I'm not familiar with that particular thread. But what about this example:
Let's just say there was a master that taught his dog to do cool tricks. Let's say one of the tricks was to roll over and play dead.
Is this dog doing the trick because he truly, in his heart, loves his Master and looks to his Master, well…, as his Lord no matter what the circumstances? Or rather, is he doing the tricks only for his self-gratifying treat afterwards? Stop giving the treat and the dog returns to his previous ways. Basically because he never really had the true emotion of loving his Master to begin with. The dog kind-of looks like he loves his Master to people looking on, but not really.
Rather, he liked the treat so much, he'd pretty much do anything (within reason) to get the treat. It’s all about treats (bacon, bacon, bacon)!
Then when he finds out the reward he truly desired was a fleeting reward of self-gratification, he just returns to his natural self and just kind-of looks stupidly toward his Master when He asks for a trick to be performed
. Ever seen dog owners in a dog show try to hide the fact they are giving out treats? I suppose it makes the dog look less obedient and pure breed for the judges to know that he’s really just after the treat. But who are they fooling? We know (or we should) why the dog is really doing these tricks.
2 Peter 2:22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
One of the tools I use to read and understand Scripture’s message better is to read a verse or passage several times over and over. I’ll pick-out a word, or two or three, within the passage and emphasize it. Kind-of like someone would in verbal speech. The emphasis doesn’t always necessarily come through with the written words. Picking each word and pausing for emphasis, or raising the volume for the word, in my mind. Take Matt 7:21-23 for example.
Matt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Emphasize the “we” in this passage (over and above) the other words. I think you get the message better. These types of people, rather than giving the Lord the credit, want the credit for their “mighty works” all to themselves. Always did. They never were doing “mighty works” to show the power of their Lord. They were their own lord.
God
DOES heal amputees. He heals them of their sin problem! Some of the most powerful Christ shining Christians that I know, have physical wounds (even some suffering to their death) yet use their situations to glorify Christ through their troubles.
Now that's FAITH WITHOUT WORKS (OP)!
