Oh PHart,
what can I say?
You're sooooo intelligent, have so much common sense.
There are no words...
It's nice that YOU understand about BELIEVE and OBEY being the same concept in the N.T.
I do wonder why everyone here does not understand these very simple concepts....
And yet, JESUS Himself has stated them so many times...
How we are to BELIEVE AND OBEY.
Fran you may disagree with me but to be honest I honestly would say that most on here are saying that faith saves and works will and should follow.
I think the problem is the dichotomy of faith, works, justification and sactifiaction.
Most of us know that faith saves, and as a result works should follow (we must be very very careful though to judge the level of works one expects to see, people grow at different rates)
I think part of the problem is understanding what is considered works and the reason why we do the works Jesus has asked us to do, those works God has prepared before we came to faith.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
There is no denying that good works for those in Jesus we are to do.
But what are those good works and what is the reason we do those good work?
I have seen posted here a few times that good works are not committing the vile sins of the flesh and not sinning.
I have seen posted that good works keep us saved.
To me that is wrong, the focus is wrong. It takes the focus of Jesus and places a burden on us and I would say the focus of others.
I would not say that affects our salvation but will affect the glorious results of works that Jesus wants us to do.
Jesus said
Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
but Jesus take it further
Matthew 5:44-48
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
To me if we love God with all we have then we will love our brothers and sisters, we will love our enemies.
The fruit of the spirit will increase.
As the fruit increases our works will increase and that includes crucifying the vile sins of the flesh as some focus on, loving each other and also loving our enemies.
Good works are done because of love and not to earn love.
Lets be honest if we did goods works to be loved then we are not doing goods works as a result of love.
When Jesus separates the sheep and the goats what his is judgement based on.
Matthew 25:34-40
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
To me maybe the judgment by Jesus relates to
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
