Which means if one embraces the gospel one will be a doer (there's no such thing as embracing the gospel and *not doing*). the imperative is never disconnected from the indicative. Pastor Chad Richard Bresson Clearcreek Chapel Springboro, OH http://breusswane.blogspot.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "H Dorrington" <hjdinfl@...> To: <soundofgrace@...> Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 9:43 PM Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] Acts 6 and deacons > "what James strenuously opposes is any hearing of the word that does not > lead to doing." > > Amen! Yes hearing should progress to understanding which then should > yield application. > > "Those who are forgetful hearers, according to Moo, are those who "have > not > truly embraced the gospel"." Wasn't it RC who said that most hearers are > forgetful, that is why we sell copies of the sessions on CD. > > Harry > > Chad Richard Bresson <breusswane@...> wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "H Dorrington" >> the group James calls "my brethren > > "Brethren" in the NT was *always* a mixture of sheep and goats. The > warning > to those in the audience that claimed to be sheep, looked like sheep, > talked > like sheep, is to not be forgetful hearers... otherwise, their faith is > dead. This is a warning against having a dead faith and and warning > against > having a worthless religion. Their religion (those who look into a > *natural* mirror and forget what they look like vs. 23, 24) is worthless > (vs. 26) because their doing does not back up their hearing. (Blessed, > btw, > is a soteriological/eschatological reality that describes those who are > saved... it is not *blessed* vs. un-blessed Christians... there is no such > thing as an unblessed Christian). > > And no, your view isn't novel. It's the one I grew up with. But it is > Arminian/victorious-Christian-living/Keswickian/non-Lordship. > > Here's what Moo says about James 1:22ff (James, TNTC, pp. 81,82). Notice > the words *potentially fatal*: > > "...it would be a fatal misunderstanding to think that James is against > listening to the Word. But what James strenuously opposes is any hearing > of > the word that does not lead to doing. With this emphasis James aligns > himself with a widespread Jewish belief of his day. 'Not the expounding > [of > the law] is the chief thing, but the doing [of it]' said a second-century > rabbi (Simeon b. Gamaliel in Mishnah, Abot. 1:17). Paul reflects this > Jewish > emphasis when he writes: 'it is not the hearers of the law who are > righteous > before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified' (Rom. 2:13). > And > James' concern is once again firmly in line with Jesus' teaching: 'Blessed > are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' (Lk. 11:28). Jesus' > preaching is filled with the overwhelming, amazing wonder of God's > sovereign > grace reaching down to sinful men in the gospel. But equally prominent is > Jesus' summons to radical obedience - an obedience that is the necessary > human response to God's grace. Both factors, the gracious initiative of > God > and the grateful response of man, are part and parcel of the gospel. The > Word, through which we are born into new life (v. 18) and which becomes > implanted in us (v. 21), is a Word that is to be put into practice. Those > who fail to do the word, who are hearers only, are guilty of a dangerous > and > potentially fatal self-delusion. If the gospel, by nature, contains both > saving power and summons to obedience, those who relate to only one have > not > truly embraced the gospel. That is why James can say that people who only > hear the word are deceiving themselves. They think that they have a > relationship with God because they regularly attend church, go to Bible > studies or read the Bible. But if their listening is not accompanied by > obedience, their true situation before God is far different. 'Obedience', > says Calvin, 'is the mother of true knowledge of God.'" -- Douglas Moo, > James (TNTC), pp. 81,82 > > > > Those who are forgetful hearers, according to Moo, are those who "have not > truly embraced the gospel". > > > > Pastor Chad Richard Bresson > Clearcreek Chapel > Springboro, OH > http://breusswane.blogspot.com > > > > > > > To: > Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 7:42 PM > Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] Acts 6 and deacons > > >> No, the burden falls on you since you made the claim. I have already >> demonstrated that the section that was included in the first chapter was >> addressed to the group James calls "my brethren." James continues to >> write >> regarding the testing of their faith. Your assertion is that he is >> writing >> regarding the unsaved which of course have no faith. Later he instructs >> them to ask of God if they lack wisdom, obviously not written to the >> unsaved. Even later he writes to them about receiving the crown of life >> which again is obviously written to the saved. Verse 16 again to "my >> beloved brethren" which is not a term used to describe the unsaved even >> in >> Covenant Theology. Even verse 1 of chapter 2 continues to be written to >> "My brethren." >> >> Since you will undoubtedly call my view novel and request commentary to >> support that my view is correct while demonstrating the error of your >> ways >> I offer the following: >> "(v. 25): Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth >> therein, etc. Observe here, [1.] The gospel is a law of liberty, or, as >> Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the >> Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial >> law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.] >> It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the >> word, >> we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction; >> we >> look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do we >> look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein -"when >> we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted >> and digested in us'' (Baxter) -when we are not forgetful of it, but >> practice it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and >> make it the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model >> the >> temper of our minds by it." Matthew Henry >> >> You have failed to support your claim that the forgetful hearer is only >> referring to the unsaved. Obviously it can't be done from the text. >> Interpretation of the text leads to understanding, understanding leads to >> application, being both hearers and then doers. >> >> Harry >> >> Chad Richard Bresson > wrote: >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "H Dorrington" >>>I do agree that there is a discussion involving the unsaved that follows >>>in >>>the later chapters but you have failed to demonstrate that is the case in >>>the first chapter. Since you have made the claim the burden of proof >>>falls >>>on you. >> >> The burden of proof falls on you to prove the discussion switches >> midstream, >> which would be unlike any of the NT authors. >> >> Pastor Chad > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. 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