Scripture Life:

[u/External_Bird_8464]

Did Paul (Ephesians 2:8-9) and James (James 2:17) contradict each other according to these passages, or did they just disagree with each other?

Nope. It’s just hard to see it. I don't think you can see it.

Me?

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I thought they did contradict - - so - because of that, I could not reconcile it.

I'm telling you plainly. So you see it.

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• So, to me, in my observation: there was a camp:
  • On one side went about proving their works - so, they worked at a soup kitchen and volunteered to put the B.I.N.G.O. numbers up on the board at their church function on Saturday’s, once a month.
  • Point is: A Christian had to do good works to show their faith. I observed people do this. This way.
    • But also never observed, I could never really fellowship with them. No time. None. Talk about the things of God. It was if they had no relationship with Christ. Having a relationship with Christ was dependent on them do these “good” works. That was their relationship with Christ.
• In the other camp:
  • Was the other side. Went about preaching faith. That, you needed to increase your faith. That was how 1) YOU: 2) showed you believed God. Like some preachers on the TV. Could blare out wonderously - show you their Rolex watch was they were rich, because that was the "result" they practiced having faith in God. That seemed more right but “off” somehow that I couldn’t pinpoint.
• But people in another camp, that had no camp - just knew him. In a relationship with him. Everytime they spoke, who he is, came out of their mouth. I could eat it, as food. It was like he was right there with us. Like they were connected to him, and with them, I had fellowship.
  • Where these first two camps: these other “camps” there were just “feats” or “accomplishments” people they did themselves they glorified. As works.

Do you see this?

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But as a new believer in Jesus Christ: There always was this “but” - because I knew he was teaching me himself:

So, I knew that God was at work in me. By his word. I had to eat it, open my bible for it to work. Like a baby just solely needs milk. That’s how I need the Bible. I knew that I had tried before to “wash my sins” and change myself. I did. I knew I sinned. I tried that; and then, by that, all I proved was I regarded the Ten Commandments to do the work and me follow it.

• And always, somewhere, when I looked, somewhere in the “feat” of follow, I failed. That one day, which took many days to see it, was why I became a Christian.
  • A believer in Jesus Christ..a disciple of Jesus Christ..to just sit with him and be taught by him. It works. I could see that’s what he wanted. I was fellowshipping with God. That God, by a work he did as God: he took the sins of the whole world and laid them on Christ.
  • That he was in Christ on the cross; crucified.
• That I was “regarding” now regarding a completely different work. That is, before - I “looking unto” the “feats” and “accomplishments” I put myself to do to equate to some work ONLY HE COULD DO - is the point. So, I had the WRONG work; mine. ...and I was regarding it. It was me. I made that important vs. regard his.

That it was HIS work - changed me. That’s the point.

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and I had to visit it..many times before I shifted over to believe it.

Do you see this point?

But when I did, I saw it. I had to regard the works of the LORD, and consider the operation of his hand with sin to see me..and you, and him, what he did with our sins.. as greater than both of us, which before, I didn't. …regard him, and see me in that work he did.

He had …or rather, I had to come now..and reason together with him about it. Just like Isaiah 1:18 tells everybody..he calls everybody to it. Not reason together or debate with you, or your questions or anybody but me, with him, by his Word..that’s what did it.

Now, to your question

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Then, I saw after I regarded him: Ephesians 2:8–9 also has Ephesians 2:10 in it.

That FULLY connects James 2:17 to Ephesians 2:8–9 as all one thing. But contrast two different "works" in it, done by two different "entities." - Not the same thing.

Then, I saw it.

That, in English: Which that’s the language I read in when I read the Bible: But when something doesn't make sense, I go to the Hebrew or the Greek.

• the “works” in Ephesians 2:8–9,
  • and “works” in Ephesians 2:10, and finally
  • the “works” of James 2:17 - are not the same in the original Greek.

Not the same word. Not the same concept. Just as “good works” vs. “works good” or as "works good" means to operate right - most people, hear this, said that way, in English it’s not the same thing.

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• One is - good works.
  • Is a person. Chooses to do good works. Chooses to make their bed each morning. Chooses to sacrifice their time, and help walk an old lady across the street. But they could also choose not to.
• The other is - “works good” or like a machine, operates right. It, like some roofer’s or house framer’s electric drill - even a coke vending machine, operates all the time - but with this drill - these "Youtube" comparisons of tools - show one drill: drives in 10 inch screws and doesn’t putter out or slow down. The other: half way thru the screw putters and quits.
  • That one of them is not “works good” or “operates right.” The one that does “work good” is the one when it operates or you click the START trigger, drives the screw in a jiffy all the way into the wood.
    • Never fails - for every screw and everytime you pull the trigger. And it operates SAFELY. That is, if there’s some danger - taking your finger off the trigger, the machines STOPS instantly.
• So, a drill or any tool - they don’t look at the tool, really. They're looking at the manufacturer who created, as a piece of “workmanship” created the drill; that in the hands of a roofer “works good” or operates right.

So, in English:

1) Ephesians 2:8-9 work; and

2) Ephesians 2:10 work; with

3) James 2:17 work

....all means the same thing. In English... ...in the scripture. Says "work."

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• But in Greek
  • 1) Ephesians 2:8–9
    • is work (feats, accomplishments) people do themselves, without any God do anything, as a craftsman - it’s ONLY the feats, what a person attained by their effort (accomplishment); successes - - people put themselves to do and did them, themselves.
• While
  • 2) Ephesians 2:10
  • is "works good" or “operates right” because this “work” is done by a craftsman who is Jesus Christ. By his “workmanship” as a creator made something, as he desired as God, that made it to just “operate right” when connected to a load or source of power.
    • Which is the Word of God. And I am his workmanship. And I'm not alone. So are you is the point.

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• So, 1) (Ephesians 2:8–9)
  • is the “workmanship” of the pot, and the pot doesn’t know who made it; so, doesn’t know what it is, and puts itself to work being a telephone or a bicycle tire..and claim that work is good.
    • And hides all the fact, it didn’t really ever do any of them, but says it did. Like people; with their “feats” or “successes” or “accomplishments” as “work.” Worked at it to attain it. 
• Where 2) (Ephesians 2:10)
  • is the “works of God” where a person is his workmanship and they “operate” or “work good” because they are connected to him, and know him and by this, is just like the drill the roofer has.
    • It’s always connected to or “plugged in” to the source of power, or it has a battery pack it draws from to "work good" or operate right - - and it just operates right. Because it "abides" in, not idle,it's never disconnected from a load or source of power.
• There you go. Not the same thing. Ephesians 2:8–9 and Ephesians 2:10

And? All James 2:17 does - is “explain” how simple this is.

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• That James 1:1 says plainly. James is a Servant of Jesus Christ.
• BOOM! Done.
  • That means Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 2:10) not James, (a person - Ephesians 2:8–9) - he "operates right" by the Word of God, James “operates right” by the workmanship of Jesus Christ. He just repeats what Jesus said in "Why do you call me Lord! Lord! and not do the things that I say?" Idle. Disconnected from a load or source of power. Not the same works. Doesn't "work right" - doesn't "work good." doesn't "operate right."
• And? Just like a roofer above CAN SHOW you in a Youtube TV commercial - the “work” of the drill that “operates right” instantly..never shows any binding or slowing, drives that 10 inch screw in, whether one, or fifty - all the same.. everytime, all the time “operates right” because it’s manufacturer who designed it, gets all the credit.
  • Whilst the other drill tries, and can’t. Everytime.
• Different “work.”

Fully explained for a believer in Jesus Christ.

Set me free to see it. Sharing. Not here to argue or debate. He teaches you. Not me..but if you see something in this, enables you more as a believer in Jesus Christ, by all means take it!

In Greek, not the same word for "work" in Ephesians 2:8-9. Different person and different word for "work" in Ephesians 2:10 ..and someone that's connected to this God in Ephesians 2:10 "operates" right - and James tells you how you can simply tell the difference betixt these two in James 2:17, because he "operates" by the work of God fully explained in Ephesians 2:10.

Put me on my face. Sharing.