Back-loading Works into the Gospel:

Front-Loading works into the Gospel would like something this:

“For you to be saved you have to be willing to give up your life first”

“You need to stop sinning and live holy, or else you cannot be saved”

“In order for you to be saved, you need to be baptized in water, keep the sacraments, do penance, and join our church to be saved.”

The first two statements are made by a lot of preachers in Christendom, where as the last one is an actual requirement of Roman Catholicism. And obviously Roman Catholicism is not Christianity. Roman Catholicism is a false religion. But works based plans of salvation are not just presented in the cults and false religions out there, but are also preached within different sects and denominations within Christendom and what can be referred to as mainline Protestantism.

And usually this happens when Salvation and Discipleship are Combined together. For example, When a preacher says to a sinner:

“Before you can be saved, you have to be willing to follow Christ Jesus for the rest of your life.”

What that preacher just did is combine Salvation with Discipleship. And the two are different. Salvation is not discipleship. And Discipleship is not Salvation. Salvation is a one time event, where as Discipleship is a life long process.

Another example of combining Salvation and Discipleship together would be a preacher saying something like this:

“If you want to be saved, you have to be willing to forsake all, give up your life, even hate your own life and be willing to deny yourself and follow Christ. In order for you to be truly saved, you must do these things.”


This again is a prime example of mixing Salvation with Discipleship. Hence, what you have here is works based salvation. Where one is Front-Loading works into the Gospel. But Salvation is not of works, but it is only by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the Gift of God. Not of Works, Lest any man should Boast. (Eph. 2:8-9).

Now those examples I just gave you deal with someone who, once again, is front-loading works into the Gospel. But what does it look like when someone is back-loading works into the Gospel?

Front-loading works into the Gospel is actually rather obvious. Since they are actually telling you up front that you must do those works in order to be saved. But when someone is back-loading works into the Gospel, it isn’t that clear, since it is more subtil. But here are a few examples of back-loading works into the Gospel:

“Well, while we are saved by grace through Faith without works. Still though, true saving faith Will produce good works.”

“We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, BUT true saving grace will change you, and you will bring forth fruit and good works, if you have been truly saved.”

“We are not preaching works based salvation, BUT we are preaching Salvation-Works.”

“We are saved by grace through faith that Works.”

“We are not saved by works, BUT true salvation and true faith will have works.”

“We are saved by grace through Faith, BUT true saving faith will have the good works. Good works will accompany saving faith.”

Now those are some examples of a person who is back-loading works into the Gospel.

Telling a sinner when they get saved, that they Will do good works. And that those good works are proof that they have been truly saved.
Well, again, all Christians should do good works and continue in good works. But our works do not prove we are saved. For there are a lot of religious people out there who do good works, and yet they are lost. Catholics out there do good works (A lot of them stand up for the unborn outside of abortion mills), yet they are still lost. Mormons do good works, and a lot of them may live moral lives, yet they are still lost. False Jehovah’s witnesses, a lot of them do good works, and their women even dress very modestly, Yet though they are also Lost and unconverted. For they are not trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, but our trusting in their works to save them. And the Mormons and False Jehovah’s witnesses both reject the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How a Christian can know they are saved is by the Holy Spirit within him bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God (Rom. 8:16), and also by simply believing the testimony and written record of the Holy Scripture (1 John 5:10-13).
We are not saved by our works, nor are we kept by our works. We are saved by Grace through Faith and that’s it. We are Saved by Grace through Faith alone in Christ Alone. Period.

No “Buts” and No “Ifs”

Salvation is entirely by grace through Faith. Plus Nothing and Minus Nothing.
Once again, every born again child of God Should do good works, and should bear fruit and we all should live a changed life. We all should get sin out of our lives, and walk in obedience unto God. And yet though, all these good things and good works which every child of God should be doing, is not what saves us, nor does it keep us saved. We ought to do good works and bring forth fruit unto God because we love God and because we are thankful and appreciate the great salvation which He hath given unto us.

Furthermore, if a man or woman repents toward God and places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to save them, then they are saved.
Whether that saved person does good works or not, whether that saved person serves God or not, whether that saved person grows in their faith or not, that person will be in Heaven when they die. Since their salvation is not based upon their service, performance, or their good works. But rather, their salvation is based solely upon Christ Jesus and Him alone. Jesus Christ did all the necessary work for our salvation to be complete. Jesus Christ’s blood atonement and finished work at Calvary is the only thing that can save us and get us to heaven.

The good works which we do, loving one another, serving in a local church, preaching the Gospel and doing evangelism, our separation from the world, the Holy Living and walk of obedience that we do will earn us rewards, crowns, millennial inheritance and the privilege to rule and reign with Christ during His earthly Reign in His Messianic Kingdom.

When a person gets saved, even though they should grow in grace, and although they should do good works and should live holy and soberly. However though, there is no guarantee that that saved person will live holy, since Christian growth is not automatic. That saved person may not do any good works, and he may not grow at all. That person may just remain carnal and a spiritual babe, sadly.

For Christian service, growing in grace, living holy, bearing good fruit, all these things deal with sanctification and the Christian life and walk, and all these good things are volitional. They are not automatic. Whether a Christian does these good works and lives holy, is up to him. He has to make that choice.

Therefore to conclude, We should serve God and live for Him with the right motive. In other words, we should serve our Lord Jesus Christ because we love Him, and want to glorify Him and His holy word. Hence, we should do all these good works for the very reason I just mentioned.

Nevertheless though, we are not saved by good works, Christian service, discipleship, denying ourselves, or any other good work. We are saved only by God’s grace. And it is God’s grace which saved us, and it is also God’s grace that keeps us saved.

What Is the Real Meaning of "Jesus Is Lord"? (CO Christianity.com)

In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means—one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14, 17:14).
Jesus is Lord: Scripture Meaning
Following the resurrection, the term “Lord,” being applied to Jesus, became more than an indication of devotion or respect. Stating, “Jesus is Lord,” became a way of recognizing Jesus’ divine standing.
References of Jesus as Lord started with Thomas’ declaration when Jesus arrived at the apostles after His resurrection: “Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28). From thereafter, the message of the Apostles was that Jesus is Lord, signifying that “Jesus is God.”
Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost carried that idea: “Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36). Peter later declared this in the house of Cornelius, stating that Jesus is “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). It is important to note that in Romans 10:9 Jesus’ lordship is connected to His resurrection: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

For Christian service, growing in grace, living holy, bearing good fruit, all these things deal with sanctification and the Christian life and walk, and all these good things are volitional. They are not automatic. Whether a Christian does these good works and lives holy, is up to him. He has to make that choice.

Therefore to conclude, We should serve God and live for Him with the right motive. In other words, we should serve our Lord Jesus Christ because we love Him, and want to glorify Him and His holy word. Hence, we should do all these good works for the very reason I just mentioned.

Nevertheless though, we are not saved by good works, Christian service, discipleship, denying ourselves, or any other good work. We are saved only by God’s grace. And it is God’s grace which saved us, and it is also God’s grace that keeps us saved.[/QUOTE]
EZEKIEL 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. [ GOD does not change ]And has no respect of persons
James5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. [ this tells us if we see A brother [in CHRIST ] err, [means sin ] an And we warn him, that CHRISTIANS are NOT TO SIN, and he repents and don't sin, then he is saved from death, [ but if he don't repent, this is what will happen to him.
HEBREWS 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. the consuming fire of GOD, will devour him,


2 Thessalonians] 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians] 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians] 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
unrighteousness IS SIN, unrighteousness IS DISOBEYING GOD

This is the majority of Christendom sadly.

Yes . If you look at the cults ,they deny that Jesus is God.

Hello ChosenbyHim, the only way that good works, etc., truly become part of our salvation, front-end or back-end, is when they are said to be a ~necessary~ part of our salvation, that doing them is a requirement, without which we cannot be saved. On the other hand, saying that a true Christian WILL change, WILL end up doing good works (because of the changes that have been wrought in them by God .. Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1-5, 8-9, 10) is very different than saying that he/she MUST do these things (as if doing them is some sort of requirement of their salvation).

True Christians act like unbelievers at times, and unbelievers can and do act like Christians at times/in part, but unbelievers hardly have the same regard for God, for sin, for the spiritual well-being of the lost, etc. IOW, in the end, the two groups can be distinguished by what they do, because unbelievers typically ACT like unbelievers, and 'true' Christians typically ACT like Christians.

While this is certainly part of the evidence that bears out the claims of being a Christian, it is not enough evidence, in general. There are true Christians, who (of course) have the inner witness of the Spirit, who constantly question their salvation (for any number of reasons).

On the other hand, there are those who spend their entire lives in church claiming and truly believing themselves Christians who are deceived (one of the best examples of this is found in Matthew 7:22-23). I, for instance, was baptized as an infant and was raised (so to speak) in the church, and I always believed that I was really and truly a believer, until the day I actually become one that is, two months after my 30th birthday.

I've got no argument with any of that, but you seem to be arguing against yourself to a degree, against what you said earlier in this thread

True, which also makes the changed life/lifestyle that Christians choose to lead (rather than continuing in the sinful lifestyle that they used to lead), the good works that we do BECAUSE we love God, our abhorrence of and repentance from sin, etc., etc., some of the best evidence that we really and truly are who we claim to be, does it not

God bless you!

~Deut

It will be great if more Christians distinguish between salvation and rewards.

But now, salvation for all of us is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, we just need to believe it.

Works done after salvation counts for rewards, as long as we are building them on the right foundation, which is the foundation laid by the Apostle to the gentiles, Paul, as he would explain in great details in 1 Cor 3:10-15

Amen, eternal salvation is initial belief in Jesus as God who saved us from our sins.

We cant clean up our lives before eternal salvation to get it.

When we do get given eternal life, it's not that we WILL do good works after.

There will be fruit from being given eternal life, but that is the direct result of having the Holy Spirit in your soul. And that is not something you can easily judge someone on by looking at their 'works'

In Christ alone, saved by grace thru faith in Him. Full stop.

😀

Do you not believe YESUAH when he says that he that ENDURETH UNTIL THE END, OR did JESUS LIE ???

Do you not believe YESUAH when he says that he that ENDURETH UNTIL THE END, OR did JESUS LIE ???
SALVATION IS FREE , BUT to keep it ,you haft to repent, AND resist your lust of the FLESH, AND All that life, and Satan can bring up on you, to keep SALVATION
HEBREWS 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Do you think you will be going thru the 7 year tribulation before his 2nd coming?

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US HOW LONG tribulation will last

So do you believe you are undergoing the great tribulation now?

THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US HOW LONG tribulation will last , BUT GOD saints will go through them, with GOD'S protection, as Israel did in Egypt.
The GRATE tribulation, has happen already, in the dark days when the Catholic Church killed Millions, And killed the reformers, THE NEXT time it is going to be the time of Jacob's trouble, HE got the deadly wound in 1798ad when the wound is healed we will be in the time of trouble that the world has never seen.

You subscribe to Amillennialism?

That in incorrect. The Bible makes it crystal clear that our good works do prove that we are saved. As James says, faith without works in dead.

JAMES 2: FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
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.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
And what exactly is repentance other than genuinely TURNING FROM sins and idols and TURNING TO God and Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ made it crystal clear that repentance is for the remission of sins: And [Christ] said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46,47)

Christians need to be extremely careful that in their zeal to maintain salvation is by grace through faith, they do not neglect the proclamation of two things: (1) the necessity of repentance before salvation and (2) the necessity of good works after salvation. In addition to this, the necessity of Christian baptism is a commandment.

There has been far too much Easy Believism, and it is time that Christians get back to Gospel Truth.

Yep you are doing the "back loading works into the gospel", as what the OP stated.

James 2 is the popular go-to chapter for people who do that.

You can call it back loading, but Paul and James definitely do not. So kindly read this passage in its entirety:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:8-10)

While this does not appeal to those who preach the false gospel of Easy Believism, Paul makes it crystal clear that those who are saved are created for good works, which were in fact ORDAINED by God. "That we should walk in them" simply means in plain English that Christians are required to do good works, and those are in fact evidence that they were truly saved by grace.

You are correct there, but as I already stated, the good works are for rewards in heaven, and not for salvation, as Paul explained clearly in 1 Cor 3:10-15.

And no, getting water baptized will not be a good work based on the foundation laid by Paul for us in the Body of Christ. Water baptism is based on Israel's program.