy sentimentality and hardly differentiated from human passions. First off; it is only a half truth to go around talking about God's love only when it happens to coincide with pleasant or pleasurable circumstances for people on earth. Yes God loved us when we were yet sinners but provided provision through the Son as His ONLY method to reconcile the enmity between us and Him due to indwelling sin. God cannot look upon sinful man and love Him in the state he is in but DESPITE the fact that he is in a lost state with a heart that is; according to Jeremiah 17:9 "desperately wicked". God's METHOD is by having the Son; for we either have the Son and therefore know God or we know neither (see 1 John 23:24). This involves the Father and Son coming to "dwell within us" ( John 14:23 which also implies the Holy Spirit sealing us until the day of redemption ( Eph. 4:30).
Those who would view Jesus as someone that is primarily promoting some sort of sentimental affection either is Biblically illiterate or willfully deceived. He talked about being a sword to divide families ( Matthew 10:34-36); rebuked the Pharisees harshly a number of times; destroyed the Temple moneychanger market at least twice; and challenged those who would feign to be His disciples but whose heart wasn't in it. He even rebuked His own disciples. This is demonstrating that true love in His own life was obeying God; and we are called to do the same for Christ ( John 14:23).
Part 6. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Faith.)
One of the greatest dangers for preachers of the gospel is that we like to see people converted, and we are willing to accept a brazen and flippant yes from some individual who says, "Yes, I'll trust Jesus." However, it might be just an impertinent, impudent, and insolent nod of the head; it is so easy today to be as phony as a three-dollar bill. James says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" ( James 2:17). Therefore, even though he uses the word faith, James means faithfulness - a faith that makes you faithful before men.
A minister once asked a man who professed conversion, "Have you united with the church?"
"No, I haven't," the man replied. "The dying thief never united with the church, and he went to heaven."
The minister asked, "Have you ever sat at the Lord's table?"
"No, the dying thief never did, and he was accepted," was the man's answer.
The minister asked, "Have you been baptized?"
"No," he said, "the dying thief was never baptized, and he went to heaven."
"Have you given to missions?"
"No, the dying thief did not give to missions, and he was not judged for it," was the reply.
Then this disgusted minister said to the man, "Well, my friend, the difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief and you are a living thief."
See Part 7 (Paul and James View Works)
Part 5. J Vernon Mcgee. (Paul and James View Justification.)
Therefore, we see that when Paul uses the term justification he is talking about a man's relationship with God; when James uses the same term, he is talking about a man's relationship with the world. One is perpendicular, and the other is horizontal.
Paul and James View Faith.
The same procedure runs true in their use of the term faith. Again, they mean something different. When Paul talks of faith he is talking about that which is toward God. Paul says that saving faith - a faith that is genuine and real - will transform a person's life. Paul said of himself,
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. ( Philippians 3:7)
A real revolution took place in his life when he came to Christ. Looking again at Galatians 3:6, we read that "as Abraham believed Godit was accounted to him for righteousness." And then in Romans:
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. ( Romans 4:5)
Paul is speaking here of that which we bring to God. The only thing that a sinner can bring to God is faith in Jesus Christ. When James writes about this, he is not talking about faith toward God but about the works of faith. So Paul is talking about the root of faith, and James is talking about the fruit of faith, but they are both defending the citadel of faith.
Here in James 2:14.
James is not talking about the works of the Law. The faith that James is talking about here is professing faith, that which is phony and counterfeit. Paul refers to the same idea when he says in 1 Corinthians 15:2, "unless ye have believed in vain." Paul also wrote, "Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith" ( 2 Corinthians 13:5). James simply says that the faith which saves you will produce works-"works of faith.
See Part 6. Paul and James View Faith.
In studying Christ's death on the cross and the resulting salvation of our souls it is no small thing to focus attention and time on such a matter on a regular basis. At least from our perspective the meaning to us personally must be considered with all due reverence for how He took us from death to life. John 17:6-8 makes clear that God was the one who gave Christ all the ones who were to be saved. The following verses ask for unity among them all; and to be in the world but not of it (in general). These verses prayed during His agony in Gethsemane are the summation of much of the earlier chapters in John clearly showing that God was the one who predetermined (predestined) all those who would be saved and hear His voice as His sheep.
However you slice it; there are some who will and will not come to Christ. Also God knows ahead of time who these people are so therefore certainly could have designated ahead of time who would be sheep and who would be a goat; who would be wheat and who a tare; etc. In other words; it wasn't up to Christ to give out any information that could lead someone to the truth in a merely intellectual manner and therefore much of His ministry was spent teaching in parables. Compare Mark 4:12 with Luke 8:12. The lack of insight given so that people can be saved is clear from the first passage; but Satan is used as the agent to blind men's hearts in the second example in Luke of the seed by the wayside.
There are as Deuteronomy 29:29 states some things in the Divine counsel which men are not privy to. Certain things can be searched out; however ( Proverbs 25:2). John 3:16 states that God so loved the world and sent His Son. We should keep in mind here that Christ came first and foremost to do the Father's will. All those called and chosen would be saved EXCEPT for the prophesied son of perdition (see Psalm 69:25; Psalm 41:9; Psalm 109).