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Originally Posted by Rekna
I disagree with not having faith without works. You can have faith without works. Faith gets you the reward in heaven, works bring you a reward here on earth.
I am not saying that christians should all be lazy and do no good works, no I think they should all do good works. But people need to realize that God's grace is a gift, and if you have to work for a gift it is no longer a gift.
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This is a truly interesting interpretation. I am intrigued as to the implications for those with "Faith" who decide to ignore other aspects of biblical teachings. This understanding sets the stage for much of what we see in the current incarnation of Christianity as a whole (at least the version predominant in non-christian minds). The lack of compassionate works by the leadership we see in the church, is reflected in this disregard for many who decide to take a different path. I personally find the " Holier than thou" attitude quite degrading to those of a different belief, and thus have taken the path I am currently on.
I do know quite a few of the faith that interpret this part of scripture in a more benign way, and find them much more pleasant to associate with. Perhaps this is one of the underlying misunderstandings between Christians and the rest of us......or perhaps it goes far deeper.