I just wonder how or what someone would feel if he/she belongs to a church whose pastor or minister would preach week after week all year round and so on, all about FAITH and would not do anything for fear of being suspected as works salvationists.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us LEAVE THE ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS about Christ and go on to MATURITY, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of FAITH in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
In the OT-PROHIBITIONS
in the NT-ENCOURAGEMENT because of the power of the HOLY SPIRIT in us
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual EDIFICATION
Ephesians 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE, AS EACH PART DOES IT’S WORK.
The Church is the body of Christ of which He is the head(col 1:18, eph 5:23, 1 cor 11:3). The head gives the command and the body works. That is the reality.
A person claiming to be a Christian believer but does not obey the heads command is either not really a part of the body or a dead part that needs to be cut off, as in a cancerous part that if it is not cut, it may spread and contaminate the other parts.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave instructions to His disciples for them to do. They are the works of salvation that His Body was prepared in advance to do. (eph2:10 & 4;12)
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
If the first church did not work or obey what God told them to do we’re DOOMED.
Being a prophet is a work as well as being an apostle, a preacher, a teacher, an evangelist, etc.(1cor 12:4-11, eph 4:11-16, rom 12:6-8)
Do we now boast about what we reap from their labor? Would you insult them for doing works in obedience to the commands of the Almighty Living God THROUGH their FAITH?
I wonder if one of these days someone here would call our Lord and Savior Jesus a work salvationist for telling the rich young man in matthew 19:16-30 to obey the commandments and sell his possessions and give to the poor.
These people would look for ways to distort the TRUTH of the Gospel to protect their personal interest that go against God’s words.
Do we rather ought to OBEY and SUBMIT?
Hebrews 12:9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we SUBMIT TO THE FATHER of our spirits AND LIVE!
Matthew 8:27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
Acts 5:32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 6:16,19,22 whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to OBEDIENCE, which leads to RIGHTEOUSNESS? ..., so now offer them in slavery to RIGHTEOUSNESS leading to HOLINESS....the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is ETERNAL LIFE.
Romans 8:7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GOD’S LAW, NOR CAN IT DO SO.