Is Righteousness Imputed Apart From Works?

Comprendez vous Anglais? Francais?.....?

What language do you understand? What dictionary do you want to use? Perhaps the one written by HP.

There is no such thing as a free gift with conditions. It is a contradiction of terms.
It is like a banker saying "Here is a gift of ten dollars, now I want you to pay for it." If it is a gift one doesn't pay for it. If one pays for it, it is not a gift. Thus a free gift cannot have any conditions, any strings attached, nada, nothing, zilch! It is free; a gift, with no conditions. Study the English language, and the Greek too if you have to.

 

Oh, I understand it alright; I just don't agree with it.

With respect, yes you do. You approach James through your presumption that your sola fide interpretation of Romans 5 is correct.

Another presumption; yes, James is about orthopraxis but it is also about orthodoxy. I fail to see how you can read "a man is not saved by faith alone" in a non-doctrinal way without performing unfeasible feats of mental gymnastics.

And you're not doing this with your 'take' on Romans 5, then?

 

There is a reason for everything. Your reason is....

No, you don't know how I study the Bible. I have been through every book of the Bible, and study each one independently. Unless you see my approach to Bible Study you have no basis on which to make which seem to be false accusations.

So your approach to the Bible is "Matt doesn't believe Romans 5 is correct." You go into the Bible with an inherent belief that Romans 5 shouldn't be there or what? What exactly are you saying?

Your approach to the Bible: Treat every book the same regardless of context. The context doesn't matter. Thus the key verse of the book of Judges: "And every man did that which is right in their own eyes." should apply to us. Forget about the law; forget about God. We should have complete anarchy; antinomianism. This is your belief because context has no place in your theology. Is this correct?

You refuse to deal with context in the Book of James.
Why would you bother with context in the Book of Judges?

 

DHK: There are some verses which can stand alone as timeless truths forever speaking forth the truth regardless of context.

Is my statement true or false.
If false, what is false about it?
If true, why are you bringing it up?

 

There is a universal truth taught in Psalm 58:3 regardless of the context. You, because of your theology, refuse to believe it. You would rather throw your Bible out the window, than to believe the truth of original sin. You refuse to believe that truth no matter how many times it is shown you and where it is shown you.

 

"free" is without condition. Condition is the equivalent of payment or works rendered.

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gift


gift
   
–noun
1.something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.
2.the act of giving.
3.something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned: Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.
4.a special ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent: the gift of saying the right thing at the right time.



Now will you be so kind as to cite a definition of gift that includes conditions? If such a definition exists, you should be able to provide it to us. You can easily prove us wrong.

 

A pardon is not a gift. That is why it is a pardon. Two separate words; two separate meanings. Even dictionaries and articles written on pardons indicate that they are given to inmates that have shown themselves "worthy" of a pardon. But no man is "worthy" of salvation.

You look up the definition of "gift".
Then look up the definition of "free."
Then put the two together.

There is no possible way that a "free gift" can have conditions, no matter "how hard you pound your pulpit," or "beat on your computer," or "holler at your laptop." It ain't gonna work.

 

What do those verses have to do salvation?
Do you know the difference between the sun and the moon?
Why the red herrings? Can't you keep on topic.

 

2Th 1:11 ¶ Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling,

Note, It does not say: "worthy of salvation."

 

Which in light of the conversation and title of the thread are "red herrings."

 

Personally, I believe it is a stalling tactic to avoid answering Amy's question, (and mine).