Works are evidence of your faith. That is between you and Christ alone when you are judged. Only he knows what is a work because of faith and a work without faith. If all focus is poured into faith works come naturally. Doing a work just to do it doesn’t prove anyone’s faith. There is a difference between me giving my time to help someone because I love Christ and me doing a work so someone can see how righteous I am. That is a fine line to walk. Also if someone on their death bed receives Christ and then dies immediately do they not become a member of Gods family and go to heaven, having done no works? I believe they do because it’s faith in Christ that cleanses you not your works you did. Works are for rewards in heaven. Each individual will know if they are changed and truly believe. So there is no point in focusing on someone else’s works they do or don’t do because again that is between that person and Christ, no one else.
The New Testament is full of commands from God. These are the righteous acts that James talks about when saying faith without works is dead.
It’s very easy & dangerous for the modern Christian to say “all I need is faith.”
Is that all we need? Just faith alone? This line of thinking gets a lot of new Christians thinkkkng that they can continue living their old life without repercussions because they now believe in Christ. I’m sure you know many of them. The ones that drink in excess, use foul language, etc.
Faith alone does not guarantee you a ticket to heaven. Neither do works alone. BOTH are needed in conjunction. And if you’re sinning, full repentance is required.
If you really study the Bible you will see that it is not only about faith. Go through James. It’ll open your eyes.
I believe you need to be born again and works would be evidence of that. But I never go out saying I need to go do works. I need strong faith in Christ and he will change my heart. Works come naturally from that. I think it’s equally dangerous to focus too much on works and it leaves Christians thinking if they follow a moral code and check the works boxes off they are saved. In actuality they are just going through the motions and unbelievers can pick up on that. I think we are hitting the same area of balance but from different sides.
Yes these are all very good and true points. But if James didn’t write about faith without works being dead then it wouldn’t be a real problem right?
Wouldn’t you agree that our nation and world is suffering from a lot of luke-warm Christians? The very same type of Christian God hates more then atheists themselves? The ones that claim Jesus as their savior, attend church on Sunday, send their kids to Christian school yet drink uncontrollably, commit one affair after the other, swear like sailors, etc.
There are far too many new Christians who get led astray with the narrow-minded idea that salvation is the only step to heaven. Salvation doesn’t guarantee we reach heaven. Neither does good works. They (salvation & good works) need to be COMBINED in order for us to receive the assurance of heaven. And by good works I’m talking about obeying all the New Testament commands.
If you actually study the New Testament and listen to expository preachers such as R. C. Sproul, Vodey Bauchom, or John MacArthur you’ll realize how many commands God gave us in the new covenant; many of which the salvation-only crowd preaches incorrectly and leads astray. Righteousness (good works after salvation) is a very difficult and purposeful journey after salvation which sanctifies one’s soul. Many Christians think John 3:16 is all that is needed and they are sorely mistaken.
As Jesus says “Many will call out His name and He will not know them.”
Works are evidence of your faith. That is between you and Christ alone when you are judged. Only he knows what is a work because of faith and a work without faith. If all focus is poured into faith works come naturally. Doing a work just to do it doesn’t prove anyone’s faith. There is a difference between me giving my time to help someone because I love Christ and me doing a work so someone can see how righteous I am. That is a fine line to walk. Also if someone on their death bed receives Christ and then dies immediately do they not become a member of Gods family and go to heaven, having done no works? I believe they do because it’s faith in Christ that cleanses you not your works you did. Works are for rewards in heaven. Each individual will know if they are changed and truly believe. So there is no point in focusing on someone else’s works they do or don’t do because again that is between that person and Christ, no one else.
The New Testament is full of commands from God. These are the righteous acts that James talks about when saying faith without works is dead.
It’s very easy & dangerous for the modern Christian to say “all I need is faith.”
Is that all we need? Just faith alone? This line of thinking gets a lot of new Christians thinkkkng that they can continue living their old life without repercussions because they now believe in Christ. I’m sure you know many of them. The ones that drink in excess, use foul language, etc.
Faith alone does not guarantee you a ticket to heaven. Neither do works alone. BOTH are needed in conjunction. And if you’re sinning, full repentance is required.
If you really study the Bible you will see that it is not only about faith. Go through James. It’ll open your eyes.
I believe you need to be born again and works would be evidence of that. But I never go out saying I need to go do works. I need strong faith in Christ and he will change my heart. Works come naturally from that. I think it’s equally dangerous to focus too much on works and it leaves Christians thinking if they follow a moral code and check the works boxes off they are saved. In actuality they are just going through the motions and unbelievers can pick up on that. I think we are hitting the same area of balance but from different sides.
Yes these are all very good and true points. But if James didn’t write about faith without works being dead then it wouldn’t be a real problem right?
Wouldn’t you agree that our nation and world is suffering from a lot of luke-warm Christians? The very same type of Christian God hates more then atheists themselves? The ones that claim Jesus as their savior, attend church on Sunday, send their kids to Christian school yet drink uncontrollably, commit one affair after the other, swear like sailors, etc.
There are far too many new Christians who get led astray with the narrow-minded idea that salvation is the only step to heaven. Salvation doesn’t guarantee we reach heaven. Neither does good works. They (salvation & good works) need to be COMBINED in order for us to receive the assurance of heaven. And by good works I’m talking about obeying all the New Testament commands.
If you actually study the New Testament and listen to expository preachers such as R. C. Sproul, Vodey Bauchom, or John MacArthur you’ll realize how many commands God gave us in the new covenant; many of which the salvation-only crowd preaches incorrectly and leads astray. Righteousness (good works after salvation) is a very difficult and purposeful journey after salvation which sanctifies one’s soul. Many Christians think John 3:16 is all that is needed and they are sorely mistaken.
As Jesus says “Many will call out His name and He will not know them.”