Expert: Dr Don Howe - 8/18/2010

Question
Your profile quote "I welcome questions that deal with
theological issues, relationship issues, church history,
world religions, current events from a Christian worldview,
"gray areas" that are present today, church growth
movements, false prophets, spiritual abuse issues, end time
events, prophecy, medical ethical issues, hermeneutical
questions, and how Israel fits into God's economy today..If
I can not answer a question, I will do the research and find
the answer if available."

And you say that the you will not answer "If you are looking
for a liberal theological answer or agrument, do not ask. I
am not an expert on church planting or evangelism."

Still I have received a answer from you on a valid question
in my life that goes as follows "Sorry, but I don't answer
homework questions.."

What was wrong with my question?

Answer
     Theunis, thank you for your question. I am so sorry about the homework question situation. My email has been down for the last 6 days and is  just coming back on. I hit the "homework button" instead hitting the button to send it back to my email so I could consider for further study. My apology for the mix up. Thanks for keeping me straight.

  You stated that “James says that faith without works is dead, Jas 2:14. It also says that Abraham was justified by his works, Jas 2:21.” Let’s see what the Apostle James has to say. James 2:14 states “What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” James here is talking about DEAD FAITH. James was dealing with the problem of people who “claim” to have faith, and therefore be saved, but who exhibit no evidence of that faith in an active Christian life.
  James 2:15-17 states “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Any faith you claim to have, that isn’t accompanied by action, is DEAD. Whatever it is that you’re claiming to have, it’s not the LIVING, life-changing, motivating, constraining FAITH in Jesus Christ that comes from God! It’s not “saving faith” at all. A living faith is real faith.
  To understand about Abraham who was justified by his faith that was exhibited by his work. He was not justified by his works, but by his faith. You have to read all of James verses on Abraham to understand this. James 2:21 states “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” David Guzik weighs in on this and states “Abraham was justified by faith long before he offered Isaac (Genesis 15:6). But his obedience in offering Isaac demonstrated that he really did trust God.”

  March 13:13 states “And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Here Jesus is telling his disciples of the time between His Ascension and Second Coming. He “that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Endures translates in the ancient Greek word hupomeno, which literally means to “remain under.” Shall here is esomai which is future tense meaning will be. So the ones who will be (esomai) to remain under (hupomeno) to the end when Jesus return (His Second coming) will the same shall be saved. Those who are saved will experience God’s salvation in its final form which is glorification. This is consistent with Hebrews 9:28 which states “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Perseverance is a result and outward sign, not the basis, of spiritual genuineness in which we genuinely are saved by grace through faith which endures to the end and will experience the consummation of his salvation. So faith is what saves and enduring is the works to the end.

  You stated “Thus, if I say that one has to endure to the end or loose salvation, it is in line with scripture.” You are right that we will endure to the end but those saved by grace through faith will not loose their salvation. No one who is saved by grace in the Lord Jesus Christ will ever loose their salvation.
  As stated above perseverance is the result of a saving faith and has nothing to do with works salvation. There is no such thing as work salvation in Scripture. James 2:14-17 is an example of that. We are not saved by WORKS, BUT SAVED BY A FAITH THAT DOES WORK.

I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Dr  Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD