Tragic mistake made by those who love their own works...and one can always tell who loves their own works: The writer always points out that faith alone will not save.
Read the letter apart from the snippets offered in homilies and you will notice (perhaps not) that James is admonishing those that claim their faith need not produce any fruit (since faith itself is invisible) are fooling themselves. The faith that saves produces works that are appropriate to salvation.
But, the Roman organization has turned this on its head and made faith and works equal and the initiators of salvation. Read your post and smell the connection. Real works are always the product of a faith that is real, but the Roman CC teaches works induces faith, a concept entirely foreign to James and certainly Paul.
No question, faith that is alive will produce works. But, works that are alive will not produce faith. To miss this important progression is to twist the gospel into the heretical message the Roman Catholic Church promotes. That is not the Gospel, at all, but a self-made religion.
Faith, the free gift of grace by God Himself, given to those elected before the foundation of the world will produce works. That is what you are observing here...dozens of folks working hard to bring light to the darkened corners developed by Rome. You are seeing works produced by faith.
INDEED.
But, the Roman organization has turned this on its head and made faith and works equal and the initiators of salvation. Read your post and smell the connection. Real works are always the product of a faith that is real, but the Roman CC teaches works induces faith, a concept entirely foreign to James and certainly Paul.
No question, faith that is alive will produce works. But, works that are alive will not produce faith. To miss this important progression is to twist the gospel into the heretical message the Roman Catholic Church promotes. That is not the Gospel, at all, but a self-made religion.
Faith, the free gift of grace by God Himself, given to those elected before the foundation of the world will produce works. That is what you are observing here...dozens of folks working hard to bring light to the darkened corners developed by Rome. You are seeing works produced by faith.
AMEN! THAT is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:24
I never thought of it that way before. Good insights.