[GCFL-discuss] salvation by...

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

Hey guys.

I have a question for any of you who believe that salvation comes through 
faith alone (or for anyone else who has an opinion on the issue).  I have a 
question about a few Bible verses that to me say that salvation comes through faith 
alone. I've actually put these verses up to some of my Protestant friends 
before but none of them have ever answered me so I thought some of you might be 
able to.  thanks.

okay so here's the main verse that i have a question about.  i went ahead and 
typed it out just in case anyone didn't have a Bible with them or something.  
i bolded a few passages that sum up the salvation by faith and works idea.  
let me know what you think of this passage (by the way.. i know there are tons 
of verses that say salvation comes through faith alone so if you don't mind 
please don't respond to this message by giving me a list of those.  I'm really 
just looking for an explanation of this verse in regard to how one receives 
salvation).  thanks.

okay here it is:  
James 2: 14-26  (by the way this version is coming from the New American 
Bible)
(14) What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not 
have works?  Can that faith save him?  (15) If a brother or sister has nothing 
to wear and has no food for the day, (16) and one of you says to them, "Go in 
peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of 
the body, what good is it?  (17) So also faith of itself, if it does not have 
works, is dead.  (18) Indeed, someone may say, "You have faith and I have 
works."  Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my 
faith to you with my works.  (19) You believe that God is one.  You do well.  
Even the demons believe that and tremble.  (20) Do you want proof, you ignoramus, 
that faith without works is useless?  (21) Was not Abraham our father 
justified by works when he offered his some Isaac upon the altar?  (22) You see that 
faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by the works.  
(23) Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it 
was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called, "the friend of God." 
 (24) See how a person is justified by works and not faith alone.  (25) And 
in the same ways, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she 
welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?  (26) For just as 
a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

All right that's it then.  And thanks in advance for giving me some insight 
into this passage from a Protestant perspective.

Layne
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://gcfl.net/pipermail/gcfl-discuss/attachments/20040512/e1902f05/attachment.htm