Study with integrity and praise God when you get it wrong.

It is very important to approach the scriptures with a pure heart, being always prayerful, and committed to seeking the inspired authorial intent, the writers original intended meaning. 

This is not always easy. We are all influenced by many factors when considering the scriptures and the most obvious influence is our own local church traditions. In many cases, preachers and teachers and members have great confidence; not necessarily from responsible study and sound exegesis of scripture but the confident endorsement and affirming of their church tradition. They have in many instances made up their minds about God’s word and will effectively learn no more accept what is left to learn in their local church tradition.   

The difference between studying with integrity of scriptures and studying with integrity for a given tradition is a matter of being more concerned about getting at the biblical writer’s intended meaning over and above merely making sure a meaning lines up with ones church tradition.

The meanings in God’s word are precious and we should take every care to eliminate our prejudices and limit our interpretive error when seeking to learn of God. But even though we have prejudice and error, we still do not ultimately fall or stand in the presence of God based on our error or our truth. But rather we are ultimately fit to stand in the presence of God because we are believers in Jesus Christ; In the Grace of God through a trusting acceptance of Jesus and his finished work on the cross taking our sins though he had none. This secures our salvation that otherwise is unobtainable in and of ourselves. This salvation gives us a sure and living hope of the promises of God, having been counted righteous and just through faith in Jesus Christ. This faith lived is expressed in our acts of love even springing forth from God’s Holy Spirit which has sealed us until the day of redemption. This is the righteousness that over comes human error. 

Proof texting

Proof-texting is the use of out-of-context quotes to support an argument or it can be defined as the use of individual scripture texts to produce apparent support for a doctrinal position without adequate regard for the contexts of the individual texts. 


This is not including texts for illustration or texts used in its proper context. Rowland Croucher says of proof texters in one of his blog post: Proof texters would much rather have a short list of texts that support precisely what they have decided to believe instead of spending the time to know exactly what each writer teaches about the complete doctrine. Croucher goes on to say the purveyor of proof-texts can appear to be wonderfully informed and a deep scholar of the Bible. 

This sort of thing can be carried into the pulpit as well. Sermon proof texting is a preaching style that often uses many scripture quotes in one sermon. Each scripture is intended to build the point or points. The problem with this preaching style is that the context is usually lost by the third or fourth scripture citation, if it was ever established at all.

This sermon style and teaching style is comforting to the members because they can see their belief system powerfully laid out in scripture upon scripture, like a beloved memorized tract. If they don’t hear those familiar themes comfortingly repeated as a ritual week after week they most likely do not get excited.  

The biggest issue that arises from contextless sermons and teaching is that it does not edify those who really want their understanding of God to be expanded and empowered to be able to face the stresses and temptations of life.

Be on guard and study for yourself. Have your preachers and teachers stand accountable for teaching the word of God in its proper context so that you can be sure you are absorbing the mind of God. 

Does James disagree with Paul?

Justification by works for James and justification by works for Paul are not addressing exactly the same issue and they do not carry exactly the same meaning.

Paul vehemently denies that a man is justified by works in the sense that those works are the merits by which God rewards him or pays him the wage of Justification.


Paul teaches at the beginning of the Christian life when God looks down on a sinner and decides to pronounce him guilty or not guilty, Paul says that just like Abraham our faith is reckoned to us as righteousness. Paul further teaches that this very faith works itself out through love as when Abraham verified the faith through which he was justified.  


James on the other hand is focusing on how a person maintains an ongoing and right standing with God?


James says in this sense, a person is justified by his works which is the evidence that your initial embrace and professing of faith was authentic.

Conclusion

Does justification as an ongoing and final right standing with God throughout the Christian life depend on works?

I think Paul would say NO, if by works you mean deeds done to show that you deserve Gods ongoing blessings. Paul says in this sense it would be justification by works and he rejects it completely.


I think James would say YES, if by works you mean the fruit and evidence of our initial faith. James says in this sense it is necessary evidence that is needed to identify authentic faith. If it is not there, there is no reason to think you are justified.

For Paul justification by works which he renounces means gaining a right standing with God through the merit of works.  

For James justification by works which he affirms means the works that are necessary in the ongoing life of the Christian to confirm and prove the reality of their initial faith.

Both James and Paul are right!

Ledisi

                                    Ledisi- Pieces of Me                                                       

It Starts and Ends with Faith

It is through faith  that God pardons us of our sin. The bible tells of this wonderful truth in many words and expressions. One of these biblical expressions is "Justified by Faith". It means; God counts a person to be just and right before him through faith in Jesus Christ. The simple idea of faith alone saving anyone has confounded most and has been rejected by the rest. The purpose of this blog is for  Gospel Clarity and so we must be clear in knowing that justification by faith is the foundation by which the church stands and eternal life is received. 

Justification by faith apart from works of the law is one of the most devoted biblical doctrines of the Apostle Paul. This doctrine drips from his pen onto the pages of the bible.

 “Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.” Romans 3:27-30

Paul teaches we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone and not of any works. Paul explains it shall be alone by faith.

“What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works” Romans 4:4-6

Abraham was not justified by any work he did but by faith. The scripture says he believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. God has not changed his plan of salvation from one generation to the next. His plan of redemption has been the same since the foundation of the world. God redeems man to himself by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Consider Romans 4:16

“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, Romans 4:16

Here Paul is saying that our justification must be according to grace and therefore it must be by faith and not works because a work is not according to grace but according to is owed to someone. Paul wrote these things for our benefit that we might know the glorious news of being reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

” fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also.24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, Romans 4:21-24

” Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2

Jonathan Edwards says: To be justified is to be approved by God as a proper subject of pardon, with a right to eternal life; and therefore, when it says that we are justified by faith, what else can be understood by it, than that it is faith  by which we are rendered approvable as proper subjects of this benefit?