"Faith + Works =...

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GRACE ambassador

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2021
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...Justification

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him That Justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).​

As this verse clearly affirms, salvation in The Dispensation Of Grace is By
Grace Through faith, apart from works (Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). However,
just because salvation is by faith without works today, it must not be
assumed that salvation has always been by faith alone. Compare Paul’s
words in our text above to the words of the psalmist:

“Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment...And THAT
was counted unto him for righteousness” (Psa. 106:30,31).​

See the difference?...

...Old Testament...heroes of faith...

...“without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). But the faith of each
of these heroes also prompted them to express their faith by doing whatever
work God Required of them...

...Today, when salvation is By Grace Through faith without works, * we express our
faith by simply resting in The Finished Work Of Christ On Calvary...
"
(R Kurth)

FULL study:

Faith + Works = Justification

* Of Course, Today, There Are works [for rewards] after salvation: Which Works To Walk In

1671137246757.png
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Please Be Very RICHLY Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, And Edified In
The LORD JESUS CHRIST, And In His Word Of Truth, Rightly Divided!

Grace, Peace, And JOY!...
 

Robert Gwin

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2021
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Faith
Christian
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...Justification

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him That Justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).​

As this verse clearly affirms, salvation in The Dispensation Of Grace is By
Grace Through faith, apart from works (Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). However,
just because salvation is by faith without works today, it must not be
assumed that salvation has always been by faith alone. Compare Paul’s
words in our text above to the words of the psalmist:

“Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment...And THAT
was counted unto him for righteousness” (Psa. 106:30,31).​

See the difference?...

...Old Testament...heroes of faith...

...“without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). But the faith of each
of these heroes also prompted them to express their faith by doing whatever
work God Required of them...

...Today, when salvation is By Grace Through faith without works, * we express our
faith by simply resting in The Finished Work Of Christ On Calvary...
"
(R Kurth)

FULL study:

Faith + Works = Justification

* Of Course, Today, There Are works [for rewards] after salvation: Which Works To Walk In

View attachment 27662
-------------------------------------
Please Be Very RICHLY Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, And Edified In
The LORD JESUS CHRIST, And In His Word Of Truth, Rightly Divided!

Grace, Peace, And JOY!...
Amen to that Grace, faith and righteous works justify us, putting us in God's favor.
 

Ernest T. Bass

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2014
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out in the woods
The "worketh not" of Romans 4:5 excludes the work of perfect law keeping as required by the OT law of Moses in order to be justified by that law. (Gal 3:10; Gal 5:3).

In Romans chapters 1 and 2 Paul proves both Gentile and Jew are under sin and those under sin are in need of justification. Paul begins Romans 3 telling us what cannot justfy the sinner that being the OT law of Moses, those oracles of God given to the Jew. Though having that law was an advantage to the Jew over the Gentile, that OT law could not justify the Jew for it required the Jew to do the work of flawless law keeping to the whole law. Since that OT law could not justify the Jew, then it left the Jew no better than the Gentile "we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin".

Yet in Rom 3:21 Paul says "But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;"

"but now" as the OT law was closed out and taken away by Christ there is another way under Christ's NT law for man to be justified....a way to be justified "apart from" that OT law which required the work of flawless law keeping.

"apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested" --"apart from the law" another system exists, that being the NT gospel by which God makes men righteous by an obedient faith not by works of flawless law keeping required by the OT law.

"being witnessed by the law and the prophets" the OT Prophets prophesied of this new system of God that justifies men who have an obedient faith (Hab 2:4 cf Rom 1:17)

Paul concludes in Rom 3:28 "that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Paul is contrasting an obedient faith that now can justify both Jew and Gentile under the NT from the perfect, flawless deeds required by that OT law that could not justify neither Jew, (to whom that old law was given), nor Gentile.

NOTE: Paul is NOT contrasting faith from obedience to God's will but he is contrasting faith from the work of flawless law keeping required to be justified by that OT law.

So in the context of Romans chapters 1-4 the only work Paul speaks of that cannot justify the Jew or Gentile under sin was the flawless works required by the OT law while a faith obedience DOES justify under this new system per verse 21.

This means "worketh not" of Rom 4:5 excludes the work of flawless law keeping, it does not exlude a faithful obedience. Rom 4:5 is a mini summary of Romans 3 where the work of flawless law keeping does not justify as required by the OT law given the Jews from that new systen (v21) that does justify by an obedient faith.

Hence in Rom 4:5 Abraham was one who "worketh not" meaning he did not work the the OT law perfectly to be justified by that law (for he did not even live under that law (Rom 4:9-10) but he was justified by an obedient faith. Unlike Abraham, David DID live under that OT law of Moses but he was not justified by it for he did not work to keep it flawlessly...he sinned. Therefore neither Abraham nor David were justified by works in keeping the OT law perfectly but justified by an obedient faith.

Futhermore, remote contexts as Rom 6:16-18 Paul made obedience necessary in order for one to be justified. Also Heb 11:8,17 we see that Abraham DID DO obedient works and was justified by those works per James. Therefore "worketh not" cannot logically exclude those obedient works of Abraham.

Therefore "worketh not" does not exclude ALL works of all kinds, it does not exclude obedience because the CONTEXT of Romans chapters 1-4 it only excludes the work of perfect flawless law keeping as required by the OT law to be justified. For again, obedience does justify, (Rom 6:16-18).

Conclusion:
So it is a consistent mistake many make in trying to have the phrase "worketh not" exclude all works of all kinds in order to promote their theological bias (faith onlyism) when from the immediate and remote contexts of Rom 4:5 the only work Paul eliminates justifying one is the work of flawless law keeping as required by the OT law. Paul nor any NT writer never eliminated obedience from being saved but REQUIRED an obedient faith to be saved.