How can faith be works righteousness? Faith is belief, works are works of the law. Belief and or trust is not a work of the law. Are you are somehow trying to say that faith is a work? This contradicts Paul in Romans:Genevo wrote:Steve, you said,
"Paul is telling us that salvation itself (not faith) “is the gift of God, not of works.” Otherwise we would have to posit that Paul was concerned to counter false teachers who were claiming that faith itself was “of works” (i.e., the result of works)—not very likely, since no one has ever been known to advocate such a doctrine! "
However, the Arminian teaches that faith is self-generated, thus he may boast in his works. THIS IS WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS...
" Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. " Jn 6:29
Rom 4:4-5 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Belief is not a work. Even if someone wants to claim their faith is "self-generated" (a seperate issue) it cannot be equated with works righteousness. A begger, who knows he cannot reach God and accepts the Gospel brought to them is not "working" by believing it anymore than a begger who needs food is not working or earning their food by holding out their empty hand when some generous person places something in it.