Sure. It's very simple actually. I've noticed you tend to treat biblical sanctification passages as justification passages, as well as passages that are descriptive, you treat as prescriptive. I suspect you'll keep posting all your sanctification / descriptive passages. The Holy Spirit though clearly refutes you:
This Holy Spirit?
Acts 5:31-32---King James Version
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost,
whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Romans 4:7-8
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
That's a reference to the works of the Mosaic Law--as Abraham didn't live under the works of the law.
Romans 4:10-16---King James Version
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only,
but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed,
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are
of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;
not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
The point is--the contrast between "father Abraham" which lived under the gospel--verses the Mosaic Law--not of obedience verses non obedience to the gospel.
So--could you explain for us why Paul would connect our works and eternal life--just two chapters earlier--and comport that to your interpretation of Romans4?
Romans 2:5-11---King James Version
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6
Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them
who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good,to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
How do you bring that together with your interpretation?
God counts righteousness apart from works... all works.
And this is the proof?
1 John 3:7---King James Version
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Could you explain to us how you comport that testimony with your claim above?
Could you also hitch your idea about Romans 4--with the testimony of Jesus?
Genesis 26:4-5---King James Version
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Because if you can't do anything but pit scriptures against one another--then the Bible becomes a very unreliable source of truth.
So--how do you comport them together? My explanation is found above.
