This is an incomplete answer to Hank the Bible Answer Man, but does give enough for one to grasp Hank is terribly wrong!!! Hank says, “Critics of the Bible have long argued that the book of James contradicts the rest of Scripture in teaching “that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). Upon closer examination, however, the book of James, like the rest of Scripture, confirms that we are saved not by what we do but by what Jesus Christ has done.” Now notice when Hank says, “we are saved not by what we do but by what Jesus Christ has done.” This is correct, but he later contradicts that when he says, “we are saved not by works but by the kind of faith that produces good works.” So with that statement he has just contradicted when he said, “we are saved not by what we do but by what Jesus Christ has done.” For yes we are only saved by what Jesus done and people only need to believe in Him/Jesus to obtain eternal life, not by a faith plus good works or a faith that produces good works, (a faith plus good works or a faith that produces good works is the very same thing or has the same meaning, no different than saying faith plus works save you eternally, the Catholic way of saying it). Hanks way is just instead of coming through the front door and admitting works are necessary he is coming through the back door not wanting to admit works are necessary; if you don’t have/produce works he says one is not saved, therefore those works ARE absolutely necessary to save according to his theology. Contradicting himself and Scripture that works of any kind any time will never save one soul, Ro. 3:20, 28, 4:3-6, 11:6, Titus 3:5, Phil. 3:9 and of course John 3:16, 5:24, 11:25-26 where Jesus says the very moment one believes one is saved that very moment(no chance for works involvement there or ever) never to perish. Take note also, never to perish one act of faith gets you forever saved(once saved always saved) Now How does Hank’s faith works fit into that, where is Jesus statement about faith produces works in order to obtain eternal life, absolutely nowhere!!!!!!!!!! See Act 10:44 and 11:15 where one act of faith gets you saved right at that very moment sealed with the Holy Spirit; Eph. 1:13, John 14:16. Hank says, “First, in context James teaches that we are saved not by works but by the kind of faith that produces good works. As James puts it, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” (2:14). The answer is “no.” “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (v. 26).” A question should be asked, saved from WHAT? Nothing in the context suggest it’s talking about eternal life anywhere, but about temporal life issues, see when James says, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” James 2:16-16. And when James said, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” James 2:21. And when James said, “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?” James 2:25. This passage and context speaks nothing about eternal life nowhere, but about temporal life issues in several areas. Soooo the question should be asked “saved from what, well the context is speaking of every day life circumstances and dealing with them by applying the same faith you use to be saved to every day life’s details. Sooooo, when James says, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”James 2:24, James is saying there are TWO kinds of justification. One by “faith alone” Paul spoke of and another kind of justification by works before man. Hank says, “Furthermore, when James says a person is not justified by faith alone, he means that a person is not justified by mental assent alone. As such, he says, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that––and shudder” (vv. 18–19). In other words, demons believe in the sense of giving mental assent to the fact that there is only one true God, all the while failing to place their hope and trust in him.” When Hank says, “Furthermore, when James says a person is not justified by faith alone, he means that a person is not justified by mental assent alone.” Take care to notice Hank uses the terms “mental assent” trying to say Jesus never meant to ONLY believe in Him was enough. But what all did Jesus ONLY ask unbelievers to do in John 3:15,16,18; 6:29,35,40, 47, 11:25-26 etc. etc. to be saved??? Jesus had ONLY one requirement and that was to ONLY believe in Him, not to do or produce works to obtain eternal life, but to only believe in Him. Jesus only ask people to do something mental (believe in Him), not physical (even works from faith ), as Paul in Gal. 3 explains, “were you saved by doing something(works from faith) or by hearing/believing?” Hank says, “Finally, while James says “a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” and Paul says “man is justified by faith apart from observing the law” (Romans 3:28), their words are in complete harmony. James is countering the false assertion that a said faith is a substitute for a saving faith, while Paul is countering the equally fallacious notion that salvation can be earned by observing the law. As the Reformers were wont to say, “Justification is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” The Reformers statement of , “Justification is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” is NOT Scriptural at all. Only what scripture says is true and counts, NOT what Reformers said.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 18:21:28 +0000
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