Poll on faith without works

I was wondering what the majority of the community thought about this question.

I think that if God can't see that someone has faith without their works then He is omniscient (all knowing.) I believe God does know everything, past-present-furure. I think works only prove to ourselves and other people how genuine our faith is, but I can't see how God requires works to prove faith.

The works that will be displayed by those of faith is to love others and not be a respector of persons. Do we view the poor and desolate and homeless in the same light as the rich? This is the work of the faithful, that all are equal. Do you see someone in need and walk away and wish them well or do you try to help them? I believe that naturally, a true believer who is filled with His Spirit will allow His Spirit to guide them and the love for others will come quite naturally.

Agree. This isn't about how our God sees us but how the world sees us.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6a

The criminal on the cross next to Jesus believed in Him and was promised paradise. The theif had no works. But he had faith.

Luke 23...

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

So I voted faith without works is alive to God.

Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith that works...

James 2:18
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. ~KJV


And the primary work of God is to believe in his Son, our Lord Christ Jesus...

John 6:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. ~KJV

This is one that has to be balanced. Some people take it too far to one side and others seem to take it too far to the other side. Works are not what saves a person or keeps them saved. In all actuality, works don't even come from a person they come from Jesus.

The work of God is to believe in Him whom He sent...Jesus Christ.

That being said, there will be works that accompany true faith. Faith without works is dead. If we believe in Jesus then we are dead and our lives are hidden and the lives we now live we live through Jesus Christ. Works will follow and be manifested in our lives.

The thief on the cross actually did have works... the fruit of his lips and faith. He believed that Jesus is the Lord and his words were a testimony.

Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Faith without works is, of course, dead. I would not add "to God".

Religion distributes tracts and pamphlets. God distributes sons.

We are reconciled to put on display the nature and likeness of our Father in Heaven in the earth. Without this, our works are of no value to God.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

I'm sure we all agree. There is no work that we can do to save ourselves or keep ourselves saved. The work was done at Calvary by Jesus Christ our savior.

However, if we have true saving faith in Him, then his works will follow.

Also, I think it all boils down to what people consider works.... the works from Jesus are not things we do our own selves to try to follow the doctrines of men, to look good to men, or try to make ourselves worthy, or save ourselves.

That is not works that the scripture is referring to when it says faith without works is dead. True works come from Jesus working through us through our love and faith in Him.

1 - you dont believe
2- you sin & transgress because of no believe(faith) in ignorance.
3- you are given faith
4- you now believe
5- you are instructed in the rule book for those who believe
6- your believe equipped with now knowing right and wrong makes you have a natural none forced pre-disposition for doing the works taught to you
7- trials commence and your internal spirit intercedes between sin, desire tk act “right or wrong”
8- your moral conscience gets trained
9- you never debate if faith and works belong separately because you understand that one goes with the other but only after the spirit is given to you in which case it is now what you naturally want to do.

The spirit does not intercede half way or mediocre…once it is in you it will command your inner most wants and desires and harmonize one with the other.

There is an organic chronological time line of events for this…. Its called training your conscience by the power of the spirit.

In all that time you will want to do naughty things but not really and not really feel about them as you once did… almost as if you are devided inside — good news is that this internal conflict eases little by little.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that faith is not a "work."

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Take another look at James 2:18. It doesn't say to show God our faith with works, it says to show me.

James 2:18
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. ~KJV

James 2:18 is about showing human beings your faith with works. It's entirely unnecessary to prove our faith to other people. This is rhetorical.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that faith is not a "work." Faith is a gift from God.

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

And if you read the entire chapter, it is quite clear what "works" he is referring to.

The reference passage, James 2:14-17 is this:

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

This is not speaking about a faith for salvation from hell. This faith is salvation from conformity to the world.

The thief on the cross displayed a faith for salvation from hell. But he never had a chance to display the faith that saved him from the ways of the world.

We get hung up on these things because we were taught there is only one salvation. There are actually several. We all come into the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We mature in God as we demonstrate that Jesus is our Lord.

I like your post If “Is” was meant to be “Isn’t”

Yes, it was meant to be "isn't." Would love to go back and edit that but that's what it says now.

I think you are saying that faith without works Is dead to men.

Romans 4:1-2
King James Version

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.

This poll question IS about how GOD sees faith without works though.