I’ve heard this argumentation before, but I find it largely unpersuasive. The main reason is that I think it involves equivocation in the term “work.”
This is a novel and interesting theory, but you haven’t supported it with Scripture. At some point this idea should be clear from the the texts where the word “work” or “works” is used in connection with the biblical teachings on justification.
As I stated in my first post, we must make a distinction when we speak of works. On the one hand, we have 1. works as Paul conceives of them especially in Romans 4:4-- works as part of a system of strict justice where a worker obligates an employer, and on the other hand 2. works as Paul sometimes conceives them, as well as Jesus and James, where someone in a loving filial relationship with God, out of grace, does something good.
Well, ISTM that all you’re saying is that some types of human works are REQUIRED for salvation, while other types are not. But the hard part (for the RC position) is to show some Scriptural basis for this notion.
Either our good works (of some type) are REQUIRED for our salvation or they aren’t. So, if Paul, Jesus, or James really DO teach that our good works (of some type) are REQUIRED for salvation then you obviously ought to be able to point to some Scripture that teaches this.
Your argument requires an equivocation on works. When you condemn works you condemn something similar to version 1, but then later you also condemn version 2 on the same account-- but that is unjustifiable. Equivocation is just a fallacy. I distinguished between terms precisely for this reason, because unclear usage of terms leads to argumentative fallacies. They may share the same name, “works,” but they represent vastly different realities.
I don’t see how these two “versions” of works are vastly different if both versions involve an exchange or payment of some kind between the giver (God) and the recipient (the sinner who is REQUIRED to do some type of good works).
The problem doesn’t exist if we operate on version 2. There is no reason for boasting of works which God gave us the grace to start, to do, and to finish. Good works of the type of version 2 are not works we can “boast” about because we do not do them of our own power, only with the guiding, loving hand of God. Without God’s grace there would be no good work there. The person who boasts about his good works (version 2) would simply be stupid because he can only do them because God gives him the grace to do them.
The fact that good works naturally follow from God-given faith is not even where we disagree. As I’ve said before, saving faith is a living faith that really does change people…creating the desire to please God by what we do.
We disagree over the ROLE of our good works. You seem to insist that God REQUIRES some kind of good works (by sinners) in order to
become saved, and I interpret Scripture to be saying that the good works that the elect were created to do, are the fruit (result) of the saving faith that has
already saved the sinner.
That’s why your argument misses the mark. I would suggest that you don’t hear the word “work” if that’s a stumbling block for you. Try to represent to your mind the definition behind work. I understand that many Protestants have an extreme aversion to the word work, and the problem that happens is that I see many nominal arguments-- based on words, and not the realities they represent-- that because of this ‘works’ are bad. But the only successful argument against works will have to deal with what exactly we mean when we condemn works, because otherwise we will not know what we are condemning.
I don’t believe that anyone would love a god who demands some unknowable amount of “goodness” OF ANY KIND whether such goodness involves works of some kind or not. Before I came to know God, I hated Him. But when God’s grace came, I finally began to see myself as I really am–a horribly vile and detestable sinner having nothing good to offer God. And I knew I could never withstand His perfectly righteous judgment. So I got down on my knees and I begged God for mercy.
Titus 3:4-6
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior…
That washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit was the very thing that made me see myself as the lost and desperate sinner that I was.
But I am sure that in many cases what seems abundantly clear to me is not in fact quite so clear. I should pray to the Spirit more often for the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and understanding-- He sure knows I could use the help!
This doesn’t sound like mercy, it sounds like bondage. Just imagine that on your 21st birthday your father tells you that he’s giving you a new house for free. But your father expects this “free” gift to be “exercised.” So he informs you that all you need to do is make the down payment and make all of the monthly mortgage payments.