Saving Faith in Christ is not Faith Alone in Christ

[ATG]

ATG said:
No man doing any evil on earth, has any faith in Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus Christ has no evil doer in His own righteous body.

Then by your "reasoning", Peter, despite being a significant leader in the early Church, had no faith in Jesus Christ the righteous.

Correct. Not if he continued in respect of the person of Jews in the body of Christ, more than that of the non-Jews. But, the Lord sent Paul to rebuke Peter, and Peter repented by faith in Christ. Neither the Lord nor Peter excuse himself from righteous judgment without respect of persons, because he was an 'apostle'.

Nah 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, but will not at all acquit the wicked:

Judas also was an apostle in Christ, and he destroyed himself from Christ, by doing evil without repentance.

By your Faith Alone in Christ, the body of your Christ is full of evil doers, with no member only doing good.

That Christ of unrighteous body is not Jesus Christ with His righteous body:

Col 2:18
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

 

[ATG]

Do you ever sin?

Of course. All men have sinned and need deliverance from sinning.

Did you ever stop sinning?

 

[ATG]

You are depending on yourself for salvation. .

You are depending on your own Faith Alone, to reject anything your faith alone doesn't agree with. Without showing any error in the argument.

That's not going to work. You do not know the difference between belief, as in intellectual acceptance of facts, and saving faith

God does, and shows it in Scripture, so that we can know it too:

James{2:14}
What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

, which is trust and acceptance of God's work of salvation through Christ alone. Only those who are born again have the inner desire to please God.

True. And only those who do works that please God, have His faith of heart to love pleasing Him.

Anyone doing evil, has no faith nor love of God within. And if anyone doing evil has Faith Alone in Christ, then their faith is not in Jesus Christ the righteous.

Those without Christ are intent on pleasing self. You can't do both.

Correct. Anyone pleasing self to do evil, is without Christ, whether having any Faith Alone in Christ or not.

Or, Are you saying anyone having Faith Alone in Christ is always doing good, and does no evil deed? Or, Are you saying anyone having Faith Alone in Christ does good, and also does evil?

Do you have Faith Alone in Christ? Do you do any evil work? If you are doing evil, are you justified by your Faith Alone in Christ?

Rom 2:3
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?...For there is no respect of persons with God.

Works are the result of saving faith.

Only good works are the result of Jesus' saving faith.

Are you saying evil works are also result of Jesus' saving faith, or only good works? If only good works, then evil works are not a result of having Jesus' saving faith.

And so anyone doing evil may only have their faith Alone in Christ, but not saving faith in Jesus Christ.

2Ti 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

If you imagine that you or anyone else is perfect in obedience, you are deluded.

If your Faith Alone imagines that you or anyone else is saved by your Faith Alone while in disobedience, you are deluded.

And, If your Faith Alone imagines that no one is made perfect and blameless by faith in Jesus Christ, only because you or anyone else is not made perfect and blameless by your Faith Alone. You are decieved by your own Faith Alone.

1Pe 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Heb 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Thess{5:22}
Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Jde 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Your Faith Alone in Christ does not believe these Scriptures of Jesus Christ. By your Faith lone, you do not believe anyone by the faith of Jesus Christ, can be made perfect and live blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus.

You can repent of your own Faith Alone, and believe the gospel of Jesus' saving faith, that is from all evil doing:

Mark{1:15}
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

2Ti 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

[Just_A__Follower]

Of course. All men have sinned and need deliverance from sinning.

Did you ever stop sinning?

Nope. I don’t live in it like I used to. I slip up like everyone. The difference in before I had faith and now is I immediately regret it and try my best to not do it. It saddens me when I sin. I’m reminded of the pain that Christ went through for me with every sin. Like you I still have evil works that cannot save me. It is only my Faith alone in His works on the cross that can save me. Perfection is required and one thought of anger against another disqualifies you from perfection.

The saying “faith alone” doesn’t mean there are no works. True faith produces works. But our works are not and cannot be perfect. That’s why works do not save us. Only Christ and His works can save us.

Faith alone also doesn’t mean that one merely believes Jesus is God. Faith alone means believing in who He is and what He did for us. It means believing that He is the ONLY WAY.

Works will come from that faith. That faith changes the desires of us so that we want to be His workers. We want to be His arms, legs, toes, and fingers. If one doesn’t have true faith in Christ his/her desires will not change for the good.

 

[ATG]

The first one is the group primarily concerned with going to heaven when we die. They say that is the reason for Christ's sacrifice. I have nothing against heaven, but He intends for His body to display His character in the earth as the Body is being gathered together.

True.

Fellowship specifically denotes one’s shared origin or character with another.

Here is the problem with having Faith Alone in Christ apart from their works: They want to believe their fellowship of character is by faith alone, without having fellowship with righteousness.

They want to believe they have fellowship with God 'in spirit' alone, even while having fellowship with the world in evil deeds. By their faith alone, their fellowship with God is only in spirit, not in deed and in truth:

1Jo 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

It's the dysfunctional separation between character and works. Separation between the inner man and the outer man. Such as the lame excuse of the wife beater: "That's not me, that does that. I'm really not that fellow. I'm really a totally different guy on the inside..."

As one Faith Aloner puts it: He changes us from the inside out so that we are not inclined to do evil.

So, by Faith Alone, his character no longer intends to do evil, and yet still does evil. As though not intending to murder, is not as bad as murdering with intent...

God does not make difference between evil doing by intent or without intent. The murderer is put to death, and has no fellowship with the true God.

1Jo 3:15
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Rather than God's judgment acquitting the inner man by faith alone and intent, God judges the heart as evil that hates his brother or neighbor. The heart of the evil doer has no fellowship with God.

But the one having Faith Alone, believes their character is judged as good, apart from their works, especially apart for evil works.

2 Cor{6:14}
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial?

They want to believe by their faith alone, that their inner man walks in the light with God's fellowship in spirit, walking in darkness in deed and in truth...

1Jo 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

So, it was a big deal when Paul revealed that “..truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” Paul was not simply saying that we communicate with or have correspondence with God and Christ BUT that our origin and character are of the same nature as the Father and the Son: we share a nature with the living God.

Correct, And our words and deeds. Without the works of the Son, then the faith is dead, and the character is no good at all. The inner man has no faith in Jesus Christ, while the outer man does any evil work.

Once again, the problem with Faith Alone in Christ apart from works, is the delusional separation of nature and character from deeds and truth:

1Jo 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Only doing good proceeds from the nature and character of God, while doing evil only proceeds from the nature and character of the devil:

1Sa 24:13
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked:

1Jo 3:8
He that is committing sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The faith toward God in the Son Jesus Christ, does not only deliver us from evil nature and character by Faith Alone, but also from the evil works:

2Pe 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The Living God has no fellowship with evil and, truly, "our fellowship is with Him."

Exactly. If our fellowship is with Him, we have no fellowship of evil works of darkness, but only of good works in the light.

If it is true that we are in one body, who is Christ, then how does the Lord consider our propensity for divisions? How does He look upon our “Baptists” and “Pentecostal” and “Roman” and “Lutheran” and “Presbyterian” and “Mennonite” etc etc etc divisions?

Divisions of course are a matter beliefs and teachings separated from the Scriptures, where groups divide between one or the other, rather than with the Scriptures.

The largest separation being that of salvation by Faith Alone apart from works. By Faith Alone, they separate character and justification from works, and the inner man from the outer man.

The saints know that the inner and outer man are one in the judgment of God: the heart is judged by the deeds, not the deeds by the faith of the heart alone. There is no such separation between faith and deeds, and so the Lord has no division in His body between good and evil doers.

Only the doers of good have the justifying faith toward God that is in Jesus Christ:

3 John{1:11}
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that is doing good is of God: but he that is doing evil hath not seen God.

1 John{2:29} I
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that is doing righteousness is born of him.

Anyone doing evil must and can repent to believe Jesus Christ, and do good, not evil. The grace of God shown to all men by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not to acquit the inner man by faith alone, but to deliver the whole man from all evil.

2Pe 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

[Gideon300]

You are depending on your own Faith Alone, to reject anything your faith alone doesn't agree with. Without showing any error in the argument.



God does, and shows it in Scripture, so that we can know it too:

James{2:14}
What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.



True. And only those who do works that please God, have His faith of heart to love pleasing Him.

Anyone doing evil, has no faith nor love of God within. And if anyone doing evil has Faith Alone in Christ, then their faith is not in Jesus Christ the righteous.



Correct. Anyone pleasing self to do evil, is without Christ, whether having any Faith Alone in Christ or not.

Or, Are you saying anyone having Faith Alone in Christ is always doing good, and does no evil deed? Or, Are you saying anyone having Faith Alone in Christ does good, and also does evil?

Do you have Faith Alone in Christ? Do you do any evil work? If you are doing evil, are you justified by your Faith Alone in Christ?

Rom 2:3
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?...For there is no respect of persons with God.


Only good works are the result of Jesus' saving faith.

Are you saying evil works are also result of Jesus' saving faith, or only good works? If only good works, then evil works are not a result of having Jesus' saving faith.

And so anyone doing evil may only have their faith Alone in Christ, but not saving faith in Jesus Christ.

2Ti 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.




If your Faith Alone imagines that you or anyone else is saved by your Faith Alone while in disobedience, you are deluded.

And, If your Faith Alone imagines that no one is made perfect and blameless by faith in Jesus Christ, only because you or anyone else is not made perfect and blameless by your Faith Alone. You are decieved by your own Faith Alone.

1Pe 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Heb 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Thess{5:22}
Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Jde 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Your Faith Alone in Christ does not believe these Scriptures of Jesus Christ. By your Faith lone, you do not believe anyone by the faith of Jesus Christ, can be made perfect and live blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus.

You can repent of your own Faith Alone, and believe the gospel of Jesus' saving faith, that is from all evil doing:

Mark{1:15}
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

2Ti 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

You don't get it, do you? If you are born again, you are acceptable in the beloved. You died and your life is hidden in Christ with God. Behaviour makes no difference. Either you are in heaven now or you remain dead in trespass and sin. This is done by God the moment you accept Christ.

The exhortations to live righteously are to believers who are alive in Christ. I'll say it again, if you imagine that you obey Christ in all things perfectly, you are deluded. If every believer was already living perfectly, most of the New Testament would be irrelevant.

No genuine believer loves to sin. Anyone who says He has no sin is a liar. Many are bound by sin because they do not realise the victory that is theirs in Christ. Lord Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

I don't know what point you are trying to make. Are you sinning yourself and trying to divert attention away from it? I have met people like that. The finger pointer has three fingers pointing back at himself.

 

[Just_A__Follower]

You don't get it, do you? If you are born again, you are acceptable in the beloved. You died and your life is hidden in Christ with God. Behaviour makes no difference. Either you are in heaven now or you remain dead in trespass and sin. This is done by God the moment you accept Christ.

The exhortations to live righteously are to believers who are alive in Christ. I'll say it again, if you imagine that you obey Christ in all things perfectly, you are deluded. If every believer was already living perfectly, most of the New Testament would be irrelevant.

No genuine believer loves to sin. Anyone who says He has no sin is a liar. Many are bound by sin because they do not realise the victory that is theirs in Christ. Lord Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

I don't know what point you are trying to make. Are you sinning yourself and trying to divert attention away from it? I have met people like that. The finger pointer has three fingers pointing back at himself.

Yea I’m not sure of his point but by his logic Christ has no body and not one human will spend eternity with the Father.
Sounds almost like the 19th century holiness movement.

 

[Dino246]

True.



Here is the problem with having Faith Alone in Christ apart from their works: They want to believe their fellowship of character is by faith alone, without having fellowship with righteousness.

They want to believe they have fellowship with God 'in spirit' alone, even while having fellowship with the world in evil deeds. By their faith alone, their fellowship with God is only in spirit, not in deed and in truth.

Here is the problem with your entire argument: you don’t understand what “faith alone” means, or the context it implies. Instead, you make up your own incorrect definition and then preach against it.

Your railing is nothing but wind. Your logic is fatally flawed. All of the condemnation you throw at others is laughably misguided.

 

[ATG]

Yawn. Your post is a complete waste of time.

Rom 11:8
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day.

 

[Gideon300]

Correct. Not if he continued in respect of the person of Jews in the body of Christ, more than that of the non-Jews. But, the Lord sent Paul to rebuke Peter, and Peter repented by faith in Christ. Neither the Lord nor Peter excuse himself from righteous judgment without respect of persons, because he was an 'apostle'.

Nah 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, but will not at all acquit the wicked:

Judas also was an apostle in Christ, and he destroyed himself from Christ, by doing evil without repentance.

By your Faith Alone in Christ, the body of your Christ is full of evil doers, with no member only doing good.

That Christ of unrighteous body is not Jesus Christ with His righteous body:

Col 2:18
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

I've heard a lot of drivel from supposed Christians in my 50 plus years in Jesus. Yours is not the worst, but it's high on the list. You do not know what faith is, you do not know what the righteousness of the saints is and yet you demand the impossible that you yourself are unable to perform. The only perfectly righteous on is Jesus. Only those who are in Christ have His righteousness.

You ignore the many scriptures that contradict your position. This is one of the many:
Galatians 2:16
".....know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

Faith in Jesus Christ by Scriptures given, is to only do good, and not any evil. No one doing evil has any faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has no evil doers in His righteous body.

Seriously? This is how you think of yourself? One verse comes to mind...

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 Jn 1:8)​

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

I've heard a lot of drivel from supposed Christians in my 50 plus years in Jesus. Yours is not the worst, but it's high on the list. You do not know what faith is, you do not know what the righteousness of the saints is and yet you demand the impossible that you yourself are unable to perform. The only perfectly righteous on is Jesus. Only those who are in Christ have His righteousness.

You ignore the many scriptures that contradict your position. This is one of the many:
Galatians 2:16
".....know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

I will celebrate my spiritual 50th birthday next summer. Good post.

 

[homwardbound]

Amen.

Responding good. Believing only not good.

1 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

A responder to God's lead through me, through others willingly as well, thank you
God is the creator, we the people are responders. Yet the problem has been happening. since day one in the fall of the first Adam.
Man playing as if are God. For the temptation from that age old serpent was to be like God, as if are God and no one is really
God, but God and the only one good, as Jesus revealed to Follow his Father only. Yet we have others in the way, saying I see and you do not. Yet God by, through Son has accepted us, forgiven us all and once anyone believes God between them and God personally, God seals each personally to see new, and each do, over time growing up to see through ,many mistakes made at first, God never giving up on anyone. Which, I think you see this too, thank you. for not being a person better than others in people's personal opinions as revealed to me in Luke 18:9-14, presently, daily now as by Son are reconciled, forgiven, sealed by God. Which, left, leaves the answer in anyone's beleif to God, gets to be made new by God for each person to me at least Eph 1:6,7,13 Accepted, Forgiven and sealed by God to see new
As we each continue from Col 1:21-22, 23 in belief it is done for us to rest John 19:30 Hebrews 4:9-13
Thanks for your post response in edification to remain in trust to God, who causes us, to do new in love and mercy to all

 

[ATG]

ATG said:
Of course. All men have sinned and need deliverance from sinning.

Did you ever stop sinning?

Nope.

Nope? That's what you say to Jesus beaten, striped, and bleeding to death on a cross because of our sinning?

Have you stopped your sinning against Jesus? Nope.

Do you still sin against Jesus? Yep.

So much for the half-hearted fervor of Faith Alone apart from works.

1 Peter{1:22}
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Seeing ye have not purified your souls in wholly obeying the truth through the Spirit unto feigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a half-heart lukewarmly:

I don’t live in it like I used to.

And here we go with the standard Faith Alone supplements to justify still doing evil works. Let's count:

#1. Still do evil, just not like before.

Rev 3:15
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The problem with Christian Faith Alone in Christ is the "Better-Homes-and-Gardens" Christianity. It's certainly better than riotous living, but is not the pure religion of whole-hearted repentance and faith toward God in Jesus Christ:

Jas 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1 John 5:18
We know that whosoever is born of God is not sinning; but he that is begotten of God is keeping himself, and that wicked one is touching him not.

I slip up like everyone.

#2. A childish redefinition of sinning against God, into a 'slip-up'.

And, they slip up like all Faith Alone Christians.

But not like everyone, because saints know if we sin against our Lord, we are worthy of the same condemnation and death as anyone doing evil. And, not only the saints, but there are also responsible unbelievers, that know when they do evil, it's not just a slip-up oopsie.

The difference in before I had faith and now is I immediately regret it and try my best to not do it. It saddens me when I sin.

You mean slip up, and oops I'm sorry about that...

Jerem 3:10
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

Hosea{7:8}
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

Like you I still have evil works that cannot save me.

#3: Everyone is doing it.

Faith Alone justification for doing evil, demands that everyone must still be doing evil the same as themselves. Else their Faith Alone doesn't justify them with God, when doing evil like the world, but not like the pure religion saints of God.

It's the error of trusting in numbers to justify the deeds.

Mat 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

Safety in numbers of evil doers didn't work in the flood, wherein only 8 souls were saved, and won't work in the judgment, wehn only the righteous are saved:

Mat 24:37
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

1 John{3:7}
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that is doing righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

It is only my Faith alone in His works on the cross that can save me.

Save from what? Certainly not from doing unrighteous works.

Rev 22:10
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

4: Faith Alone saves from condemnation of doing evil, not from doing evil.

Rom 2:3
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?...For there is no respect of persons with God.

Perfection is required and one thought of anger against another disqualifies you from perfection.

#5: Redefine perfection by Jesus Christ, in order to justify not being made perfect by Faith Alone.

Eph 4:26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Being angry is not sinning, but only doing evil by anger. Jesus was not sinning when being angry with the fault-finding of the Jew's leaders, nor when lashing the covetous out of the temple.

God is angry with anyone doing evil at any time, without respect of persons.

Psa 7:11
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

 

[ATG]

The saying “faith alone” doesn’t mean there are no works.

It does with Scripture.

But not with them having Faith Alone redefined for themselves.

True faith produces works.

True. Any faith with works, is not faith alone.

And, true faith is either good or bad faith. Only good faith produces good works, and only bad faith produces bad works:

Luk 6:44
For every tree is known by his own fruit.

Rom 11:16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Faith Alone without works is dead roots. Faith with works is good or evil roots, with holy or unholy fruits.

True faith in Jesus Christ is only good roots with good fruits.

Mat 7:18
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

But our works are not and cannot be perfect.

Certainly not by Faith Alone in Christ.

That’s why works do not save us.

No evil works can save anyone, whether by Faith Alone, by bad faith, or by no faith at all.

Only Christ and His works can save us.

Only Jesus Christ and His works in our lives, can save anyone from doing evil works.

Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Co 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Jas 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Faith alone also doesn’t mean that one merely believes Jesus is God.

It does in Scripture. And that Faith Alone is had by all devils:

Jas 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Faith alone means believing in who He is and what He did for us. It means believing that He is the ONLY WAY.

And the devils also believe, but still do evil works.

And so, we see the definition of Faith Alone: Believing in someone else and what they do, but not doing the same. Hearing and believing the word is true, and doing it not:

James{1:22}
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jhn 3:21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

It's doing the truth with deeds, that makes known the children of light, not by any Faith Alone in the light.

Works will come from that faith.

Good works are by good faith. Bad works are by bad faith. No works are by Faith Alone.

Only the former first works justify the man by having good faith in Jesus Christ.

Rev 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Lest our good faith in Jesus Christ becomes evil with bad deeds, Jesus exhorts to continue in His good faith, that our good works continue unto the end.

Tit 3:14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Rom 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Collosians{3:23}
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Only by well doing will anyone receive the reward of eternal inheritance, not by believing in well doing alone. Only being inclined to do good by Faith Alone, does not reap everlasting life in the resurrection of the dead.

That faith changes the desires of us so that we want to be His workers. We want to be His arms, legs, toes, and fingers. If one doesn’t have true faith in Christ his/her desires will not change for the good.

Once again, we see the definition of having Faith Alone without works: Having desires and want-to's.

But, Only them that do the truth and will of God by Jesus Christ, shall inherit the reward of everlasting life:

Mat 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that is doing the will of my Father which is in heaven.

1 John {2:17}
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that is doing the will of God abideth for ever.

The Faith Alone in Christ with intends, desires, and want-to's, is the lukewarm Christian religion of being inclined to do good, and not evil. Yet continue doing evil by their bad faith alone.

 

[ATG]

A responder to God's lead through me, through others willingly as well, thank you
God is the creator, we the people are responders. Yet the problem has been happening. since day one in the fall of the first Adam.
Man playing as if are God. For the temptation from that age old serpent was to be like God, as if are God and no one is really
God, but God and the only one good, as Jesus revealed to Follow his Father only. Yet we have others in the way, saying I see and you do not. Yet God by, through Son has accepted us, forgiven us all and once anyone believes God between them and God personally, God seals each personally to see new, and each do, over time growing up to see through ,many mistakes made at first, God never giving up on anyone. Which, I think you see this too, thank you. for not being a person better than others in people's personal opinions as revealed to me in Luke 18:9-14, presently, daily now as by Son are reconciled, forgiven, sealed by God. Which, left, leaves the answer in anyone's beleif to God, gets to be made new by God for each person to me at least Eph 1:6,7,13 Accepted, Forgiven and sealed by God to see new
As we each continue from Col 1:21-22, 23 in belief it is done for us to rest John 19:30 Hebrews 4:9-13
Thanks for your post response in edification to remain in trust to God, who causes us, to do new in love and mercy to all

It's always good to hear the reinforcing of the meats of Christian faith, rather than all the many words of having faith and intents and desires, without the doing.

2Co 8:11
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

Faith with intents and desires and will to do, is all well and good for the one believing. But only the doing of it is justified and blessed of God with man.

 

[mailmandan]

Saving faith in Christ is faith that trusts in Jesus Christ "alone" for salvation (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9) which is not to be confused with an empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains "alone" - barren of works. (James 2:14-26) The latter is not genuine faith but a bare profession of faith.

 

[Just_A__Follower]

It does with Scripture.

But not with them having Faith Alone redefined for themselves.



True. Any faith with works, is not faith alone.

And, true faith is either good or bad faith. Only good faith produces good works, and only bad faith produces bad works:

Luk 6:44
For every tree is known by his own fruit.

Rom 11:16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Faith Alone without works is dead roots. Faith with works is good or evil roots, with holy or unholy fruits.

True faith in Jesus Christ is only good roots with good fruits.

Mat 7:18
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.



Certainly not by Faith Alone in Christ.


No evil works can save anyone, whether by Faith Alone, by bad faith, or by no faith at all.


Only Jesus Christ and His works in our lives, can save anyone from doing evil works.

Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Co 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Jas 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.



It does in Scripture. And that Faith Alone is had by all devils:

Jas 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.



And the devils also believe, but still do evil works.

And so, we see the definition of Faith Alone: Believing in someone else and what they do, but not doing the same. Hearing and believing the word is true, and doing it not:

James{1:22}
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jhn 3:21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

It's doing the truth with deeds, that makes known the children of light, not by any Faith Alone in the light.



Good works are by good faith. Bad works are by bad faith. No works are by Faith Alone.

Only the former first works justify the man by having good faith in Jesus Christ.

Rev 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Lest our good faith in Jesus Christ becomes evil with bad deeds, Jesus exhorts to continue in His good faith, that our good works continue unto the end.

Tit 3:14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Rom 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Collosians{3:23}
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Only by well doing will anyone receive the reward of eternal inheritance, not by believing in well doing alone. Only being inclined to do good by Faith Alone, does not reap everlasting life in the resurrection of the dead.



Once again, we see the definition of having Faith Alone without works: Having desires and want-to's.

But, Only them that do the truth and will of God by Jesus Christ, shall inherit the reward of everlasting life:

Mat 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that is doing the will of my Father which is in heaven.

1 John {2:17}
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that is doing the will of God abideth for ever.

The Faith Alone in Christ with intends, desires, and want-to's, is the lukewarm Christian religion of being inclined to do good, and not evil. Yet continue doing evil by their bad faith alone.

Are you saved?

 

[sawdust]

Faith in Jesus Christ is to only do good, and not any evil. We believe Jesus saves us from doing any evil, by giving us grace to only please the Father: By that good faith in Christ, we can walk as He walked.

Yes but one must be saved first in order to walk that way. So, unless you are advocating for salvation by works, we are saved by grace through faith alone in Christ.

 

[Blade]

The first thought I had was what brother Aaron said "The debate about salvation ". So this "doctrine".. the faith alone and "works" will at some point get tossed in. Just quote the verse about "faith alone". Should be really simple. No offense.

"Do we believe Jesus Christ is God? Good. Do we believe Christ saves us whether doing good or evil? The devils also believe. "

This is not what James said at all. He was talking about deeds/works. Faith with out works is dead. He said to them...you believe that there is "one" God. You do well, devils also believe, and tremble. To run with "Jesus" in it, even if they (demons/fallen angels) believed in Jesus .. its mute. Salvation is only for man period. Later you added what is not written in Gods word "And the devils also believe, but still do evil works.

No where is it written Satan nor fallen angles, demons believe in the Messiah.. Gods only son. Again James was telling them you believe there is "one" God you do well. Demons believe this and tremble. You can't make a statement like this with out backing it up. Satan said to Jesus.. "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread,". Christ shows up and demons said what? He was early. They said to Him “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Before the time.. they knew what's coming for them but not right then. Before the time. Satan, fallen angels, demons are not human. They left God.. they were there in all Gods glory power and left it. They are what is left when God is no where to be seen. They do not want to come back to GOD. They seen it all. We man have never seen heaven, God, Christ, countless of Gods angels etc nor felt it.. all we know from the start is evil is sin. The good I want to do I don't do. The sin I should not do I do. Its no longer I that sin but sin that is in me. We have the old man the new man.

What is left out here is the greatest part. The new man? This talk is as if there is no new man...its just some thought some belief in Jesus and some works? Ok you can get in. That "born from above" born again what happens? New spirit? That is who you are. There is no more oops the new man sinned and.. new spirit that God made is dead again.

Going back.. Christ walking this earth.. they all lived by the law and under the law. Do we today? Does it make any difference that Christ died and rose (shouting time)? Yes! Yet oddly left out.