Post by Jonathan on Apr 5, 2011 13:44:53 GMT -5
Faith without works is dead, as stated in James 2:20 "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?". But also, works without faith is dead, as Galations 2:16 states... "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." (Anyone can perform goods works, but one needs to do more than just works... They must have the faith in Christ and Christ alone)
What leads me to write this note are a couple of things I've seen on the internet, television or anywhere else, concerning the topic of how we receive our salvation or what we need to do to gain it, and I might add, it is a gift of grace to us, we've done nothing to gain it, as a scripture below will also state.
Here goes my take on it, all of which comes from the bible. First off, without faith and belief in Jesus Christ, there is no eternal life for us, period. Now, here is what I have to say, again, all of my sayings being scriptural, as always ones should be.
I can see why many people might be confused on the subject, the bible does state both things as being a way that leads to eternal salvation... But if you read them all together and understand them, you'll easily come to see that both faith and works are dead without the other... I will now run a list of many bible verses. Here we go.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (the grace and gift being Jesus Christ. The scripture I referred to above.)
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? ( We must practice good and the works of God, while walking with God)
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ( Plain and simple... Works without knowing Christ means nothing...)
AND OF COURSE, John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ( That pretty much says it all, does it not?...)
And really the only verses in the bible needed to prove that both faith and works are dead with out each other, is James 2:14-24
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
So, yeah, all that above, states it all... One does not simply gain eternal life/salvation by believing in Jesus Christ, but one must accept Him into their heart, live their life in His way, spread His teachings, do His works, they must be one with Christ, they must be of the spirit - the spirit of Christ. People can do as many good things as they'd like, clothe and feed the poor, give donations of large sums, give comfort to those in need of comforting, they can love... Anything... But those things matter not, if one is not giving them in Christ's name... To gain eternal life is to gain a life with, for and in Christ and to perform the teachings He taught us, to perform them to a world in desperate need of them.
May God Bless you all.
In Christ,
Jonathan
What leads me to write this note are a couple of things I've seen on the internet, television or anywhere else, concerning the topic of how we receive our salvation or what we need to do to gain it, and I might add, it is a gift of grace to us, we've done nothing to gain it, as a scripture below will also state.
Here goes my take on it, all of which comes from the bible. First off, without faith and belief in Jesus Christ, there is no eternal life for us, period. Now, here is what I have to say, again, all of my sayings being scriptural, as always ones should be.
I can see why many people might be confused on the subject, the bible does state both things as being a way that leads to eternal salvation... But if you read them all together and understand them, you'll easily come to see that both faith and works are dead without the other... I will now run a list of many bible verses. Here we go.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (the grace and gift being Jesus Christ. The scripture I referred to above.)
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? ( We must practice good and the works of God, while walking with God)
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ( Plain and simple... Works without knowing Christ means nothing...)
AND OF COURSE, John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ( That pretty much says it all, does it not?...)
And really the only verses in the bible needed to prove that both faith and works are dead with out each other, is James 2:14-24
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
So, yeah, all that above, states it all... One does not simply gain eternal life/salvation by believing in Jesus Christ, but one must accept Him into their heart, live their life in His way, spread His teachings, do His works, they must be one with Christ, they must be of the spirit - the spirit of Christ. People can do as many good things as they'd like, clothe and feed the poor, give donations of large sums, give comfort to those in need of comforting, they can love... Anything... But those things matter not, if one is not giving them in Christ's name... To gain eternal life is to gain a life with, for and in Christ and to perform the teachings He taught us, to perform them to a world in desperate need of them.
May God Bless you all.
In Christ,
Jonathan
