RE: Evidence for a god. Do you have any ?
October 16, 2018 at 8:07 pm
(This post was last modified: October 16, 2018 at 8:08 pm by GrandizerII.)
(October 15, 2018 at 9:56 am)SteveII Wrote:(October 13, 2018 at 9:32 am)Grandizer Wrote: Emphasis mine. That there is one of the many problems with the NT. The Gospel message isn't consistently the same throughout the 27 books. Prime example being James' salvation through works vs. Paul's salvation through faith. Only a biased Christian mind sees the opposite.
Did you read that on an atheist bullet list?
No, you can see the discrepancies in the Bible ...

Quote:What exactly did James say?
Quote:James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [c]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [d]perfect?
So, as a student of the Bible, tell me how that contradicts Paul and that they cannot both be right. Please be specific with references.
Great, now contrast with this:
Ephesians 2:8-10:
Quote: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
See the difference? According to James, salvation is through faith + works (faith here being a merit as opposed to submission to God). According to Ephesians, salvation is by divine grace through faith, not by works (contradicting what James said). Abraham, according to James, was considered righteous for his works. According to Ephesians, no man should boast of their works because righteousness is granted from above, not by their own merits.
Interesting note: Martin Luther really struggled with James.
I will get to your other part later today.