RE: OT Relevance / works

Good works invariably follows from those who are saved but it is not
sufficient to be saved. However, the amount of good works amongst
Christians varies as the fruits given by different trees of the same
species. In particular, this difference cannot be used by a Christian to
judge or quantify the amount of faith in Christ of another Christian.

Moorad

-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of mrb22667@kansas.net
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 11:28 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: 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 12:00:11 2006