Faith is active and visible, not something that occures "in your heart".

Excellent argument! I must say that I have absolutely no quarrel whatsoever with most of my opponent's conclusions, however, his arguments do not negate my own. I agree with my opponent that faith without works is dead. The Bible tells us so, however, faith is not works and works is not faith. He points out several times how Old Testament people were "justified" by their works. However, this occurrence can hardly be applied today as we are no longer living in the Old Testament. God gave the Israelites His law requiring that they live by the law in order to be saved. However, in John 19:28-30 NKJV "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "gI thirst!"h 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "gIt is finished!"h And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." It is finished! What is finished? The law of Moses that the Israelites were required to DO in order to be saved. Now, after the cross, we know, "6 Jesus said to him, "gI am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 NKJV. We cannot be saved apart from a faith in who Jesus is and a belief that the Father raised Him from the dead. Before the cross, action was required in order for people to be saved or justified, but now that "it is finished", this is no longer an option. Therefore, using Old Testament characters to prove that WE must act in order to be saved is invalid. Now, I accept my opponent's definition of "justified", however, because it is not by works that we come to Jesus, and because, he is the only way to the Father, works are not what saves us. I also agree that there can be works without faith, and Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV is a perfect example of this. For convenience, I will state it again, "21 "gNot everyone who says to Me, "eLord, Lord,"f shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, "eLord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"f Who enters the kingdom of heaven, or in other words, who is saved? "he who does the will of my Father in heaven." Good people can do these things but if they do these things of their own volition apart from God then they are just that, apart from God. Even Jesus declares that it is not He who does the works but God through Him. "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." John 14:10 NKJV. Also in John 6:38-39 NKJV "38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day." in John 5:30 NKJV it is written "30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." Finally, in Philippians 2:13, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Therefore, if it is indeed God who works in us and through us to do His will, can we rightly take credit for what has been done? Faith without works is dead, but the works of faith are done by Him Who does them in and through us. My opponent has stated that it is the power of God that saves us, and he is correct. Also, he is correct in saying that it is the gift of God that we neither deserve or can earn. If we cannot earn salvation the mere idea of doing works in order to achieve this is illogical, regardless of whether it is as simple as believing, repenting, and confessing or not. If we cannot earn something, nothing we can DO will EVER allow us to achieve it. If in order for us to be saved it is required that we do works then the statement, "it is the power of God that saves us. This power is given to us as a gift that we cannot earn and do not deserve." is false! Yet this is Scriptural and therefore according to Christian belief cannot be false. However, there are verses that state we must confess, believe, and repent as my opponent has said. Therefore, the issue is not completely resolved. So, if my opponent is correct in saying that works are involved in salvation, but as I have proven they cannot be our own, what works are involved? The works of God. Hebrews 12:2 NKJV "2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." God is the author of Creation, of our lives, and our faith. Romans: 2:4 NKJV " Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Consider for a moment, what good would occur by praying for a lost soul to be saved if God's hand is not at work in the salvation process. "20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NKJV We are able to act righteously because Christ acts through and in us. We are enabled to become righteous because of the goodness of God that brings us to Salvation and repentance. As for believing, James 2:19 NKJV "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble."