That statement was not mine. It was the statement of Paul around which you have been doing a one-man tango. Paul said that God would reward those who seek immortality by doing good. As long as you have a license to subtract Paul's meaning from his writings, and add a meaning more fitting to your private theology, then we can have no meaningful dialogue.
Let's deal with some of the things Paul said:
"I am amazed that you are so quicky deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel. We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we believed that in Christ we may be justified by faith and not by works---since by works of Law no flesh is justified. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? NO! For if I rebuild what I once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through Law then Christ died needlessly. You foolish Galatians! Who bewitched you? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? You were running well---who hindered you from obeying the truth? It was for freedom Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. If you seek to be justified by Law, you are SEVERED FROM CHRIST, you are FALLEN FROM GRACE!!! For we through the Spirit, BY FAITH, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ neither circumcision (Law) nor uncircumcision means anything, but FAITH working through LOVE. Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under Law." Gal1:6, 2:15-18, 3:1,3, 5:7,1-6,16,18
Passages such as GALATIANS, forbid us to perceive Paul saying in Romans 2,
"salvation is by WORKS". I summarized really
the whole book of Galatians by quoting selected verses---presenting
that salvation IS by FAITH, faith alone that WORKS THROUGH LOVE. The "faith that produces no works",
is dead (unsaved) faith,
not-really-faith-at-all. TRUE faith, PRODUCES works.
We are not saved by good works. That is not what Paul meant in Romans 2. Else Paul
CONTRADICTS himself in writings such as Galations,
quoted above.
I quote again. "Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek . . . immortality." Romans 2: 7.
Please read 2Pet1:1-11. Peter lists many traits
essential to salvaiton---and one who LACKS these "fruits",
is BLIND, SHORTSIGHED, having FORGOTTEN former purification from sins. Peter admonishes us to "make certain of His calling and election (by checking our FRUITS),
for in THIS way the VERY GATES of Heaven will be provided (I believe it's clear that they will be provided
in no other way!). But we cannot escape verse 1:
"...to those who have received a FAITH of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, JESUS!"
A faith that is RECEIVED. Period. That's all.
...but it's REAL faith, that CAUSES all these listed fruits (and more!)---just as Jesus said, "you will KNOW them BY THEIR FRUITS!
Before you start resorting to "context" to prove your point, you will first have to be academically honest enough to let the Bible say what it says.
Paul spent his life fighting those who taught that Gentile Christians had to obey the Law of Moses. In the "context" of this, the major issue of Paul's public debate, his statement told the Judaizers that salvation is not a result of the works they said Gentiles had to do to be saved---works of the law. Paul realized his statement would empower his opponents and enable them to accuse him of preaching that we may sin that grace may abound. For that reason, he stated what has always been sound doctrine. to wit, "God will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by . . . doing good seek . . . immortality. Romans 2: 6,7.
You confuse me---I thought you were advocating
salvation by works. I'm not certain now
if we agree or disagree.
We are saved by faith alone.
But NOT (mere) faith alone---only REAL faith alone---
which means, the faith that RESULTS in good works. Faith which produces no good works,
is not saved. Do we agree or disagree?
If a person BELIEVES, on his DEATHBED (caseinpoint the Thief on the Cross),
that person WILL go to Heaven---this is the meaning of Romans 54:5,
"But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifieds the ungodly, his FAITH is reckoned as righteousness." It continues, discussing Abraham---whose FAITH
caused the works (including his obedience over Isaac). The one who does not work---either handicapped, imprisoned, or death-bed---
that man WOULDA if he COULDA---but SAVING FAITH exists APART from works. Yet saving faith CAUSES good works INSEPARABLY! Am I making sense?
It seems so clear in my mind, I often wonder if my communication skills need polishing...
Do we agree or disagree?
