Or, if I understand you correctly, our works in which we persevere in are not our grounds for perseverance, but rather our fruit of perseverance, correct?

Of course, affirming works is contrary to reformation theology, and so that would undermine the term reformed. But we do see men like Douglas Wilson who have gone down this path while still hanging onto the label.

Right. I see works as the inevitable fruit of persevering faith. The overwhelming emphasis. however. in James, Hebrews and other epistles is making sure one continues in fath not works

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by exercising true faith. Did not James say that a faith that does not work is a dead faith? We do not work to have faith , for it is a gift of God, but true faith produces good works of righteousness and holiness. So to exercise that true faith we naturally work out our salvation. To just say we exercise faith without a work, is to make faith an ethereal thing only and that was James argument. It is not just that, but it works.

With that said, I totally agree that this heart felt attitude of faith and repentance will result in change of actions, but the actions themselves are not the basis of our justification/salvation. Our only basis is Christ’s righteousness and atoning work on the cross.

Would you say, using some of your wording, that, exercising true faith and repentance, is evinced by a regular heart attitude of contrition over sin and an awareness of one’s desparate need for Christ’s righteousness. A true Christian who exercises truth faith is one who is constantly looking to Christ, depending on Christ, hoping in Christ for His righteousness and mercy for his sins

and his evidenced by his works, not apart from justification, but rather that is part and parcel of justification in that we are never justified apart from being sanctified. To see this as not a wholly work of God, is to see God as possibly being the God of justification , but not Lord over the justified. Though we understand faith in theological segments, justification, sanctification, conversion etc, they are all part of one. They can not be separated. Thus by grace alone , through faith alone is a work of God who by grace gives faith, the conduit, which is evidenced by works, the evidence of faith. Take out any part or separate them and you do not have true salvation. We are saved through faith alone but not a faith that is alone.

I am not quite sure what part you are asking me to clarify, but I will try. The issue is perseverance in the faith. You said we need to make sure it is a perseverance in faith not in works. My point is that the perseverance we need is one that shows sanctification, a setting apart to the holiness which is in Christ given to us. Our faith is shown or demonstrated by works of obedience. If we do not have those, then our faith is worthless for what were we saved unto? We were not saved just to get to heaven. We were saved from our sins unto righteousness and that is demonstrated by works. “If you say you have faith without works , I will show you my faith with works.” The point is this. To persevere in the faith is to be continuously examining ourselves by our works of faith , not faith without works, to see if we are indeed in the faith. If our lives do not show works of obedience, then what spirit is living in us?

I am not saying we do not sin. But our lives must show a constant move towards a practical sanctification , which demonstrates our actual sanctification, or in other words , our setting apart, calling by God. If we truly have faith, we are justified by the merits of Christ, UNTO good works. Without the good works of obedience, and the persevering in them, there is no justification that has been wrought. We can not separate the two. I hope this helps.

What I understood in your original post is that you make faith some kind of ethereal commodity only in which we add works to afterwords. I am saying that the faith we have is one that works of necessity, not option. If we make it optional , then we must question if we are indeed in the faith. So when we say persevering in the faith , we mean making sure that we are obedient unto Christ, not for justification, but because of justification. They are all part of the same work and to rend them apart makes obedience optional. To me this is where the Lordship Controversy question lies.

I dont know if I simplified anything or not.

1. Faith and works are inseparable.
2. Faith is evinced by works.

Here’s where I think it is important to clarify. If a person professes to know Christ, yet does not have bear any fruit, our warning to him must not be, “Faith without works is dead, so you had better persevere in good works, or else.” Rather, I think our warning should be, “Faith without works is dead, so take heed to exercise true faith and repentance, or else.”

See the difference? Faith is prescriptive; works are descriptive. Faith/repentance is the remedy, not works.

Yes , I can now see where you are coming from. Clarification noted. Thanks.