Now, let me ask you, must (not will) a Christian have works to be saved?
Yes, you must be dressed in fine white linen to enter into the Feast, or else be kicked out into the lake of fire. Fine while linen (your deeds) show you have had your 'clothes' cleansed in the blood.
Bingo! We have a winner! They justify us before men, not before God! Glad to see you come around, Ralph!
What do you think I've been saying all this time? You show your faith by what you do. The person who can't do that has a 'faith' that can not save him. James says so.
Can an unsaved person feed the poor? Care for the sick? Visit people in prison? Clothe the naked? Shelter the homeless?
Of course they can, and do. What you don't get is these works are not the only works of the saved person. The church does not know the whole counsel of the word very well.
Jesus (along with James and John) used these works because he talked to Jews who's law addressed these things specifically. In the whole counsel of God we see that the deeds of the fruit bearing branch attached to Christ are these works and much more. Unbelievers don't measure up to this at all. They can't. They are apart from Christ.
It's you who keeps saying if one is saved they will demonstrate it by their good works, and we keep trying to explain to you, works are not the measuring stick.
Well, the Bible says they are, bud. You're arguing with the Bible. What's worse is you don't even seem to be sensitive to the fact you're doing that.
Is Mother Teresa saved, Ralph? She had some amazing good works, but she denied Jesus was the only way to heaven and encouraged people who were Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., to be better Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists.
I did not know Mother Teresa to consider her a believer or an unbeliever either way.
And before you go bashing her, find out what she actually said,
and then read Romans 2:14-16.
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
But if we were to judge her by her works, as you would, we would have to say she was a stellar Christian.
You put your foot in it that time, Ralph.
But according to your doctrine she is a stellar Christian. Works don't matter, remember? Now who's got their foot in their mouth?
I'll quote myself:
A believer may choose, based on his free will, to do little or nothing to serve the Lord. Those works are the ones that will be burned up as "hay and stubble" at the Judgment Seat, Yet, as the Bible says, he himself will remain saved.
Problem.
When you interpret the works in 1 Corinthians 3 as works of obedience (instead of rewards for works of service in evangelizing and teaching people, the context of the passage), you make Paul contradict the rest of the Bible that says the person with no works
is not born again.
If I said, "Hey! Our sins are forgiven! Go out and murder, steal, lie, and pillage! Weeeeee!!!"
Not saying that, Ralph. Never did. No one here did.
But when you and others harass and abuse me, and say you won't be punished with sickness for doing it, you are indeed saying that with your life. With you life you are proclaiming grace makes it so you are free to sin.
Yet again, even a charlatan can have exceptional works - and you would be fooled.
Jesus said you'll know them by their fruit. You know, like the fruit of forgiveness and not hating.
Okay, Ralph. You say we are to obey the commands of Jesus. Here's some:
"Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48)
Are you perfect, Ralph?
Thankfully, we have the full counsel of God to help us divert such an ungodly accusatory question-1 Corinthians 2:13. Aim for perfection. Be perfect in that next temptation. Like when you get tempted to abuse me in this forum. Respond in the perfection of Christ. Aim for it, budman. Show us you have eternal life in you.
Don't go away. I'm not finished....
...1 Peter 4:8 
