Both James and Hebrews have passages about "Faith without works is dead". Personally I do not believe in being chosen. To me, it is a choice.
Poll on faith without works
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Both James and Hebrews have passages about "Faith without works is dead". Personally I do not believe in being chosen. To me, it is a choice.
Poster # 8 is a she and she/I said the thief wasn't saved by works.
However, he did actually do a work. He testified in front of others standing there that Jesus is Lord... I'm not sure what the misunderstanding is with some of you?
God judges the heart. He knows if we Love Him and have faith in Him.So then you agree that faith without works Is alive to GOD but faith without works Is dead to men.
What's so difficult? Faith without works is dead.
Many people say that they believe in Jesus, but do they really. In order to be saved, we have to put our faith and trust in Him, works will follow. It really is that simple.
Anyone who says they believe in him and try to do things in their own strength or of themselves to be saved or stay saved is not trusting in Him. So they don't have the real works of Jesus in them. This is a dead faith.
The ones that just use grace for a license to sin. They do not really love the Lord and are not really trusting in Him. So they have no works in them, either. This is a dead faith, as well.
That's exactly why I said in my beginning post that there has to be a balance in this...some take it to one extreme while others take it to another extreme.
Again, just to be clear, I'm not saying anyone is saved by their works or that they have to keep themselves saved by works. I'm saying that if we love God and put our faith and trust in Jesus then we walk in the Spirit with Him and works will follow. Not of our own selves but it is He that is working in and through us.
It's crazy... I mean, If this guy had believed Jesus was god, but kept his mouth shut, thinking "oh, It's all right now, this guy will save me" instead of rebuking the other guy and asking Jesus to remember him... would he still end up in paradise?
Abraham trusted God with all his heart and had so much faith in God's promise to Him...that he put it into action. He set out to sacrifice his son who had been a miracle seeing Sarah was 90 years old when he was conceived. God had told Abraham that through this seed he would be blessed. Abraham believed God and had that much trust in Him that he was willing and set out to do what He said.
Now, if he hadn't have believed and trusted and would have told God no, then we would have probably never heard of Abraham because he would have had a dead faith, and probably wouldn't have been called the friend of God. I mean, if we go by what the scripture actually says, anyhow.
James 2
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
This scripture has nothing to do with what men think about faith without works, but it does have everything to do with what God thinks about it.
Now God sent his Son and sacrificed Him for our sins. All he wants us to do is belive in Him and put our faith and trust in Him and let Him work in and through us.
Now, if he hadn't have believed and trusted and would have told God no, then we would have probably never heard of Abraham because he would have had a dead faith, and probably wouldn't have been called the friend of God. I mean, if we go by what the scripture actually says, anyhow.
James 2
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
This scripture has nothing to do with what men think about faith without works, but it does have everything to do with what God thinks about it.
Now God sent his Son and sacrificed Him for our sins. All he wants us to do is belive in Him and put our faith and trust in Him and let Him work in and through us.
To whom is James writing? Not what commentaries say, but what the scripture actually says.
Well, we would have probably never known about it one way or the other, anyhow...lol
Why do you folks want to fight this so hard? It is not difficult...we can do nothing on our own....but IF we have put faith in Jesus and trust in him then his works will follow....He will work in and through us.
As the body without the spirit is dead....so is our faith if we don't believe that Jesus is working in and through us to do the will of the Father.
Again, I guess it may be the way some of you want to define works...It is not us working to save or keep ourselves saved it is Jesus working through us.
Ponder some of these scriptures if you will...and before anyone even says it...again, it is not of our own works....it is of faith in Jesus and him working within us.
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
Matthew 16:27, KJV
"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:"
1 Peter 1:17, KJV
". . . I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
Revelation 2:23b, KJV
"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."
Revelation 14:13, KJV
Ponder some of these scriptures if you will...and before anyone even says it...again, it is not of our own works....it is of faith in Jesus and him working within us.
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
Matthew 16:27, KJV
"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:"
1 Peter 1:17, KJV
". . . I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
Revelation 2:23b, KJV
"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."
Revelation 14:13, KJV
Works don't automatically follow. We hope that the believer will go on to good works, but sometimes that may not be the case. One has to be properly discipled. What if a new believer has no Bible, no church, and no Christian friends in their life? Most likely, they will fall back into the world and go about business as usual. Discipleship is so important.
No amount of works justifies the believer. The book of James is a Jewish book written to those Jews scattered abroad during the tribulation. It is not a Christian epistle.
What about the power of God? What about the indwelling Holy Spirit? It is only arrogant men who think a child of God needs their assistance.
James gives examples: clothing people, giving people food and a place to stay. Do these things justify the Christian? I'm justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, not my own pathetic faith which waivers day by day, even hour by hour.
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Are you saying that the new believer will know what scripture instructs without having scripture? The Holy Spirit teaches us scripture as we study.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
I know many believers who do very little for the Lord. I know lost people who do more good works than most believers.
I don't. The Lord has written His law on my heart and the Spirit indwells me. He guides me.