Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our Lord and Savior,
Please read this OP before answering.
Serious question looking for some answers. Thought maybe I could find some here. I want to post two scriptures and see what people conclude. I’ll post the KJV.
My question is this: is faith in Christ a work?
John 6:28,29 KJV
28Then said they unto him,
What shall we do, that
we might work the works of God?
29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the
work of God, that
ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
8For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If I understand correctly, Jesus is saying that the work God wants us to do to have salvation of our soul is to believe on His Son Jesus Christ.
However, Paul says that we are given a gift of being saved because of our faith and that it has nothing to do with our works or self-effort.
Can someone explain this to me? Thank you.
My question is this: is faith in Christ a work?
Yes. Once you really sit down and study the Bible from Genesis to Revelation you will see that God means what he says and can't lie. We in the last days where the great punishment comes at the end (Lake of Fire). It’s starts off with repentance, that’s one of the first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Works and your faith in the word of God, you need both. When Jesus died on the cross that was the end of the first covenant, which consisted of the blood of animals and the keeping of God’s commandments. And his death also brought in the second covenant, which consist of the blood of Jesus and the keeping of God’s commandments. (v.18)
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. In other words, no more animals are going to die for your sins.
Let’s take a look at something Peter says, in Acts 1: 36-38 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, "
repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Anyone that is not baptized is a person with their sins yet upon them, because it is the baptism that
washes away our past sins. "
And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16):
"Every word" that proceeds out of his mouth (Matthew 4:4). Baptism is one of those words. In order to be baptized, certain events must take place: You must give up a lifestyle where sin has dominion, (ruler ship) over you. Sin according to 1 John 3:4,
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression (breaking) of the law. You must be taught "The Word", before you can adhere to God's commandments (judgments\statues). These laws are found in the Holy Bible; beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation.
Now this is how faith and works start working together, doing all those things that are written to do. What did Jesus say in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Let’s see who else you have to love, Jesus says in Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; People complain about the way the world is and won’t change themselves, to do the will of God. Pay attention to what Jesus says in Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. And that sword is the Word of God. It’s easy for people to say how much they love the Lord, they may be able to deceive man, but God knows the mind. Many profess they know God, but in their works they deny him everyday.
Paul said in (Titus 1:16)
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him; being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Yea, most people are talking about how they know God with their lips, but by they works they are doing something totally different. The Lord God commanded you to remember the Sabbath day (which is the seventh day of the week) to keep it holy and you deny him to his face by saying “I go to church on Sunday (the first day of the week) because Paul broke bread on Sunday”. There's no other day to go to church on, but what's written in the Bible. So people have been taught to do the things thats not written in the Bible and to use the Bible to justify it.
So the Faith here is to believe in Jesus, stop sinning and keep the Commandments, Statues, and Judgements. Put in the work and do what thus said the Lord, and let faith have it's perfect works.
