The Book of James, an opinion

[Episkopos]

No one can justify themselves, period. God justifies those who BELIEVE in the work of His Son on the cross.

Believe = faith = trust = confidence all mean the same thing.

What do you think justifies you? If you do not believe God then you can not be justified by His payment on the cross.

So then you say that God justifies you....how? How does God justify you?

Your illogic is so great that people will agree with you...because their illogic is almost as great.

How does God justify you? Where is it written that Richard H. is justified by God. if you say because of your beliefs about Jesus then it is you who are doing the justifying based on your own beliefs.

The amazing thing is that people can't understand the difference between truth and religious delusion.

Why?

A lack of experience with God. And a willingness and need to justify oneself in order to feel good about oneself.

I stated the truth in post #21...go back and read it. It will not be popular because it is meant to take people away from delusions. But people LIKE their delusions for the comfort they seem to bring.

 

[FHII]

No offense but imo it is deceptive at best to suggest that "simply obeying God" is not a lot of work, sometimes. Who here could even take a knife and their son somewhere expecting to come back alone?

None taken... It takes faith, not work. He was willing because he believed God would restore Isaac's life. That doesn't require works, it requires faith.

 

[bbyrd009]

None taken... It takes faith, not work. He was willing because he believed God would restore Isaac's life. That doesn't require works, it requires faith.

Amen, I agree. The confusion clears up entirely when "belief" is turned back into faith, which requires action. When Christ was asked who He really was, He did not deny Scripture or make any empty testimonies about Himself; He told John to go and report what works he had witnessed, right?

Good fruit does not come from bad trees, and all that. It is "believers" that must deny Scripture, somewhere, in order to comport with their "belief," with the side effect that they must then go introduce pointless conundrums that do not really even exist to their peers, imo.

Anything to avoid confession, I think is what it is
"I can't possibly sin now, bc I said the magic words"
it's witchcraft

 

[bbyrd009]

How does God justify you? Where is it written that Richard H. is justified by God. if you say because of your beliefs about Jesus then it is you who are doing the justifying based on your own beliefs.

Word

now, I understand that he now has a Quote or two for that, but that is only for the reasons we are surely all aware of by now, scribes turning have faith into "believe"

 

[bbyrd009]

Note Abe "believed" God, Abe did not "have faith" in God, and how nice it would be to someday be able to discuss what is really going on in that passage. Go seek this, and imo you will always find ppl who have stopped Reading admitted and obvious mythology as literal history.

"Believer" should come to sound as ridic as like "Good Samaritan" or something once you get it, and the understanding basically begins with Abraham believing God there in Genesis, which is not a literal historical record and was never trying to be. Most Jews certainly don't read It that way. Hint when God starts talking to you personally and out loud as a friend you can come tell me about your "beliefs" too, and I will be at rapt attention the whole time

 

[bbyrd009]

HR imo it is apparent that you are being tortured by something you have deemed "sin" that you will not confess, and you pray that your beliefs will allow you to escape from? But I tell you that you are fine just like you are, ok, your sins are forgiven too. You still aren't ever going up to heaven, just like the Bible says, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm sure God has a better idea.

I wouldn't spend another day--another minute--torturing myself about what happens "tomorrow" for you, ok, which I'm pretty sure is what is going on herenow. See you've spent another whole day with your head in Tomorrow right, worried that Eternal might not magically turn into Immortal for you. Dump that crap imo bro, God loves you just like you are ok, and your beliefs about tomorrow are exactly as relevant as mine, to today.

 

[marks]

The amazing thing is that people can't understand the difference between truth and religious delusion.

Why?

A lack of experience with God.

Truth is found in the Word of God, not in our experiences.

 

[marks]

Amen, I agree. The confusion clears up entirely when "belief" is turned back into faith, which requires action. When Christ was asked who He really was, He did not deny Scripture or make any empty testimonies about Himself; He told John to go and report what works he had witnessed, right?

Good fruit does not come from bad trees, and all that. It is "believers" that must deny Scripture, somewhere, in order to comport with their "belief," with the side effect that they must then go introduce pointless conundrums that do not really even exist to their peers, imo.

Anything to avoid confession, I think is what it is
"I can't possibly sin now, bc I said the magic words"
it's witchcraft

Can you say . . . Reaction Formation?

Much love!

 

[marks]

@bbyrd009, I may be beginning to understand you, and it's scaring me!

 

[Helen]

Did Abraham justify himself by his beliefs? No. God did. So then no one can claim to be justified by anything they have believed.

It isn't what we believe, it is in Whom we believe.

 

[amadeus]

So are you saying that our sins of the flesh were not paid for by Jesus on the cross. That we will still be judged for committing sins of the flesh even if God paid for them?

The children of God have all their sins of the flesh paid for by God (Jesus). The judgement of those in Christ is for rewards, not condemnation for sins of the flesh. If a person does not believe that then they refuse to believe God who said their sins were paid for by the blood of His Son Jesus The Christ.

1 Cor 3:10-15
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
NKJV

He himself will be saved, yes, if and only if, he has the correct foundation which is Jesus Christ as per verse 11. Without that proper foundation the works of any man will ultimately not matter at all...

So then instead of focusing so much on a person's works or his lack of works, let us ask God to establish us on that proper foundation. Without that foundation we are built on sand and when the storms come against us we will be washed away....

 

[VictoryinJesus]

The common mistake is to compare our judgment with God's. God knows who will obey Him in advance. We don't. God knows those who will be faithful till the end. We don't.

“God knows who will obey Him in advance.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

“God knows those who will be faithful till the end.” Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

[Enoch111]

It isn't what we believe, it is in Whom we believe.

In whom we believe comes first, but what we believe is also critical. It is significant that 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 begins with "doctrine" -- what we believe. The man or woman of God -- according to Paul -- cannot be "perfect" (complete, mature) without "what we believe" (Bible doctrine).

 

[Episkopos]

It isn't what we believe, it is in Whom we believe.

Much better. But the delusion that believing that you can justify yourself by your own belief....well is so delusional...yet seen as normal by so many, such is the scale of the lie.

 

[bbyrd009]

@bbyrd009, I may be beginning to understand you, and it's scaring me!

i don't really get it, sorry

 

[bbyrd009]

Much better. But the delusion that believing that you can justify yourself by your own belief....well is so delusional...yet seen as normal by so many, such is the scale of the lie.

that doctrine is going to melt away just like the dollar I guess

 

[bbyrd009]

In whom we believe comes first, but what we believe is also critical. It is significant that 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 begins with "doctrine" -- what we believe. The man or woman of God -- according to Paul -- cannot be "perfect" (complete, mature) without "what we believe" (Bible doctrine).

Yet little children are accepted, hmm. Wadr I would be reminded of what Peter said about reading Paul, ok...um. Might be best to just say that 2 Tim 3:16 might um "start" diff than you say, 2 Timothy 3:16 Lexicon: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;, graphe is (poorly, I would say criminally) translated as "Holy Scripture" in most versions?

Ok that one just says "Scripture" but, as usual, I would counsel a reader to ignore the English there and click the link, and go see what Paul really meant by graphe

Is Scripture = doctrine anyway? I guess maybe, sorta? dunno. Only it doesn't say Scripture anyway I guess. Anyway, the same page xlating graphe as "Holy Scripture" is also referring me to Jasher 79:27? Ha at least whenever it feels inclined to, 2 Timothy 3 BSB, bottom

 

[Dave L]

Here's another look at James' call for works.

James says; “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24)

Paul says; “For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Romans 3:28)

James speaks of genuine faith that works by love. Paul speaks of genuine Faith (that works by love) apart from the Ten Commandments which cannot save.

So they both agree.

 

[bbyrd009]

Since it might be somewhat of a leap for us now to understand how all writings were considered "God-breathed" by Paul, it should maybe be recalled that ppl got killed for intentionally lying back then, and what we know as "fiction" had not been invented yet; no one wrote fiction. Unfort I guess that still isn't the whole story, but the point for now is maybe that Jannes and Jambres, a Book, and Jasher, et al, are not in our "Holy Scripture" anywhere

 

[bbyrd009]

Here's another look at James' call for works.

James says; “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24)

Paul says; “For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Romans 3:28)

James speaks of genuine faith that works by love. Paul speaks of genuine Faith (that works by love) apart from the Ten Commandments which cannot save.

So they both agree.

Sorry Dave, no Decalogue in there I guess, but you decide,
Romans 3:28 Lexicon: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Strong's Greek: 3551. νόμος (nomos) -- that which is assigned, hence usage, law