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To: dangus

“Did you not notice John wrote such things as, “Yea, verily I tell you this: unless you eat of my body and drink of my flesh, you shall not have life within you?” “


And, apparently, you’re unfamiliar with Christ’s explanation:

Joh 6:61-63 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? (62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

“Or, “He who believes in me will do the things the Father has commanded him?””


So why must it be Roman works, instead of the ones that all Christians do as a result of their regeneration?

The idea that carnal Roman rituals can actually have an effect on the spirit, when salvation is by the direct hand of God, is simply absurd.

“Do you believe that the Epistle of St. James is the bible or not? Because St. James wrote, “Even demons believe that God is One, and they shudder. Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” And so he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.””


So what is the fulfillment of the law, according to James?

Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.

It certainly is not Popery. No grand commandments to knee before the Priest, or take the wafer, or go to confession, or pray the hail Mary, for to save your soul. And does James really contradict Paul, who says that we are saved by grace, and not by the works of the law?

Here is what Paul says:

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Again, using the same example of James:

Rom 4:2-5 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. (4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

And here is James:

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Would James utterly contradict Paul? God forbid, for the scripture cannot be broken. James is speaking to Christians, regarding proper Christian conduct. His issue is not with faith, but with Saving Faith and mere sentiments of religion. Those who are born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, show their faith by their works:

Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Thus, saving faith is faith which leads to good works, but the works themselves do not save. Otherwise, the thief on the cross would be damned. Cornelius, who was not a Christian previously and had not even been baptized, was filled and baptized by the Holy Ghost:

Act 10:44-47 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, (47) Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Salvation, itself, has nothing to do with the human will at all. It is the work of God, who draws us, and makes us who we are.

Joh_15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

2Ti_1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Not according to our works, but according to HIS purpose, given to us before the world began. This is not something won through Roman obedience to dead rituals, but is the gift of God:

Rom 8:29-33 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Note that all who are predesinated, God calls. All who are called, God justifies. Whom God justifies, He glorifies.

Rom 9:14-16 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. (15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Key phrase, not of him that WILLETH, or even he who runneth, but God who sheweth mercy.

Joh_6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.


30 posted on 03/18/2013 8:00:35 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans
Note that all who are predesinated, God calls. All who are called, God justifies. Whom God justifies, He glorifies.

Rom 9:14-16 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. (15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Key phrase, not of him that WILLETH, or even he who runneth, but God who sheweth mercy.

Joh_6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Repentance itself is a gift from God.

60 posted on 08/24/2013 9:04:09 PM PDT by thecodont
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