Galatians 3:1-3
1You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
D, please notice that Galatians is being written because Paul learned that some were teaching that circumcision and the observance of the entire mosaic law was necessary for salvation. This, of course, is false.
Paul was just saying what I've been saying and which everyone here agrees with... we are NOT saved by works.
Galatians 2:16 We are saved ONLY by faith in Jesus.
Works would include circumcision, which is nothing, Galatians 6:15, and the observance of the entire mosaic law.
IOW, did the Galatians believe they were saved by the SPIRIT or by the FLESH? They certainly were not saved by the flesh.
I don't understand how you think Galatians has anything to do with what I'm saying.
We are saved by our spirit not by our works. However, Paul does go on to say that we are to do good to all men,,,Galatians 6:10
In every letter of his, he says to continue in our belief and good deeds. Even in Galatians 5:17-21 he states what we are NOT to do...so behavior IS important to our salvation.
If we returned to a life as depicted in Galatians 5:17-21 would one still be saved??
Here is what we absolutely Believe about the Good Works issue.
Obedience is PART of the LOVE that GOD poured into our Heart.
Romans 5:1-10 (HCSB)
1 Therefore, since
we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2
We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance,
4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.
5
This hope will not disappoint ⌊us⌋, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6
For while we were still helpless [no works or good deeds], at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.
8 But
God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
9 Much more then,
since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.
10 For if,
while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, ⌊then how⌋ much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!
Absolutely, NO WORKS, had any part in our SALVATION, and it was COMPLETE THE MOMENT WE CONFESSED
(not just professed) that JESUS IS MY LORD, which means MASTER. And these things happened to the TRUE BELIEVERS at that same Moment.
The Holy Spirit Came into our Heart (human spirit).
John 14:16-18, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, Eph. 1:13-14
Convicts our conscious of our Utterly SINFUL lifestyle, gives us a deep mourning over it.
Acts 11:18, Acts 20:20-21, Ps. 51:17
The Holy Spirit Birthed our human spirit into ETERNAL LIFE.
John 3:6-7, 1 Pet. 1:3-5, John 6:47
Declared us Righteous solely, because of WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS.
Rom. 5:9-10, Tit. 3:4-7, Luke 18:14
The Holy Spirit gets you to RECEIVE JESUS as LORD, and Confess Him as LORD.
John 1:12-13, Col. 2:6, Rom. 10:9-11
The Holy Spirit Poured GOD's LOVE directly into our Heart (human spirit).
Rom. 5:5, 1 John 3:14-17, Psa. 40:10
The Holy Spirit Immersed (BAPTIZED) us INTO the Spiritual Body of Christ.
1 Cor. 12:13, Rom. 6:3-4, Gal. 3:27
And gave our new born human spirit a Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness.
John 6:35, 1 Pet. 2:2, Heb. 5:12-14, Rev. 21:6
That is all on DAY ONE, and it is TOTALLY COMPLETE, a GIFT OF GOD. IT IS SALVATION.
SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT?
NOTICE THAT WHEN GOD SAVED US, HE POURED HIS LOVE DIRECTLY INTO OUR HEARTS (human spirit).
That LOVE was sown into our Hearts in the FERTILE SOIL, and it will SPROUT, Grow DEEP ROOTS, and Produce a Bountiful Harvest of the SAME KIND OF LOVE HE PLANTED THERE. So OBEDIENCE IS A PRODUCT OF GOD's LOVE being PLANTED IN OUR HEARTS. You do not even get to puff yourself up with PRIDE for your OBEDIENCE. IT WAS PRODUCED FROM GOD's LOVE in our hearts. So get down off your High Horse, Humble yourself, and be in AWE of what CHRIST is doing in your LIFE.
1 John 3: 14-19
Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Galatians 2:19-20 (HCSB)
19 For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ
20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY FOR DOING ALL GOOD WORKS THAT COME OUT OF THE LOVE IN YOUR HEART.