So if once a person is saved by grace, through faith in Jesus, they do nothing but what they want to do? So we can sit around play video games, go to concerts, make a comfortable lifestyle for ourselves. No worries, No works for God at all?
If so, how do you explain James 1:27 "
Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
If, visiting the orphans and widows is not works (deeds, actions) what is it?
And how does one explain
James 2:14-26 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, "you have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness" --and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by the works and not by faith alone.: (ESV)
Or are we just ignoring that scripture because it don't fit our own theological system?
James then goes on and gives examples.
I just heard a sermon about this (to those who like to jump to conclusions around here, it was a Baptist Church).
He said, "True faith always leads to works. Because works are the fruit of a sincere faith. Works do not save you, but the faith that does saves you, always produces works."
He goes on to clarify, that the works that he is talking about are the works defined by James, that are acts of obedience
which included acts of service which involve deeds and action of meeting the needs of people around us who are struggling,
James 2:15; to take care of the widows and orphans, James 1:27; and to actively love people ourselves, James 2:8.
"Works are actions of obedience that include demonstrating in acts of love, mercy and grace to the world that is around us.
James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Hear that question that James is explicitly asking and will explicitly answer.
If someone is trying to argue that they have faith alone that has not produced any works, can that faith save him? Is their faith real? Do they have true, sincere faith? Are they saved? Now lets see his explicit answer.
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? (James 2:15-16)
So faith by itself, if it does not have works, IS DEAD." (James 2:17)
James goes on to say that "you believe that God is one; you do well, even the demons believe in that and they shudder. Do you want to be shown that faith apart from works is dead? Then he gives the examples of Abraham and Rahab.
James 2:26 FOR AS THE BODY APART FROM THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO IS FAITH APART FROM WORKS IS DEAD.
Don't forget when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. I only takes those who have done works of love, the ones that feed the hungry, that clothed the naked, that gave drink the thirsty, opened their open to strangers.
Mat 25:32-46 Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He takes the people who did works, who feed the hungry, who gave drink to the thirsty, who welcomes the strangers, who visited the sick and those in prison.
And the ones who did not do these works goes to eternal punishment.
Pretty clear who is saved and who is not here in Mat 25.
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