Whether someone actually claim this or not, their beliefs can "add up" to this conclusion.
In my view, there are Arminians that believe repentance is "work". They treat faith as repentance. They believe a "change of mind" involves outward appearance of "good works" which equals repentance.
Repentance is a granted by God and comes through meeting the proper threshold of "belief" in the work of God for humanity. Repentance is a very Holy thing. A point wherein the very mind of God is joined with us in the new birth. In my personal opinion, it corresponds to Divine brokenness.
I came back to this thread from a reference from
@dizerner in another thread. I didn't notice that you asked me a question. I got busy and I had so many notification I didn't try to weed through them all. Sorry for the delay.
In response to your comments in another thread. There is no reconciling the book of James with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. James wasn't written by an apostle. Though I believe Truth is found in the book, I do not consider it inspired. Though I wouldn't remove it from my canonical list. I believe it is good way to deal with what it teaches. It expresses a distinctly Jewish misunderstanding of the work of Christ. It tries to blend Grace with works. This is very clear from the words expressed in....Many of our brothers in Christ make mistakes in this same belief. James clearly teaches this..... You can not take the words believe any differently than how they are distinctly expressed.
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
The answer to James question is YES. Faith does save without works. James appeals to a time in Abraham's life that is around 25 years after Abraham was circumcised and received the "seal" of God.
It is a rather amateurist appeal that rejects Salvation by Faith. Though I believe those that get saved will do good works, it is vitally important how we establish that fact from the Scriptures. "James" gets it very wrong.
