Hmmm, Linkowski, perhaps you omitted this:
James 2 verses…
Phil 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
1 Tim 1:19
holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
2 Peter 2:20-21
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
James Chapter 2 is simply showing that true saving faith in Christ manifests itself in works of love. It is all about those who say they have faith but show that they have dead faith. This stops the mouth of the one who claims Christ but shows a lifestyle that is not compatible. This is shown in the positive aspect in John 1 which shows the evidences of one who has been born again…
1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
This means that the person hates sin and seeks to flee from sin and cannot mean that they never sin. See 1 John 1:8-10.
1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and
every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. {is born: Gr. has been born}
1Jo 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. {is born: Gr. has been born}
1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jo 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Philippians 2:12 is not referring to salvation by works at all but is having to do with our sanctification…
The Gr. verb rendered “work out” means “to continually work to bring something to fulfillment or completion.” It cannot refer to salvation by works (Rom. 3:21–24; Eph. 2:8, 9), but it does refer to the believer’s responsibility for active pursuit of obedience in the process of sanctification. Fear and trembling is the attitude with which Christians are to pursue their sanctification. It involves a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect for Him (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Is. 66:1, 2).
Those that are born of God will persever as the Bible clearly says…
Hebrews 3:14 NAS95 14 For **we have become **partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Perseverance is an evidence of salvation as well - also, in 1 John 5:4, the Bible says that the one who has been born of God overcomes the world…2 Peter 2:20-22 was someone who was not saved to begin with…they simply had a knowledge of Christ but did not manifest true saving faith…
1 John 2:19 NAS95 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
Remember - those that are born of God are the elect and the elect have been predestined to justification and complete salvation…
Romans 8:30 NAS95 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
The elect were not chosen on the basis of their works nor were they chosen on the basis of their own choice but on God’s choice…
1 Peter 1:2 NAS95 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
Romans 9:10-11 NAS95 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11
for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
If one is born of God and is one of the elect, they cannot lose their salvation…and they will manifest the characteristics of the elect.
John 14:12 NAS95 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me,
the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
, … after that I leave my trust, in Christ.
