UnDisfellowshipped
You said:
"Christians do live by faith , and we are saved only by grace through faith in the true Christ, but I am sure you have also read Jesus Christ's moral teachings,..."
What kind of answer is that? This sounds like what the Mormons call "faith plus all you can do".
Do you live by faith or the "moral law"? You need to pick one. You're saying, "Christians do live by faith...but...", still need a tutor. (Galatians 3:21-25) Living by the "moral law" (after you're saved) is not living by faith in what Christ has done. You may not see it, but, you're saying you were saved by faith and can now live by law. It must be one or the other, not both.
You quoted James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Don't you see that "the perfect law, the law of liberty", is talking about faith?
Look at Romans 3:26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 3:27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
I've heard many JWs try to teach that Jesus died to make it possible to live by the moral law. So that they will have some righteousness to present to God. This is not a Christian/biblical teaching.
UnDisfellowshipped said:
And I am well aware that the Bible also says that we can only please God by our good works AFTER we have been born again and the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us.
Only if you rewrite it.
You sound like you'll be able to boast about all your good deeds, done "AFTER we have been born again"
You deceive yourself. You think you can finish by the flesh, what God has started by the Spirit. Romans 4:4 "Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,"
Do you really think you can keep the moral law? The moral law drives me back to faith in Christ every minute of every day.
Our works can never "please God", keeping the moral law (assuming you could) is "what is due". Only Christ's works, can pay for what is due, and be pleasing to God. We Christians accept this payment by faith, and that faith is a gift.
Philippians 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--
UnDisfellowshipped said:
All have fallen short of God's glorious standard, and there is no difference between anyone.
If you really believe this, how can you say to a JW, "Your motives and heart condition are much more important to God than your actions or good works."
If all our hearts are the same, then how are our motives and heart condition so much more important?
UnDisfellowshipped said:
And, yes, it is a lack of true knowledge about God and His Son Jesus that prevents them from being saved.
Hmm, my bible says it is sin that prevents them.
Have you ever stopped to think about all the people that have "accurate knowledge", but refuse to believe it.?
UnDisfellowshipped said:
In what way are you saying that I was "dishonest"?
On one hand you say there is a difference between JWs and Christians.
On the the other hand you say you agree with JWs on what a Christian should be. How can that be? when JWs don't know what a Christian is, let alone what a Christian should be.
Are you a Christian or are you a JW? Or do you think JWs are Christians?
This whole thread seems to be about blurring the lines, and causing confusion.
2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
UnDisfellowshipped said:
Why are you trying to accuse me of being dishonest and casting doubt on whether I am a true Christian?
I hope you are a true Christian.
Don't you think unbelievers (JWs) would be better served by seeing the differences between Christians and unbelieving JWs? The differences are not small or minor. They're major, huge, GIANT.
