Faith is a work.

[PS]

Right, since we don’t have to earn it with works, we also don’t have to maintain it with works.

Consistency requires you to believe both points. Do you accept that?

Salvation is a free gift of God. Our works cannot, will not, and do not save us. Therefor those who preach that faith is a work of man cannot themselves be saved, because we are not saved by works. Not only that, they are also responsible for the eternal damnation of others by leading them to believe they are saved by their own work of faith. It is a fatal heresy that is being taught on here.

"People are not saved by works. And they are not saved by faith plus works. They are saved through faith alone. The minute you add works of any kind or in any amount as a means of gaining eternal life, salvation is no longer by grace (Rom_11:6).

One reason that works are positively excluded is to prevent human boasting. If anyone could be saved by his works, then he would have reason to boast before God. This is impossible (Rom_3:27).

If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then the death of Christ was unnecessary (Gal_2:21). But we know that the reason He died was because there was no other way by which guilty sinners could be saved.

If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then he would be his own savior, and could worship himself. But this would be idolatry, and God forbids it (Exo_20:3).

Even if someone could be saved through faith in Christ plus his own good works, you would have the impossible situation of two saviors—Jesus and the sinner. Christ would then have to share the glory of saviorhood with another, and this He will not do (Isa_42:8).

Finally, if anyone could contribute to his salvation by works, then God would owe it to him. This, too, is impossible. God cannot be indebted to anyone (Rom_11:35)."

(Believers Bible)

 

[PS]

Yes, believe is definitely a verb, an action we must do.

Now if you agree that is the only work we need to do to be saved and stay saved, then we agree on the same principle of salvation.

Wrong. We cannot save ourselves by what we do.

 

[Eli12]

Wrong. We cannot save ourselves by what we do.

Not by what we do, but not without doing what we have to.

Jas 2:26 (ESV) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

 

[Eli12]

When someone thinks he already have been saved for his own faith, it is him, himself, who is saving himself .. it is not his faith ... That person is declaring himself saved. But is he declared saved by Jesus?

 

[PS]

Not by what we do, but not without doing what we have to.

Jas 2:26 (ESV) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James compares dead faith to a corpse. No works means a dead faith. This is why James says works are the evidence of our faith. (Jas 2:17)

 

[Eli12]

Then I am right: works matter.

I remember what Jesus said to this man who was healed by him :

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."

That has to do with works, doesn't it?

 

[Eli12]

About this I posted before:

When someone thinks he already have been saved for his own faith, it is him, himself, who is saving himself .. it is not his faith ... That person is declaring himself saved. But is he declared saved by Jesus?

... when Scriptures talk about faith on Jesus saving people, those persons were saved of their problems (and related sins) after Jesus said:

Luk 7:48 (ESV) And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"
50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

We are talking exactly about the same thing: Jesus forgiving sins because of the faith people have. Do you realize that it is Jesus the one who grant forgiveness and not ourselves?

 

[PS]

Then I am right: works matter.

I remember what Jesus said to this man who was healed by him :

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."

That has to do with works, doesn't it?

If you don't expect a corpse to do works, then do not expect someone who is dead in the faith to do the works of God.

This is why it is silly to say we are saved by faith AND works. We are saved by faith alone and the work we do for the Lord is the EVIDENCE of our faith.

 

[Eli12]

That is a myth; good works don't come automatically in anybody's life. We must will and act.

Act 26:20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

Rom 2:6 He will render to each one according to his works:
7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
11 For God shows no partiality.

 

[PS]

Then I am right: works matter.

I remember what Jesus said to this man who was healed by him :

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."

That has to do with works, doesn't it?

The man already had faith, and it was because of his faith in God that he was healed.

The man himself did not perform any works. Do not go believing in a works based salvation. By all means thank GOD for saving you from your sins which are many.

 

[Eli12]

The man already had faith, and it was because of his faith in God that he was healed.

The man himself did not perform any works. Do not go believing in a works based salvation. By all means thank GOD for saving you from your sins which are many.

The man didn't do anything but believing in Jesus, very much thuth ... But not for believing in Jesus he was already healed. Jesus had to heal him and declare him free of whatever he did. The power of healing was not in the man, but in Jesus who has the authority to forgive sins.

 

[Eli12]

It looks to me that too many people put their faith on their own faith, but not really on Jesus.

 

[PS]

The man didn't do anything but believing in Jesus, very much thuth ... But not for believing in Jesus he was already healed. Jesus had to heal him and declare him free of whatever he did. The power of healing was not in the man, but in Jesus who has the authority to forgive sins.

Always look to Jesus for everything, we cannot do anything of or by ourselves.

 

[Eli12]

Always look to Jesus for everything, we cannot do anything of or by ourselves.

Totally agree.

 

[Guojing]

Salvation is a free gift of God. Our works cannot, will not, and do not save us. Therefor those who preach that faith is a work of man cannot themselves be saved, because we are not saved by works. Not only that, they are also responsible for the eternal damnation of others by leading them to believe they are saved by their own work of faith. It is a fatal heresy that is being taught on here.

"People are not saved by works. And they are not saved by faith plus works. They are saved through faith alone. The minute you add works of any kind or in any amount as a means of gaining eternal life, salvation is no longer by grace (Rom_11:6).

One reason that works are positively excluded is to prevent human boasting. If anyone could be saved by his works, then he would have reason to boast before God. This is impossible (Rom_3:27).

If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then the death of Christ was unnecessary (Gal_2:21). But we know that the reason He died was because there was no other way by which guilty sinners could be saved.

If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then he would be his own savior, and could worship himself. But this would be idolatry, and God forbids it (Exo_20:3).

Even if someone could be saved through faith in Christ plus his own good works, you would have the impossible situation of two saviors—Jesus and the sinner. Christ would then have to share the glory of saviorhood with another, and this He will not do (Isa_42:8).

Finally, if anyone could contribute to his salvation by works, then God would owe it to him. This, too, is impossible. God cannot be indebted to anyone (Rom_11:35)."

(Believers Bible)

So are you agreeing with my point? I already stated that salvation is not thru works right?

 

[Guojing]

Wrong. We cannot save ourselves by what we do.

You have to believe in Jesus correct? Isn't believing an action, a verb, like what Jackson has pointed out? What are you objecting to?

Unless of course, you believe in universalism?

 

[PS]

So are you agreeing with my point? I already stated that salvation is not thru works right?

You say faith is a work.

 

[PS]

You have to believe in Jesus correct? Isn't believing an action, a verb, like what Jackson has pointed out? What are you objecting to?

Unless of course, you believe in universalism?

How much work did it take to believe in Santa Clause?

 

[Guojing]

How much work did it take to believe in Santa Clause?

Precisely, but believe is a verb nevertheless, as what Jackson pointed out. If you don't want to call that work, I can agree, but its still an action one must do.

Not everyone is saved just because Jesus died for our sins, we have to receive the gift by believing, performing this simple action,

 

[PS]

Precisely, but believe is a verb nevertheless, as what Jackson pointed out. If you don't want to call that work, I can agree, but its still an action one must do.

Not everyone is saved just because Jesus died for our sins, we have to receive the gift by believing, performing this simple action,

The point I am trying to make is that followers of the works based religions think they can earn their way to heaven by what they do, good works etc. but believing in God, or believing in anything, is not physical work, it is a work of the heart. It is a spiritual act and this has implications for our future walk with God, who is Spirit and we need to worship God in spirit and in truth.