Once, there was a rich young ruler who called Jesus “good master.” Jesus responded by saying “Why callest thou me good? there is none is good, except one, that is, God.” ~ See Luke 18:18-25

Did Jesus deny being divine when he said this? If we extract these words from the context and from the whole of the revelation of Christ in the New Testament we might come to such a conclusion. However, Jesus’ words were a response to a rich young ruler whose heart was set on his possessions rather than following Jesus whom God had sent.

Jesus’ question wasn’t a denial of his deity. Instead, Jesus’ question was a challenge to this rich young ruler concerning his motives. Jesus often challenged people with thought provoking questions and throughout the New Testament, Jesus’ true identity was withheld from those whose hearts were not truly seeking after God.

When the rich young ruler boasted that he had kept all the commandments since his youth, Jesus told him that he lacked one thing.

Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.  ~ Luke 18:22

Matthew gives us a little more insight, telling us that the rich young ruler made the following claim: “All these things (the commandments) have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” ~ Matthew 19:20

Jesus’ response to “what do I lack?” was this:  “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” ~  Matthew 19:21

The rich young ruler went away sorrowful because he loved his possessions. By challenging this man, Jesus revealed his true motive, which wasn’t to follow Jesus at all costs. Jesus’s true identity as God in the flesh was withheld because the man did not truly have a heart to follow God.

On the contrary, those who sought to know the one true God came to the understanding that Jesus is the Son of God, and God revealed in the flesh.

Jesus said: “no man knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  ~ Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22

We know from scripture that Jesus, was a teacher and a pastor (the good shepherd). He is also called a prophet. Yet this makes him no less divine. He is fully divine and fully perfect in his humanity with no discrepancies.

John the Baptist said, This was he of whom I spoke, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. ~ John 1:30

When Thomas (one of the original 12 apostles) saw the resurrected Christ, he cried out, “My Lord and my God.”  ~ John 20:26-28 

The author of Hebrews says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and tells us that God calls Jesus both Lord by God. ~ Hebrews 1:8, 10.

Being deity, Jesus clothed himself with humanity and took the form or position of a servant though he was Lord of all. The King of glory came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. He did not come to be served though he was worthy of this privilege.

Jesus is as much divine as his Father who sent him is divine, for he came from the Father. Yet in his humanity, he is subordinate to the Father and when he walked among men he was completely dependent on the Father setting the example for us.

In his humanity, he is our example of how we ought to serve God, and in his deity he is the revelation of God to us all.

JESUS MADE CLAIMS WHICH TESTIFY OF HIS DEITY:

• Before Abraham was, I AM ~  John 8:58
• I AM the bread of life ~ John 6:35
• I AM the living bread ~ John 6:51
• I AM from above ~ John 8:23
• I AM the light of the world ~ John 8:12
• I AM the door of the sheep ~ John 10:9
• I AM the good shepherd ~ John 10:11
• I AM the Son of God ~ John 10:36
• I AM the resurrection and the Life ~ John 11:25
• I AM the way, the truth, and the life ~ John 14:6
• I AM the true vine ~ John 15:1
• I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” ~ Revelation 21:6

JESUS WAS WORSHIPPED:

• By Kings, when he was a babe  ~ Matthew 2:11
• By a leper whom He healed ~ Matthew 8:2
• By Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue ~ Matthew 9:18
• By His disciples after He had walked on the water  ~ Matthew 14:33
• By a woman from Canaan, whose daughter Jesus delivered from demonic oppression ~ Matthew 15:25
• By Mary Magdalene and the other Mary after Jesus had risen from the dead ~ Matthew 28:9
• By the man whom Jesus delivered from a legion of demons ~ Mark 5:6
• By His disciples after he ascended into Heaven after His resurrection ~ Luke 24:52
• By the man whom Jesus healed of blindness ~ John 9:38
• By those in Heaven around God’s throne ~ Revelation 5:11-13

Through his Son, Jesus Christ, God has revealed himself to us all.

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. ~ 1 John 5:20

Bad theology doesn’t make a person a false teacher, or a deceiver, or a wicked person. Over the years, I have had to change my theology on various subjects because I am in continuous pursuit of the truth in every area.

If you had heard some of my teachings in the late 90’s, you would have recognize that it was straight out of the “prosperity gospel” playbook.

Those who teach that Paul contradicted the teachings of Jesus claim that Paul taught that it was OK to eat meat offered to idols in Romans 14,  1 Corinthians 8, and 1 Corinthians 10.

Is this correct?

To begin, it is important to remember that Paul was present at the Jerusalem counsel (Acts 15) and was one of the supporters of the decision made to exhort the Gentiles not to eat food offered to idols.

²² Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch WITH PAUL and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

²³ And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.

²⁴ Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

²⁵ It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you WITH OUR BELOVED BARNABAS and PAUL,

²⁶ Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

²⁹ That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Notice that Paul is mentioned in this letter (the letter encouraging the Gentiles not to eat things offered to idols) along with Barnabas as beloved and men who had hazarded thier lives for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Notice that James, along with the other apostles, and the elders, endorsed Paul in this letter to the Gentiles. With this in mind let’s consider Paul’s teachings in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8, and 1 Corinthians 10.

Does Paul teach the Gentiles to eat things offered to idols?

FIRST, there is nothing in Romans 14 about meats offered to idols. Romans 14 is addressing meat or food, which is offensive to another brother. The teaching by Paul is to abstain from offending your brother by what you eat.

Those who claim that Paul is teaching it is OK to eat meat offered to idols in Romans 14 are carelessly proof-texting to support their claims. Paul’s exhortation in Romans 14 is most likely within a Jewish/Gentile context as Paul addresses the two cultural backgrounds throughout the book of Romans.

SECONDLY, Paul does not teach his followers to eat meat offered to idols in 1 Corinthians 8, nor is he promoting such practices.

Paul is actually teaching the Corinthians to walk in brotherly love and not to use their liberty in Christ as an occasion for offending a brother or sister who is weak in their faith. Paul instructs the Corinthians to refrain from eating things offered to idols so they don’t damage the conscience of others.

Paul makes it clear that food – in and of itself – has no value with regards to our relationship with God because there is only one true God and he is the creator of all things. However, not all possess this liberating knowledge, and for the sake of those whose consciences are weak, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to refrain from foods which are offered to idols so as not to wound another believer’s conscience.

Paul continuously teaches the Gentile brethren not to eat food offered to idols, not because of superstitious reasons, but out of love for others. Love is the right motive in everything.

Throughout the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul repeatedly addresses the importance of abstaining from idolatrous practices.

In 5:10-11, Paul tells the Corinthians not to keep company with a person who is called a brother if he engages in idolatrous practices.

In 6:9 he tells them that idolaters have no part in the Kingdom of God.

In 10:7 he tells them not to be idolatrous like the Israelites who fell in the wilderness.

In 12:2 he reminds them that they were previously Gentiles who were carried away by dumb idols.

Paul certainly would not have warned the Gentile believers against idolatry and then turned around and taught them to eat things offered to idols.

It is ironic that some use 1 Corinthians to support their claim that Paul taught that it was OK to eat things offered to idols. On the contrary, Paul very specifically instructs the Corinthians to NOT to do such things.

FINALLY, Consider the following from 1 Corinthians 10:18-33. I have chosen the NLT for clarity.

18 Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?

19 What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 

20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 

21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 

22 What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?

23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything” —but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 

24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 

26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 

28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 

29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 

30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. 

33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

Paul’s words concerning food offered to idols, is that “food” – in and of itself – has no virtue, however, food which has been offered to idols ought not to be eaten out of love for others.

The following was written by my lovely wife back in 2010. 

I am “setting down” an Ebenezer stone. Please continue reading to find out what in the world I mean.

My sweet, Holy Spirit-sensitive friend Jennifer was encouraging me as I was going through a thick patch of discouragement and frustration. After I thanked her for her care and concern, she sent me this message: “Pick up the Ebenezer stones, sister!” I have to admit, I knew that Ebenezer was a biblical name (No, Charles Dickens didn’t make it up), but I had no clue of its significance. My next step naturally was to Google the term. One of the first things I found was “a reminder of God’s real, holy presence and divine aid. Spiritually and theologically speaking, an Ebenezer can be nearly anything that reminds us of God’s presence and help.” Wow! To make sure that was biblically accurate, I plugged the term into a favorite Bible study website (www.biblegateway.com). There I found a historical account of God’s deliverance of Israel from the Philistines recorded in 1 Samuel 7:5-15 (New American Standard Bible).

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you.” They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him. Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

As the Israelites were in the process of doing the right thing by repenting, in came the enemy to attack viciously. Sound familiar? In times that you know you’re doing exactly what God wants you to do, the enemy takes his nastiest, meanest, most conniving shots at you. We’re not defenseless though. We have Jesus who defeated the enemy and made us “more than conquerors” in Him!

I know the Lord’s leading me to lean into Him and recall all He’s done for my family and me as He takes us into a new chapter in our lives. As we look forward, we also look back and remember His immense grace and mercy toward us as evidenced time and time again.

When you are experiencing a time of discouragement or despair, let me encourage you, as my precious Jennifer did, to “pick up the Ebenezer stones” and remind yourself that “thus far the LORD has helped us”.

There are wonderful and sincere believers who have been taught that they are to declare and decree as part of their faith confession. This practice is common  within the Word of Faith movement.

The scriptural text for this practice is Job 22:28 which says; “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” (JKV)

These words were spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job’s three friends who were rebuked by God in Job 42. Eliphaz the Temanite does all of the speaking in Job 22. He also does the speaking in chapters 4, 5, and 15.

In Job 42 God said to Eliphaz the Temanite ; “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” ~ v. 7

Those who teach the practice of declaring and decreeing using Job 22:28 as their scriptural text are actually counting as the word of God, the words of a man who angered God by what he said about him. God said the words spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite were wrong.

Please don’t misunderstand me because it is scriptural to speak positively and encourage yourself in the Lord. We have examples in scripture that we can follow such as the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:28). She confessed her faith in Christ in the midst of dire circumstances and received the blessing she desired from the Lord.

There are also many others throughout the Bible who made bold declarations of faith in God.

On the contrary, the use of Job 22:28 is sometimes coupled with the concept that our words are creative, and therefore we can “create the world we desire.” If we want to be rich we can declare and decree I am rich, I am prosperous, etc.

Such teachings are not scripturally sound but are rooted in mysticism instead.

If we could create the world we want to live in by simply “declaring and decreeing” we could just all stay home and confess what we want for several hours a day.

It is when our words are an expression of our faith in God based on his promises, regardless of our circumstances, that our confession has power. We are not created as little gods confessing the world we want to live in, instead we are called to be servants of the ONE TRUE GOD living by faith in him.

We are called to be people of faith and speak according to our faith in God’s power, not in our own power.

Finally, Job sometimes gets a bad rap by Word of Faith teachers because he said the thing he feared the most had come upon him. Yet God came to Job’s defense (42:7). God looks on the heart and Job was righteous in his heart towards God.

God also commanded Eliphaz the Temanite, and his two friends to come to Job and offer sacrifices to God and have Job pray for them. God said; “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve. “ ~ Job 42:8

__________________________________________________

JOB AND WORD OF FAITH THEOLOGY

https://michaelbattle65.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/job-and-word-of-faith-theology/

The following was written by my wife as she shared what our 11 year old son wrote about autism:

My son David told me the other day that he was reading a book about a kid named David who was autistic. Then he asked me, “Am I autistic?” I paused for a bit, because I had never, for my own deeply considered reasons, told him he indeed was. He said, “Tell me the truth.” So I did, “Yes, you are.” He and I have had many conversations about this since then. They have revealed the amazing goodness and grandness of my child’s heart. As a result, he wrote the following in his writing class:

“Hi! My name is David and I have autism. I think I should have known this before. When I was in pre-K, I went to a baby class in church. I was singing a song in my head, but I got a little frustrated. My youth teacher noticed this. But that wasn’t what I am mad about. I’m mad about the thing that happened next. They made me sit in a chair until I told them what was wrong. IT DIDN’T MATTER! To this day, I wish that I could travel in time to pick myself out of that stupid chair and be free. But no, the youth teacher didn’t LISTEN! When you have autism, everyone thinks that you have mind issues. But really, your not much different from others. I’m in GTE [Gifted Talented Education], but people are sharing rumors on how I got there. They say stupid stuff like I’m in gifted because my mom wants me to. But that isn’t true. I remembered taking the test that I should be placed in gifted. It was my third grade teacher.

Some people look at autism as a bad thing. It’s not. People with autism can do a lot!

#2 Hi! David again. This is about autism. Everybody thinks your like an alien, but that’s not true. You can be like everyone else. But don’t. Be you. You’re a little boring if your someone else. Be you. Be the person who leads and other people follow. Be you. Even though you have autism, your capable of many things. Be you.”

The book of Hebrews is a book of exhortation written to believers (13:22), yet within it there are repeated warnings concerning apostasy. 

THE WARNINGS TO BELIEVERS IN HEBREWS

The first warning (Hebrews 2:1-3) tells us that neglecting our great salvation will result in punishment just as disobedience to the words spoken by angels (under the Law) also resulted in punishment.

The second warning (Hebrews 3:7- 4:1) exhorts us not to harden our hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit through unbelief. In this section we are reminded that God swore in His wrath that those who provoked Him in the wilderness also died in the wilderness and did not enter into His rest.

We are warned that we need to fear God so that we do not become like those in the wilderness who fell short of entering His rest (which according to the context is eternal rest). It is clear from the context that the same God who swore in His wrath, they shall not enter my rest and did not spare those who rebelled in the wilderness will not spare us either if we become hard hearted through unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin.

The third warning (Hebrews 5:11-6:20) is against slothfulness which results in apostasy. We are told in very clear and precise terms that if we become slothful in our faith we are in danger of being condemned and cursed.

The fourth warning (Hebrews 10:26-39) is against willfully sinning and drawing back. Here is what Hebrews 10:26-31 says:

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the Law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The fifth warning (Hebrews 12:14-29) sums up all the other warnings – beware of sin and rejection of Jesus.

Many of you recognize the words “our God is a consuming fire” but do you know the context of these words? Many quote this in connection with God’s love, but the scriptures do not use it that way. These words, in both the Old and New Testament, are used in connection with God’s holiness and righteous judgment against sin (i.e. His jealously expressed in anger which results in the punishment of our sins).

Here is how Moses used the words:

But the LORD was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession. You will cross the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river. So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this. The LORD your God is a DEVORING FIRE; he is a jealous God. “In the future, when you have children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time, do not corrupt yourselves by making idols of any kind. This is evil in the sight of the LORD your God and will arouse his anger. (Deuteronomy 4:21-25 TNLT)

The King James Version says: consuming fire (v.24) instead of devoring fire – “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” This is exactly how the Book of Hebrews uses this description of God. Now notice the context from Hebrews 12:25-28:

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

The KJV says: “…let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

To read about the exhortations in Hebrews follow this link:

https://michaelbattle65.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/hebrews-a-book-of-exhortation-to-believers/

Many are familiar with Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse is often extracted from its context and interpreted as salvation is a gift that comes through a – one time believing experience – and therefore we are saved from the punishment of sin, namely hell.

Here is the flow of thought that Romans 6:23 belongs to:

¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:17-23)

Notice the progression:

(1) you obeyed the doctrine delivered to you: that’s the gospel

(2) you were made free from sin

(3) you became servants to God and righteousness

(4) you have fruit unto holiness

(5) the end of these is eternal life.

In much the same way that Romans 6;23 is often extracted from its context, 1 Peter 1:5 is also often extracted from its context:

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Those who would extract these words from the flow of thought in 1 Peter, use the phrase “kept by the power of God” to advocate that they are kept by the power of God based on a one time believing experience, and how they live has no bearing on their being kept. Hence a person who has believed at one point can turn away from Christ and live in egregious sin.

This is foreign to the context. Here is the context and flow of thought that 1 Peter 1:5 above belongs too:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

It is not “a one time believing experience” that bares no fruit for Christ that will be rewarded with salvation at the coming of Christ. It is faith that has withstood testing and trials that will be found unto praise, honor, and glory.

It is the end of your faith, which has endured for Christ, which will be rewarded.

The apostle Paul believed that faith without works is dead just as James taught in his epistle, referring to works within the context of the faith we are called to live.

Paul’s teachings regarding justification by faith without works is often misinterpreted because there is a tendency to interpret Paul’s teachings based on a few random verses from Romans and Galatians, where Paul’s argument is that justification does not come through the works of Jewish Law but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul did not teach a different message about faith than James. Contrary to the belief of some, Paul did NOT view saving faith as a one time event which had nothing to do with how one lives afterwards.

Paul tells the Galatians “I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain” and “I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.” (4:11, 20)

Paul says these things not because he was second guessing if they had actually believed the gospel at one time. Instead he says these things because they were not living according to the faith he had preached to them and taught them to live by.

In chapter 5 Paul says to them: “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (v 7-9)

Paul affirms that they had been running well in their faith, but had since been hindered by the leaven of those teaching that they should obey Jewish law. The Galatians were having their faith undermined by the Judaizers who were attempting to make Jewish proselytes of them.

Paul did not teach the Galatians to just simply pray a prayer and believe one time and “wa-la” they’d be in like flynn. Paul had taught the Galatians “the just shall live by faith” (3:11).

In Paul’s theology justificaion by faith in Jesus Christ is not a reference to a one time believing experience. It is a reference to living your life by faith in Jesus Christ.

When James says faith without works is dead, he uses examples of showing love and kindness as the works he is referring too. Paul says basically the same thing in Galatians when he says, “faith works by love.”

Paul also agreed with James’ statement – “faith without works is dead” – when he says to Titus that those who “profess to know God but deny him in their works are abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”(Titus 1:16)

Also in 1 Thessalonians Paul speaks of “the work of faith.”

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. So that ye were EXAMPLES TO ALL that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:3-7)

Reading Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, and to Timothy, and to Titus; we can see that Paul did not think of faith as something that was merely a one time gift bestowed which had nothing to do with how we live.

It is error to think that Paul taught that there is a chasm between saving faith and faith we are called to live by. Paul refutes such notions much throughout his epistles. Paul did not teach that saving faith stands alone as an independent entity from faith which produces godly living. Saving faith IS the faith you are to live by.

In Romans, Paul’s doctrine of faith is that we become servants to righteousness through belief in Jesus Christ.

¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:16-23)

Notice that verse 23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – is not written within the context of a one time believing experience, but rather within the context of becoming a servant to Jesus Christ.

In Romans, Paul never communicates a faith that isn’t lived out, otherwise he wouldn’t have written chapters 12-16 which deal with living out our faith in practicality.

1. In his opening greeting Paul mentions Sosthenes our brother (1 Corinthians 1:1)
2. Paul calls them sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints (1:2).
3. They call on the name of Jesus as do all others who are in Christ (1:2).
4. The grace of God was given to them by Jesus Christ (1:4).
5. They are enriched by Jesus Christ in all utterance and in all knowledge (1:5).
6. The testimony of Christ was confirmed in them (1:6).
7. They come behind no one in the gifts of God (1:7).
8. God will confirm them until the end so that they may be blameless in the day of Christ because God is faithful by whom they were called into fellowship with Jesus Christ (1:8-9).
9. Twenty two times Paul calls them brethren (1 Corinthians 1:10, 11, 26;  2:1; 31: 4:26; 7:24, 29; 10:1; 11:2, 33; 12:1; 14:6, 20, 26, 39: 15:1, 15:50, 58, 16:15;   2 Corinthians 1:8; 8:1; 13:11) .
10. Paul tells them they have received the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 1;12).
11. Paul tells them they are babes in Christ (1 Co 3:1).
12. Paul refers to himself and Apollos as ministers by whom the Corinthians had believed the gospel (1 Co 3:5).
13. Paul tells them “ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” (1 Co 3:9).
14. Paul tells them that they are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in them (1 Co 3:16).
15. Paul tells them that they belong to Christ (1 Co 3:21-23).
16. In view of his apostleship to them Paul exhorts the Corinthians not to be puffed up because of the things they had received (1 Co 4:6-11).
17. Paul calls them his beloved sons (1 Co 4:14)
18. Paul says he had begotten them through the gospel – For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel (1 Co 4:15)
19. Paul rebukes them for tolerating fornication that even those who aren’t saved don’t do (2 Co 5:1).
20. Paul chastises them for not grieving over the fornication in their midst (1 Co 5).
21. Paul tells them not to keep company with a person who is called a brother if he is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or slanderous, or a drunkard, or a swindler, Paul says not to eat with such a person. Paul says he has turned the fornicator over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Co 5:4-13).
22. Paul challenges them not to settle matters before worldly courts but among themselves as saints (1 Co 6:1-8).
23. Paul reminds them of what manner of persons they were before Christ (fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners) and tells them that they were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord and by the Spirit of God (1 Co 6:9-11).
24. Paul tells them their bodies are members of Christ (1 Co 6:15 -17)
25. Paul tells them again that their bodies is temple of the Holy Ghost which is in them, which they have of God, and they are not their own (1 Co 6:19).
26. Paul tells them they are bought with a price, and they are to glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Co 6:20).
27. Paul instructs them regarding marriage and divorce in view of Christian marriage (1 Co 7)
28. Paul tells the married among them not to not to withhold themselves from their spouse unless it is with consent for a time of fasting and prayer (1 Co 7:4-5)
29. Paul instructs both the men and women among the Corinthians believers concerning what they are to do if any of them have a spouse who isn’t a believer (1 Co 7:13-16).
30. Paul tells them they are bought with a price (1 Co 7:23)
31. Paul instructs the widows, telling them they are free to married whoever they want to as long as they marry “in the Lord,” i.e., marry a believer (1 Co 7: 39).
32. Paul tells them that though there are many that the world refers to as god, TO THEM there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and WE IN HIM; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and WE BY HIM (1 Co 8:4-6).
33. Paul tells them to be careful not to allow their liberty in Christ, regarding the eating of meats which may have been offered to idols, to become a stumbling block for others whose conscience is weak (1 Co 8:6-12)
34. Paul tells them that when they sin against their weak brothers in Christ they sin against Christ (2 Co 8:12).
35. Paul informs them that he is an apostle, and they are his work in the Lord (1 Co 9:1).
36. Paul calls them the seal of his apostleship (1 Co 9:2).
37. Paul speaks to them about the communion table saying; “the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are ALL PARTAKERS OF THAT ONE BREAD (1 Co 10:16-17).
38. Paul tells them to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Co 11:1)
39. Paul tells them as brethren to keep the ordnances he had taught them, concerning the family at home (regarding husband and wife) and the coming together to break bread at the Lord’s table (1 Co 11:2-34).
40. Paul instructs them as brethren concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Co 12).
41. Paul tells them that they are members of the body of Christ (1 Co 12:12-27).
42. Paul explains how God has set each member in the body of Christ and given to each one gifts that please him (1 Co 12).
43. Paul tells them to covet the best gift (1 Co 12:31).
44. Paul explains to them the importance of love as the best way to minister the spiritual gifts God has given them (1 Co 13:1 – 14:1).
45. Paul gives them instructions for the proper use of tongues and prophecy when they come together (1 Co 14) so that if someone who is unlearned or an unbeliever happens to come to their assembly, it will be convicting to the unbeliever and persuade them that God is in their midst (1 Co 14:23-24).
46. Paul speaks to them concerning how to conduct their assemblies as brethren who are saints in the Lord (1 Co 14:25-33, 40).
47. Paul tells them that he preached the gospel to them and by that gospel they are saved is that hold fast to it (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
48. Paul tells them of the hope of resurrection which they have at the coming of the Lord (1 Co 15) and says to them “thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (v. 57-58).
49. Paul gives them instruction concerning the collection for helping the saints (1 Co 16:1-2).
50. Paul exhorts them as brethren concerning how they are to greet, host, and treat others who are their brethren in Christ and ministers in the Lord (1 Co 16).