1.
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In the NT, the words faith and belief are all
related.
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2.
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Cannot please God without it -- Heb 11:6.
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3.
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Can be gained by teaching -- Rom 10:14-17.
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4.
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Faith is one of the essential elements of salvation (Mar
16:16; Rom 1:16).
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5.
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Paul makes much of us being saved by our faith, and not by
works of Law: eg Gal 2:16.
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6.
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Faith in the OT -- Hab 2:4 (quoted in Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Hab
10:38); Psa 26:1 (combination of faith and works); Psa 37:3 (faith AND works);
Pro 3:5; Psa 18:2; Gen 15:6 (Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for
righteousness: cp Rom 4:1-5).
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7.
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What the OT says NOT to have faith in -- you own mind (Pro
28:26), your own righteousness (Eze 33:13), armies (Hos 10:13), idols (Isa
42:17; Hab 2:18), anything human (Jer 17:5).
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1.
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Good works are the fruit of the spirit, ie they are the result
of being motivated and trained by the spirit: Tit 2:10-12; Gal
5:22-25.
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2.
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By doing good works we are showing divine activity through us
-- Mat 5:16; Joh 14:12.
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3.
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People with no faith demonstrate by their works (their way of
life) their separation from God: Joh 3:19; Col 1:21; Eph 5:11 ("unfruitful
works"); 2Pe 2:8.
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4.
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Good works are therefore evidence of living in faith: Jam
2:14-26.
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a.
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The type of faith "without works" that James is describing
here is the same type of empty belief that pagans have.
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b.
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James is not "anti-faith": cp Jam 1:3; 2:1.
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5.
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James is in harmony with Paul, who also repeatedly declares
the necessity for works as well: Eph 2:8-10; 1Co 6:9-11; Gal 5:16-26; Rom
2:6-10.
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6.
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The works Paul rejects are those which men claim earn God's
favour in the sense of saving themselves by their own power: cp Rom 4:1-5; Eph
2:8,9; Tit 3:4,5. Thus good works of the unbeliever cannot save them, since
these people rely on the flesh and not on the spirit (Rom 8:7,8).
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7.
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Why do good works? Because we are grateful for what has been
done for us by God and Jesus: Joh 14:15,23; Gal 5:6.
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8.
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Because we are imperfect, our attempts at good works may be
flawed. Yet, if we do them with the right motivation, they will be accepted by
the mediation of Jesus: Col 3:17.
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