| Spiritual Non-Fiction posted January 1, 2020 |
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Grace saves from Hell to rewards
Faith Saves/Work Saves
by Deniz22
QUESTION: What's the relationship between faith and works?
ANSWER: Faith alone, in Christ alone, saves forever.
Jesus told His disciples, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."
This "eating and drinking" is something which cannot be a work, as in a tangible physical action. It is a work of faith, an inward belief.
It is neither communion, as in taking the bread and the wine of the Lord's supper, nor the mass.
This is proved by the fact simply trusting Jesus Christ for salvation predates the church and all of it's doctrines, including water baptism.
This statement is validated in that both Abraham and David are used by Paul in Romans 4 as examples of salvation by faith in Christ alone in the Apostle's instructions to New Testament Christians.
Salvation is simply belief in the Biblical Christ who died for our sin, rose from the dead, and in so doing paid for our sin and set us free from eternal condemnation.
What about works? Some see a nonexistent dichotomy between the teaching of James and that of Paul on these things.
This apparent difference is shown to be occasioned due more to the audiences addressed than any disagreement between the two messages.
Paul often calls for good works springing from true faith and rebukes evil in the church to his largely Gentile believers. (See 1 Corinthians as one example)
James, however is preaching to a Jewish assembly of both saved and unsaved attenders.
Many of the unconverted Jews still clung to the notion their being the offspring of Abraham naturally made them right with God.
To counteract this error, James, while preaching grace, also pointed out Abraham's faith developed and grew into actions visible to men.
Those claiming to be his spiritual children should walk as he did.
After all, even the devils believe in the existence of God!
Here are some clear scriptural statements on this all important subject upon which I am basing my response.
>Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
>He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
>This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead.
He who eats this bread will live forever."
John 6:53-58 NKJV
>"Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!
Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'
Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?"
>Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.
It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.
And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
>Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
John 8:51-58 NKJV)
QUESTION: What's the relationship between faith and works?
ANSWER: Faith alone, in Christ alone, saves forever.
Jesus told His disciples, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."
This "eating and drinking" is something which cannot be a work, as in a tangible physical action. It is a work of faith, an inward belief.
It is neither communion, as in taking the bread and the wine of the Lord's supper, nor the mass.
This is proved by the fact simply trusting Jesus Christ for salvation predates the church and all of it's doctrines, including water baptism.
This statement is validated in that both Abraham and David are used by Paul in Romans 4 as examples of salvation by faith in Christ alone in the Apostle's instructions to New Testament Christians.
Salvation is simply belief in the Biblical Christ who died for our sin, rose from the dead, and in so doing paid for our sin and set us free from eternal condemnation.
What about works? Some see a nonexistent dichotomy between the teaching of James and that of Paul on these things.
This apparent difference is shown to be occasioned due more to the audiences addressed than any disagreement between the two messages.
Paul often calls for good works springing from true faith and rebukes evil in the church to his largely Gentile believers. (See 1 Corinthians as one example)
James, however is preaching to a Jewish assembly of both saved and unsaved attenders.
Many of the unconverted Jews still clung to the notion their being the offspring of Abraham naturally made them right with God.
To counteract this error, James, while preaching grace, also pointed out Abraham's faith developed and grew into actions visible to men.
Those claiming to be his spiritual children should walk as he did.
After all, even the devils believe in the existence of God!
Here are some clear scriptural statements on this all important subject upon which I am basing my response.
>Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
>He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
>This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead.
He who eats this bread will live forever."
John 6:53-58 NKJV
>"Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!
Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'
Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?"
>Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.
It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.
And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
>Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
John 8:51-58 NKJV)
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