No propaganda here — just the truth.
James 2: 17-26 ...A stern warning from Saint James
17
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18
Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
19
You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble.
20
Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
22
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.
23
Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.”
24
See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25
And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
26
For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
And now for something completely off topic, is Mary omniscient?
The basic disagreement here is not whether a Christian will do good works, but whether those good works are necessary to receive salvation. Even James does not claim that doing good works is necessary to receive salvation - rather, one who has already received salvation will be compelled by the change in his/her heart to do the good works of ministering and caring for others as Christ commanded. That is, the good works are an external evidence of an internal experience that has already occurred. This is where the disagreement with the Catholic Church over the nature of good works occurs.
Or do you think that a Buddhist monk that spends his entire life serving the poor and needy, but never accepts Christ as his savior, will be saved by his good works? Or that the sinner who repents and accepts Christ just before his death, without time or opportunity to perform any good works will be lost?
May I quote James to you?
No where does Jesus (or James )say or imply that one is saved by works.
The book of James was written to a converted church , not heathens seeking salvation . It tells them how their conversion is seen by the unsaved world . It is not about becoming saved or being saved. It is about the fruit of your salvation.
Jam 2:17 Even so faith, if I 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
This is an amplification of the teaching of Jesus that we know a tree by the fruit it bears. It is how we know the saved from the unsaved. It does not declare that the man has faith ... but that he SAYS he has faith.
This addresses a hollow profession of faith , not a saving one .Can a hollow profession save him? NO, any more than works can save.
This scripture says to the church that this faith is non existent , it is dead.
The bible is clear that it is God that gives the faith and it is God that ordains the works of the saved
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Hbr 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Phl 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.