[quote=@POOHEAD189]Now, theologically, it is true to say that no amount of good works can 'buy' someone into heaven. Because Heaven is a perfect paradise and no man is perfect, therefore no one is ever worthy. However, to [b]not[/b] attempt to live a live of giving and kindness is also blasphemous.[/quote]

I mean, it's heretical. Blasphemy is a pretty specific thing and it's bad (in some teachings, unforgivable -- seems like a stretch, but that's the sort of gravity the word implies). [i]Heretical[/i] just means it's outside the teachings of Christ, which is a much broader word. God's got all kinds of love for heretics (as he must, because at some point all of us were/are heretics and we all do heretical things all the time). The parable of the prodigal son is the best summary of how that all plays out.

[quote]Also always take Romans with a grain of salt. Not to say it is false, per say. However, Paul is not Jesus. Romans and the like is secondary compared to books like Luke.[/quote]

[url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203:16-17]eh.[/url] And also, [url=http://biblehub.com/john/11-25.htm]that's not something Paul dreamed up.[/url] And also again -- Luke wasn't an apostle, so he and Paul are pretty much on a level.

END OF THE DAY -- look we're saying the same thing. Only reason I jumped in with an argument was like.... it's not a "have to" situation, if you [i]actually believe[/i] that Jesus is who he said he was, [url=http://biblehub.com/niv/james/2.htm]then that belief ought (naturally) to cause in that person a desire to do good things. If it doesn't, then it wasn't faith in the first place.[/url]