James 1: 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
why would he be telling people to receive a word which could save them, if they were already saved? And why would he be calling them deceived?
(this looks too crowded to deal with properly) But here goes: The word which could save you, if you already received it, would it still save you ? yes.
Repeating what saves us is not only not a sin, nor wrong, but as the Apostle Paul (I think) says , is a good thing to repeat - a safeguard as he says.
Also, this is simply a Hebrew/Jewish way of thinking and writing - revealed much better when read in Hebrew, and when explained by Hebrews,
but not required Hebrews nor Jews to give the explanation. (i.e. it can be understood by anyone, when God is well pleased to reveal it).
More with references later, if needed, God willing.
End of question one.
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james 2: 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Why would he be asking people if their faith apart from works could be saved, if there was no one there like that
and why would he be calling saved people foolish, Because they had mere belief only, Yet their claimed dead faith was dead because they had no works?
What does it profit in a forum, if unbelievers are allowed to post daily in unbelief, things contrary to truth ? Opposed to Scripture ?
But if the truth can be written, and written again, as a reminder to those who believe, that is good.
As noted above, reminding one another is a safeguard, not a sin, and is often done in Scripture, by God's Revelation.
When others are trying to deceive the assembly, stating the truth repeatedly, as the truth is stated in James 2:14 here, is good and helpful and helping to guard against the false teachers who are trying to deceive the brothers and the sisters JAMES is writing to.
Why 'foolish'?
Why did JESUS call His Own disciples "stupid" at times, "satan" at times (as if), and "oh you of little faith" at times ?
So many people are foolish today, it is sometimes difficult to find anyone not foolish.
(foolish for Christ IS GOOD, when it is as written and as revealed by God through Jesus in Scripture)
More with references later (might be a day or two), if needed, God willing.
End of question two, for now.
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4 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
since when are enemies of God called believers?
How fast, how soon, after someone becomes a brother or sister in Christ Jesus do they no longer have any wrong desires in them ?
How long does it take before there is no more any foolishness of the flesh in them ?
How long does it take someone in Christ Jesus to be continually full of righteousness, peace and joy , with no stumbling, no errors, day after day ?
How long does it take brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus to ask in faith, knowing that they receive whatever they ask for ? (and they drop it - not asking again, not at all worried nor even thinking about it)
VERY IMPORTANT: How long does it take for them to stop being involved with friendship with the world, which as written is enmity with God ?
How long does it take for them to not even desire to be a friend of the world, since being a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God ?
How long does the "Spirit who dwells in us yearn jealously" ?? --- See? The process, or the life of Jesus, or the purification, in all these things may take decades (we hope - since some people have been for decades "saved", and not seen much if anything of all of this) .....
How many people still ask for things, asking for themselves, to get something ? (for their own 'pleasures') .....
As noted in another thread about an hour ago, it is painful, and a narrow path, that few ever find - yet it is fully described in Scripture,
including in James.
End of question three.......
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