I can't recall anywhere in the Bible that Jesus said
"If you want to be saved then you must do works in order to be saved"
If I'm wrong can anyone post Bible verses where Jesus said that.
My understanding is that if that was the case then Jesus would have said something along the lines of
"Here is the way to be saved, I command you to do this, you must do xxxxx amount of works, never sin again, be baptised in the Holy Spirit, speak in tongues, I've shown you the way, now go and do it. I don't need to die on the cross and you do not need the Holy Spirit, go with it kids, be perfect just as I am"
Hmmm
Let's look at what Jesus said
John 6:28
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
John 6:29
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
John 16:7-9
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
John 19:30
30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 14:15-18
Jesus Promises Another Helper
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
I can't recall anywhere in the Bible where Jesus said "If you want to be saved then do this"
But what I do see is that Jesus said "The first work is faith in him, then the Holy Spirit will be in us when we come to believe in him, he will be our helper, and as result we will obey his commandments because we love him"
It's all about love.
It's out of love for him we do works, not in order to loved and accepted.
We have already been accepted when he said "It is finished" when we place true genuine faith in him.
Think about it, if it's not genuine faith in him then we would not have been given the Holy Spirit, the deposit of our inheritance.
It's faith that saves, not works.
As our faith grows then also our works grow.
Just evidence of faith in action.
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