dan said:
I repeat my question, how do you reconcile your doctrine with James chapter the second?
\
Let me say that if you are a believer, I am not interested in getting into a war of words. The full scope and depth of the complicated interplay of grace, predestination, works, faith, justification and sanctification we may never know until the next life. What is most important is that you accept Christ as your savior.
First, this is not "my" doctrine. It is basic Reformed theology coming from Scripture. Also, if this appears to you to be unfair or unjust, then are you not trying to argue your way is more just than God's way? How can miserable sinners like we are be more just than the Almighty?
Second, if you are saved by works, not by grace, which is how you are discerning James (I gave my interpretation above), then how do you ever know if you are saved? How many "good works" are enough? Also, this is just like every other world religion where people are asked to work hard and study hard so people can try to become worthy of God's mercy. This is not Christianity, this is not grace. In fact, this "works" theology leaves man in a cruel state of spiritual limbo, never knowing if he has done enough "good works" to make the grade.
I read James with, not in contradistinction to, Paul's theology, so as to say if you are are a member of God's elect, sooner or later this will result in your effectual calling, and you will be able to accept God's grace. Your eyes will be opened, and your heart will be changed. You will be dead to sin and then born again, a new person. After that time, you will be able to do the good works God had planned for you in advance to do. See Ephesians 2: 1-10 (NASB):
Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1 And you were (1) dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you (2) formerly walked according to the course of (3) this world, according to (4) the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in (5) the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all (6) formerly lived in (7) the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were (8) by nature (9) children of wrath, (10) even as the rest.
4 But God, being (11) rich in mercy, because of (12) His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were (13) dead in our transgressions, made us alive together [1] with Christ ((14) by grace you have been saved),
6 and (15) raised us up with Him, and (16) seated us with Him in (17) the heavenly places in (18) Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing (19) riches of His grace in (20) kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For (21) by grace you have been saved (22) through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is (23) the gift of God;
9 (24) not as a result of works, so that (25) no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, (26) created in (27) Christ Jesus for (28) good works, which God (29) prepared beforehand so that we would (30) walk in them.
Thirdly, and this will get quite long, but as you seem like a sophisticated student, here are some key excerpts from the Westminster Confession of Faith that explain original sin, election and grace. I have cited the online web page (below) for the Confession so you can read the entire Confession and more importantly, perhaps, see the Scriptural footnotes and do your own background study.
Chapter VI
Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and the Punishment thereof
I. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptations of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit.[1] This their sin, God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.[2]
II. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion, with God,[3] and so became dead in sin,[4] and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.[5]
III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed;[6] and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.[7]
IV. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good,[8] and wholly inclined to all evil,[9] do proceed all actual transgressions.[10]
V. This corruption of nature, during this life, does remain in those that are regenerated;[11] and although it be, through Christ, pardoned, and mortified; yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.[12]
VI. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto,[13] does in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner,[14] whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God,[15] and curse of the law,[16] and so made subject to death,[17] with all miseries spiritual,[18] temporal,[19] and eternal.[20]
Chapter IX
Of Free Will
I. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined good, or evil.[1]
II. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God;[2] but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.[3]
III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation:[4] so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good,[5] and dead in sin,[6] is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.[7]
IV. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He frees him from his natural bondage under sin;[8] and, by His grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;[9] yet so, as that by reason of his remaining corruption, he does not perfectly, or only, will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.[10]
V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.[11]
Chapter XI
Of Justification
I. Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies;[1] not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them,[2] they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.[3]
II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:[4] yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.[5]
III. Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to His Father's justice in their behalf.[6] Yet, in as much as He was given by the Father for them;[7] and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead;[8] and both, freely, not for any thing in them; their justification is only of free grace;[9] that both the exact justice, and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.[10]
IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect,[11] and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:[12] nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit does, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.[13]
V. God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;[14] and although they can never fall from the sate of justification,[15] yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.[16]
VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.[17]
Chapter XVI
Of Good Works
I. Good works are only such as God has commanded in His holy Word,[1] and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention.[2]
II. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith:[3] and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,[4] strengthen their assurance,[5] edify their brethren,[6] adorn the profession of the Gospel,[7] stop the mouths of the adversaries,[8] and glorify God,[9] whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,[10] that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.[11]
III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.[12] And that they may be enabled thereunto, beside the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of His good pleasure:[13] yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.[14]
IV. They who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which is possibly in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.[15]
V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom, by them, we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins,[16] but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants:[17] and because, as they are good, they proceed from His Spirit,[18] and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment.[19]
VI. Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him;[20] not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreproveable in God's sight;[21] but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.[22]
VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others:[23] yet, because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith;[24] nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word;[25] nor to a right end, the glory of God,[26] they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God:[27] and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.[28]
http://www.reformed.org/documents/
