Adding works as part of the element of Faith

 After reviewing a bit of Schreiner's problematic understanding of Paul and James, and his longing to want to make faith more than mental assent to the propositions of Scripture alone, he pushes further out to Matthew, John, and Paul.

It's interesting that Schreiner criticizes Wright, but Schreiner's views are in line with Wright, Shepherd, and Dunn. These guys were students of Van Til, who believed that all propositions of Scripture are paradoxes.

Schreiner's view of the Parable of the Sower is that since some believed for a short time and others received the word with great joy that therefore faith is more than mental assent. As we get into other text of the NT, Schreiner believes Perseverance, Fruit, i.e. good works, receiving, obeying, abiding, remaining, hearing (which he correlates as obedience and not that spiritual act of believing the contents (Page 197), love, follow, coming, enter, go, behold, drinking and eating; all of which are the result of Faith and not the faith itself; Schreiner makes to be part of faith. In his view saving faith is not saving because of its particular object it "looks" to, but that third element which he subscribes to love, or other evangelical obedience. This is a vital and dynamic faith he claims (Page 117, 122, 198, 199). He also believes that faith is active. A faith that isn't active is not justifying.

With this said, Schreiner's view makes the gospel message not a saving message, but makes man the final arbiter. The text he uses to claim a "dynamic faith" is not warranted. The Parable of the Sower, for example, presents to us that these men had not faith in the correct object or understanding. The deficiency of their faith was in the intellect not the assent. The various "acts" of faith are not third elements of faith. These acts are the result or cause of saving assent not the saving faith itself. Faith is not active in salvation but passive. John and the Apostles are clear, believing upon Christ and his Word is saving faith. The other problem is that Schreiner includes our work as part of the element of faith. This means as he says throughout that good works are necessary for salvation. Of Schreiner doesn't believe in perfection (page 201) so with that he is an antinomian legalist.