Paul vs James
Why do people think you are trying to discredit the Bible when you give them biblical truth? Paul and James have two different gospels. Paul says, faith without works and James says, faith without works is dead. We will get back to that later. Trying to say Paul and James have the same message is like trying to say, the tree of life and the tree of good and evil carry the same message. It’s like saying, Abel and Cain had the same message, likewise, Isaac and Ishmael having the same message, Jacob and Esau, the Pharisees and Jesus etc.… People are so caught up in trying to make the Bible the word of God, when the TRUTH IS; JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD, and this is stated by Jesus in John chapter 5.
John 5 verses 39-40
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Also, in verses 45 - 46
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
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These set of scriptures below also shows you the Bible is not the word of God but Jesus is the WORD OF GOD! Let’s show further proof.
Hebrews 10 verses 5-7
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Jesus says the book is written about Him; He didn’t say the book was Him. Jesus Himself says, the scriptures testify of Him, Moses wrote of Him, and the book is written about Him. Now let see what the book of Revelation says,
Revelation 19 verses 11-13
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
At this point the Bible did not come riding on a White horse, but Jesus did. Now to get to my point, Acts 9 verses 9-16 Paul gets a call and message from God for his mission. Acts 10 verses 9-16 Peter gets a vision and message from God. Can someone please show me anywhere in the Bible James received a message from God? Then in Acts 15, Peter gives the message to the people that God gave him to give and when he finishes talking, James stands up and says, listen to him. Now someone answer this for me. What is it called if God gives or speaks a word, then someone else gives another word that God did not say or speak?
Paul then in Galatians 2 verse 9
9 and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Peter and John, they who were seemed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;
Paul did not say James was a pillar, he said they seemed to be pillars and they added nothing to him.
Then in Galatians 2 verses 11-19;
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Right there in scripture Paul tells you the He and James/Peter have two different messages. Paul says; they walk not according to the truth of the gospel. Let's see what James said verse what Paul says.
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James 1 verse 13
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no man: but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
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Genesis 22 verses 1-2
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
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Exodus 32 verses 12-14
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
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James 2 verses 20-24
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
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Genesis 15 verses 4-6
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
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Abraham believed what God said and it was accounted to him as righteousness. It wasn't until Genesis 22 verses 9-12; is when Abraham offered Isaac, that's seven chapters later! Abraham walked in faith from the time God told him to leave his land and fathers house, not knowing where to go.
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James 2 verse 14
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?
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Luke 23 verses 39-43
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (this guy did no works but his faith saved him)
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Luke 18 verses 9-14
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (the publican did no works but he was justified by his faith)
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This man on the cross received salvation without doing any good works, so faith without works did save him. There are many more things to be shown but this should be enough to prove the point.
John 7 verses 2-5
2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. (James also one of Jesus brothers did not believe on Jesus)
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2 Peter 3 verses 14-17
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
One final question, in the book of Revelation 21 verse 14; And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Who do you think is the twelfth apostle, because Judas was disqualified. Is it Matthias, James or Paul?
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1 Corinthians 15 verses 7-10
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
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Galatians 1 verse 1
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead)