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.”
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.”