Re: OT Relevance / works

Quoting George Murphy <gmurphy@raex.com>:

> The question about faith & works is sometimes posed as "Are good works
> necessary?" But we have to ask "Necessary for what?" They are not needed
> in order for God to save us. They are needed for the welfare of our
> neighbor & the world.
>
> Shalom
> George
> http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/

Agreed -- but work might also be needed as "evidence" to the extent that we wish
to speculate about our salvation. James gives the challenge in chapter 2:
"...show me your faith without deeds and I will SHOW [emphasis mine] you my
faith by what I do." The fruit does not save the tree, to be sure, but it does,
according to Jesus, give the strongest indicator about what kind of tree it is.
So Hitler, according to some, claimed to be a Christian. Examine the fruit if
you want to know... According to such logic, all I have to do is claim to be
a Rhodes Scholar, and my claim alone would make me one. It doesn't hold up.

--merv
Received on Wed Mar 29 11:28:32 2006