You’ve just flat-out contradicted James 2:24, which clearly says we are justified “NOT by faith alone”. Denying Scripture is a sure-fire recipe for false doctrine and false Christianity.
But you have just flat out contradicted Romans 4:6, which tells us that God imputes righteousness "apart from works". So, is not a faith that does not have works accompanying it, alone? What do you propose is there with the faith that is apart from works so that it would not be alone?
Abiding in Christ means more than simply belief - it requires keeping God’s commandments:
“If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love” (John 15:9);
“All who keep His commandments abide in Him, and He in them.” (1John 3:24)
So if you are no keeping “His commandments”, you are not abiding in Christ.
Keeping God's commandments is the result of abiding in Christ; we do not abide in Christ through keeping His commandments but through drawing up nourishment from the vine (faith in and relationship with Jesus).
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15);
Even as I said.
You have dead faith, right?
Not me...
In other words, faith alone is dead faith that doesn't save - so salvation requires faith and works, whichever way you look at it.
A living faith alone does save. If someone comes to have a living faith in Jesus and dies two minutes later, I contend that they will go to heaven even though their life was completely devoid of works. Thus we are not saved by works; but by the living faith that produces them; whether works accompany it or not. What matters is that it is a living faith. And if it is living, works will surely follow if given the opportunity; however the works don't save, but it is the living faith that accomplishes salvation for the believer.
But nowhere does that passage say that FAITH ALONE is all that God requires from us.
Better re-read verse 6 (Romans 4:6). I think that verse 5 (Romans 4:5) has something to say on the matter as well.
No human being can possibly know in this life that they are eternally saved.
I beg to differ. For 1 John 5:13 would tell us otherwise.
Mainly because we are not saved until after we die and are judged by Christ, who then grants us that eternal life.
We pass from death into everlasting life the moment we believe (John 5:24).
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