Quote:
Originally Posted by Covert
Aaron, I got your back brother, you are indeed correct works are part of the christian life. I just had to help my brother out and give economy pitches it cannot hit and strike it out.
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And to my point of Paul supposedly being apart with "salvation by faith", what "work" does James keep stressing? Circumcision? Dietary laws? Observing feasts, weeks and new moons? No - he says to visit the widows and the orphans in their afflictions. That's pretty much it. James' listed work is to be generous, and share with others. You know, what that guy Jesus taught, "Give to those who can't repay you, and you'll be repaid in the resurrection".
That's James' idea of "works". And per Galatians 2:10 that's what both Paul and James were eager to do. When the gentile churches gave to Paul, he then brought those alms to Jerusalem, to James and the rest, who distributed it to the widows and orphans.
Another term might be used here: 'sign'. A sign that Jesus was the Messiah, was the work which he did in the world, culminating with the sign of resurrection. The gospel record pointing to Jesus' signs, or works, is too numerous to cite. And a sign of discipleship was established early in Acts, with all disciples selling what they had and giving to the aid of the poor, and then Paul carried this messgage out to the world. Be generous to those who lack. That is the sign, that you believe, that you obey the gospel message. Love others, not merely in word but in deed. Again, read 2 Cor 8, 9 - the "lost writings" of Paul.
Another example is Cornelius. The angel said, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial offering to God." Now, was that angel in error? He hadn't read the Epistle to the Romans? Here is a gentile, not a believer [yet], but whose gifts to the poor were praised by God! In fact I'd argue that his position as a God-fearing and right-behaving gentile positioned him to hear the gospel from Peter! So his gifts to the poor were not vain. They were received by God. Of course he needed the gospel - we all do - but to think that "works were vain" is flat nonsense in that story.
So that's the first pitch to give them - that there are other ways to interpret "God's economy" than what WL proposed.
OBW in #429 has also given some good ways to look at it. His list is relevant, and the last point of "one another" dovetails neatly with my take on both Paul and James following the lead of Jesus to think of others. They're all in lockstep, Peter/Paul/James/John, there is no "high" versus "low" gospel. And the "one another" part means, the gospel is NOT self-oriented, but other oriented. It's not about you but your neighbour.
(I was right up front going, "IIIIIYYYYYEEE CANNNN EXERCISE MMYYYYYY SPIIIIIIRRIIIIIITTTT!!!!" [AYYEEEEMMEEENNNNN!!]. No, sorry, the "I" and "my" of the gospel isn't Aaron. It's Jesus Christ.)
The second pitch that I offer up is to ask, Where does Paul include 'intensification' as an essential component of his "oikonomea theou"? Where's the basis for saying that "oikonomea theou" as taught by Paul and Timothy included intensification? And if Paul and Timothy can't be seen teaching this, why are you including it?
There are of course other points to be made as well, and I'm not being comprehensive. But even my few notices serve to show that the "economy of God" as taught by WL and disseminated the Local Churches beholden to his ministry was deficient and unsatisfactory at best, and complete mis-aiming and stumbling at worst.