Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
If works did not come from faith we would not need faith to live for God. But it's the very fact that we can't live for God in our natural selves that we need faith - faith to produce the life that is pleasing to God that we can't produce without faith. As so the righteous life is indeed the result of having received the righteousness that is from God, not the procurer of that righteousness. Righteous works do not make a person righteous. Christ died for nothing if that were true.It just nevewr says that works are a "byproduct" of faith - but rather, an essential element OF it (James 2:14-26).
And, yes, works are an essential element, or accompaniment, of having faith...just not in regard to making a man righteous. But they are indeed essential in regard to validating that faith is present in a person and is genuine. But they have zero value toward making you righteous in God's sight. Only the forgiveness of your sin guilt can do that. That's what makes justification a free gift. But your theology makes justification a debt owed to the person who works. The very works gospel that Paul condemned and warned us about.