Bible Study Does James 2 Teach Works for Salvation?

[Hopeful]

You continue to ignore the truth of the scriptures in favor of your denominational ”doctrine”, which has formed a stronghold in your mind that exalts itself against the knowledge from God.

Would that be the "truth" Jesus said could free us from committing sin? (John 8:32-34)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

I am grateful to God for making the way to walk in the Spirit instead of in the "flesh".

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25

A "law" eclipsed in Rom 8:2 by a new law...the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

So true.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Romans 6:12

A wonderful exhortation.
You seem not to think it is possible.

Sin is in your mortal body, as Paul so plainly states, and admonishes us to not let it rule us and make us obey it’s lusts.

If it was, then I didn't repent of sin, (Acts 2:38); and I didn't destroy the old man, (Rom 6:6); and I wasn't circumcised by the circumcision of Christ, (Col 2:11); and I didn't crucify the flesh, (Gal 5:24); and I wasn't reborn of God's seed, (1 John 3:9); and "old things are not passed away", so I am not a "new creature", (2 Cor 5:17); and my new Spirit was put in an old vessel instead of a new vessel, (Matt 9:17).
Haven't you done any of that?

 

[Hopeful]

You are cleansed of all unrighteousness when you confess your sin.

• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And then you can say you have no sin !

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7-9

Sure glad God made it possible to walk in Him.
And to remain in Him who is the light.
And to be without sin, as He is.
Verses 6, 8, and 10, of 1 John 1, apply to those walking in sin, the darkness.
Sinners cannot say they have no sin.
Verses 5, 7, and 9, apply to those who have confessed their sins and been washed of them by the blood of Christ.
The cleansed can say they have no sin...thanks to the blood of Christ.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Perhaps that is why Jesus made the way for us to kill the "flesh", and be reborn from His Father's seed?
It is written..."And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Gal 5:24)
And,,, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Rom 6:6)
I suggest rebirth to alleviate the "flesh" problem.

5Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

But I thought you said it's already dead.

What you're ignoring is Paul said reckon the flesh dead. Count it as dead. It's authority over you is what has ended. Like when a husband's legal authority over the wife ends with death. You don't have to obey it's desires anymore.

11So you too must count (reckon) yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11

 

[JLB]

I am grateful to God for making the way to walk in the Spirit instead of in the "flesh".

It’s a daily choice each born again Christian must make.

 

[JLB]

And then you can say you have no sin !

As you can see, this is for born again Christians to do as often as necessary.

 

[Hopeful]

5Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

But I thought you said it's already dead.

It is, as Rom 6:6 and Gal 5:24 have said: and I read the KLV's version of "mortify" as "keep dead".

What you're ignoring is Paul said reckon the flesh dead. Count it as dead. It's authority over you is what has ended. Like when a husband's legal authority over the wife ends with death. You don't have to obey it's desires anymore.

So why won't you consider it dead?

11So you too must count (reckon) yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11

Just as I have been writing, and showing, how the flesh's death is accomplished.
Crucifixion with Christ at our water baptism into Him and into His death. (Rom 6:3-7)

 

[Hopeful]

It’s a daily choice each born again Christian must make.

Thank God for equipping us to always make the right decisions regarding our behavior.
Thank God for His Holy Spirit within us.

 

[Hopeful]

As you can see, this is for born again Christians to do as often as necessary.

Have you ever bought deeds for a garden?
What do you expect to see when you plant cucumbers?
Potatoes?
What would you expect to see from the seed of God?
Liars,, adulterers, and thieves?
God's seed cannot bring forth the fruit of the devil. (Gen 1:11-12, 1 John 3:9)

 

[Jethro Bodine]

It is, as Rom 6:6 and Gal 5:24 have said: and I read the KLV's version of "mortify" as "keep dead".

That in no way nullifies Colossians 3:5.

You are still guilty of not rightly dividing the word of God.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Just as I have been writing, and showing, how the flesh's death is accomplished.
Crucifixion with Christ at our water baptism into Him and into His death. (Rom 6:3-7)

No, that's not how you 'reckon' the flesh dead.
To reckon the flesh dead is to consider the flesh dead.
That means not listening to it when it comes a calling.
But, I know, in your theology you don't even have temptation, because that would mean the flesh is not dead.

 

[Hopeful]

That in no way nullifies Colossians 3:5.

You are still guilty of not rightly dividing the word of God.

Have you done as admonished?
The folks who have yet to adhere to Paul's teaching have not yet obeyed God who commands us to be perfect as He is perfect. (Matt 5:48, 1 Peter 1:16)

 

[Hopeful]

No, that's not how you 'reckon' the flesh dead.
To reckon the flesh dead is to consider the flesh dead.

If it is dead, your reckoning is true.

That means not listening to it when it comes a calling.

Easy to do when you are walking in the Spirit, thanks be to God.

But, I know, in your theology you don't even have temptation, because that would mean the flesh is not dead.

Temptations don't cease at rebirth, as even the Lord was tempted by the devil.
I don't see how being tempted after having killed the flesh/old man is not understandable.?

Perhaps you could list two or three things you do expect after rebirth from God's seed?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Have you done as admonished?

More and more as I grow up into the image and stature of Christ.

You flagrantly ignore the passages of scripture that I showed you that talk about this process.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If it is dead, your reckoning is true.

If you reckon it dead and unable to tempt you it will be dead.
If you don't reckon it dead, you will cave into it's temptations.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Easy to do when you are walking in the Spirit, thanks be to God.

That is how you put the flesh to death.
You say 'no' to it, counting it as dead, and then do what the Spirit bids.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Temptations don't cease at rebirth, as even the Lord was tempted by the devil.
I don't see how being tempted after having killed the flesh/old man is not understandable.?

See, if it was true that the flesh was dead in the way you claim it is dead it would not be alive to tempt you. But as it is we know that the flesh does tempt us, indicating it is not dead the way you say it is dead. It's power and authority over us is dead, not it's potential to tempt us and cause us to sin. The counsel of scripture is to consider it dead and not listen to it's voice.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Perhaps you could list two or three things you do expect after rebirth from God's seed?

I expect the flesh to try to reassert it's authority over me. An authority it no longer has but will try to deceive me into thinking it still has.

 

[Hopeful]

More and more as I grow up into the image and stature of Christ.

You flagrantly ignore the passages of scripture that I showed you that talk about this process.

That is a "no you have not put to death the things mentioned in Col 5."
It isn't a process, it is the death of the old man. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24)
If you want "processes", the process of the reborn is keeping the old man and his propensities dead.

 

[Hopeful]

If you reckon it dead and unable to tempt you it will be dead.

Amen !

If you don't reckon it dead, you will cave into it's temptations.

Now you're "getting it".
Though skin and bones don't tempt folks.
It is the fleshly oriented mind that is subject to temptation, and with that crucified, it has no power to initialize sin.

 

[Hopeful]

That is how you put the flesh to death.
You say 'no' to it, counting it as dead, and then do what the Spirit bids.

Actually the "flesh's" death occurs at our "immersion" into Christ and His death. (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:24, Col 2:11-12)
It is why water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins is so important.