Are we saved by faith alone, or do we need works, too?

[breno785au]

Man, if it had anything to do with our works we wouldn't stand a chance. It wasn't about our works to begin with, why would it be after?
God has set us for good works, mercy, forgiveness and love that which He causes in the believer anyway, so it's His works working through us.

 

[MattTooFor]

It is never being "afraid" of God. It's knowing His love for us that takes away the bad kind of fear.

So if there is somebody out there who has previously "prayed for salvation"...but who is currently "sinning" and who has sinned and sinned and sinned...and is still in a state of addiction to sin but who is aware of Paul's warning in 1 Cor. 6...and is thus greatly concerned about their soul's destiny...they wouldn't begin to experience "fear and trembling"?? Pure malarkey.

To whom do Paul's warnings about going to Hell apply? Answer: His warnings apply to those who are committing those sins. And if someone is concerned about their "faith without works" predicament per 1Cor.6 and the book of James...and thus concerned about their soul's destiny...would they not experience...and SHOULDN'T they experience "fear and trembling"?

Well, of COURSE they should!! Good grief.

Again, when you keep saying that believers shouldn't experience "fear and trembling" you are begging the question: Who, in any given instance, is a "believer"?

 

[FreeNChrist]

We are saved by faith but because of this we should have works. Don't let Christ catch you with no good works.

But Christ did catch me, thank God, and it was before I did any good works. I pray that He does the same for all who come to the end of their rope and finally just let go.

 

[seed_time_harvest]

Without works our faith is dead The answer in (KJV)James2;14-18 says 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 Thanks the Lord for the best opportunity to show our faith by works on the wiked World and for our lovely Father.

Its true that action or good works Is expressed by the body but a person can pretend before men to have faith by their actions but they cannot pretend before GOD.
+++
Romans 4:1-2
King James Version(KJV)

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.

 

[breno785au]

The only work we owe to do is to love and the ability to do that comes from God anyway.

 

[20]

Its true that action or good works Is expressed by the body but a person can pretend before men to have faith by their actions but they cannot pretend before GOD.
+++
Romans 4:1-2
King James Version(KJV)

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.

I am agree with you we can't pretend for anything but our good works for him and for his name only (KJV)Revelation2;2-3 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars;3.And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

 

[resurrection33]

Actually, we aren't saved by faith, are we? We're saved by the Lord. After being saved, he expects us to obey his commandments.

 

[Zmouth]

The Holy Spirit being the Son is not an option.

So which one of the seven Spirits of God is the Holy Spirit?

"... and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;" Rev 1:4


"... that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;..." Rev 3:1


"....and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." Rev 4:5

 

[phil36]

Actually, we aren't saved by faith, are we? We're saved by the Lord. After being saved, he expects us to obey his commandments.

By grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone...

 

[followjesus]

Are we saved by faith alone, or do we need works, too?


by Matt Slick
12/05/08
Roman Catholics often mention that the Bible never says we are saved by faith alone, and that the phrase "faith alone" occurs only once in James where it says that we are not saved by faith alone. If this is so, then why do the Protestants say we are justified by faith alone and not by works? Because the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith alone--and not by works.
The following is a list of verses about being saved by faith. Please take note that faith and works are contrasted. In other words, we are saved by faith "not by works" and "apart from works," etc. The point is that there are only two options. We are saved by faith alone, or we are not. Since we have faith and works (both conceptually and in practice), then we are either saved by faith alone or by faith and works. There is no other option.
If we see that the scriptures exclude works in any form as a means of our salvation, then logically, we are saved by faith alone. Let's take a look at what the Bible says about faith and works. Then, afterwards, we will tackle James' statement about "faith alone".

• Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."
• Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"
• Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;"
• Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;"
• Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
• Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
• Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
• Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
• Gal. 3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."
• Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith."
• Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9Not by works, lest any man should boast."
• Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

Again, works/Law is contrasted with faith repeatedly; and we are told that we are not justified by works in any way. Therefore, we are made right with God by faith--not by faith and our works, hence, faith alone.
James 2:24, not by faith alone

The scriptures clearly teach that we are saved (justified) by faith in Christ and what He has done on the cross. This faith alone saves us. However, we cannot stop here without addressing what James says in James 2:24, "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."
There is no contradiction. All you need to do is look at the context. James chapter 2 has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us not to show favoritism. Verses 8-13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works.
James begins this section by using the example of someone who says he has faith but has no works, "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" (James 2:14). In other words, James is addressing the issue of a dead faith--a faith that is nothing more than a verbal pronouncement, a public confession of the mind, and is not heart-felt. It is empty of life and action. He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17, words without actions). Then he shows that type of faith isn't any different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith that has words followed by actions. Works follow true faith and demonstrate that faith to our fellow man but not to God. James writes of Abraham and Rahab as examples of people who demonstrated their faith by their deeds.
In brief, James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20). But, he is not contradicting the verses above that say salvation/justification is by faith alone.
Also, notice that James actually quotes the same verse that Paul quotes in Rom. 4:3 amongst a host of verses dealing with justification by faith. James 2:23 says, "and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" If James was trying to teach a contradictory doctrine of faith and works than the other New Testament writers, then he would not have used Abraham as an example. Therefore, we can see that justification is by faith alone, and that James was talking about false faith--not real faith--when he said we are not justified by faith alone.

wow..... Faith isnt something hidden in our minds though is the thing, True faith is ALWAYS expressed by action. consider the hall of faith

hebrews 11:4-8"By faith Abel OFFERED unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying OF HIS GIFTS: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he PLEASED GOD. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. 7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, MOVED WITH FEAR, PREPARED AN ARK to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS BY FAITH.
8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, OBEYED AND HE WENT OUT; , not knowing whither he went. "

the idea that faith has no works is to misunderstand what faith is. notice Faith is expressed by action, By faith abel offered a better sacrifice..by Faith enoch was translated because he pleased God when he was on earth as a man, by faith noah heard God tell Him of the flood and he built the ark, By faith abram was told to go, and He obeyed God and went.....Faith is enough to save, but faith is to Obey God. and Grace has made us well able through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Faith without works resulting is useless and will actually condemn the person. To Know what God said, and refuse His authority places condemnation, to repent and turn to Him in obedience.....is the evidence of Faith.

you have faith that you will get your paycheck on payday, so you go to work, if you doubted they would pay you your probably gonna find a job you have faith youll get paid for your work. faithfulness is what were after, to keep faith with the Lord as one keeps faith with a spouse, is faithful to the marriage and actions are very much a part ofthat...or try telling a wife " even if im sleeping with this other woman, im faithful to our marriage" wont fly to far though. The world has an idea that faith is just a thought or an invisible idea or inward belief that has no fruit, or evidence. Faith is the root, action is the fruit.

 

[jaybird88]

i wouldnt put much focus into anything written by Matt Slick.

 

[followjesus]

Man, if it had anything to do with our works we wouldn't stand a chance. It wasn't about our works to begin with, why would it be after?
God has set us for good works, mercy, forgiveness and love that which He causes in the believer anyway, so it's His works working through us.

Man, if it had anything to do with our works we wouldn't stand a chance. It wasn't about our works to begin with, why would it be after?

your answer

ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM."

even more important reason

romans 2:5-.10 "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7To them who by patient continuance in WELL DOING seek for glory and honour and immortality, ETERNAL LIFE: 8But unto them that are contentious, and DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, but OBEY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, INDIGNATION AND WRATH, 9Tribulation and ANGUISH, upon EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL, of the JEW FIRST and ALSO OF THE GENTILE; 10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that WORKETH GOOD, to the JEW first, and also to the GENTILE: 11For there is no respect of persons with God."

galatians 66- 9 ":Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7BE NOT DECIEVED; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

its about works, because we are saved for the purpose of doing good works, which is what Love is. true we cant be saved by our works, but Jesus saved us for a purpose, he called us to repentance and sanctification, for the very purpose that is repeatedly written. and true its about Loving God and others yet that also is written clearly

1 john 5:2-3 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

pretty plain there what Love is but heres more clarity

1 john 3:16-18 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but IN DEED AND IN TRUTH."

What we do in response to Gods sacrifice of His only begotten Son, has eternal consequences. there is grace when we fall but we have a role that holds us to the highest accountability. people confuse the useless works of the mosaic Law things like new moon festivals, and eating pork, things like self rightoeusness those things have no value, but those things are not what The gospel teaches. the new testament is A new testament of God. the old was through moses, the new through Jesus.

what we do after accepting Jesus suffering for our sins, is of utmost importance. if a person is a new creation in Jesus Christ, we cant also hold to the old, gotta obey God because thats what the Word says.

 

[Roughsoul1991]

Working out our salvation is a wonderful verse of the faithfulness of God and that it is in fact Him that brings this about in us.

Working out the salvation that is in us is often quoted but they leave the context out for some unknown reason. Keep reading.

Phil. 2:13 comes after Phil. 2:12 - For it is God who is at work in you - both to will which is the desire and the to do which is the capability of doing His good pleasure.

We are simply working outwardly in our outward behavior and living what is already in us in our new creation in Christ which has been created in righteousness and holiness.

We are NOT a new evolution - we are now a new creation. Behold1 which means to look, to see, to perceive. old things have passed away and new things have come. Find out that those "new things" are and we'll start growing in Christ instead of trying to create and maintain salvation.

Works-based mindsets and religion always get the gospel and the things of God backwards - they are trying to achieve and hold on to the things that Christ already accomplished. We live by faith and it is this faith in Him that we have access to His grace.

So, work out your salvation with fear and trembling is a beautiful verse of the faithfulness of God. With fear and trembling is also a Jewish term that shows the goodness and grace of God for us.

Fear and trembling in Greek was respect and dependence on God (trembling being weak). Obedience and submission which takes some working out to be obedient.

We are simply working outwardly in our outward behavior and living what is already in us in our new creation in Christ which has been created in righteousness and holiness.

You are right he works in us but does not force us. Your quote above would be true until we sin and do something detestable to God. But by your quote above that sin would still be from God because we no longer are held accountable to our cooperation with God, because God does all the work in us. You have to include all scripture on Christian living.

 

[SovereignGrace]

Works are an outpouring of who we are working for.

Faith saves us and nothing else. Once saved, we are working for Christ and not Satan.

 

[followjesus]

Fear and trembling in Greek was respect and dependence on God (trembling being weak). Obedience and submission which takes some working out to be obedient.



You are right he works in us but does not force us. Your quote above would be true until we sin and do something detestable to God. But by your quote above that sin would still be from God because we no longer are held accountable to our cooperation with God, because God does all the work in us. You have to include all scripture on Christian living.

That is exactly right, because we read a scripture saying " you are saved by Grace so that no one can boast" this in no way makes irrelevant all of the instructions taught by the Lord, and taught by the apostles. paul taught again and again How to live in order to please God, he taught a pretty high standard of living actually. sanctification just like Jesus, holiness and godly living Just like jesus, non retaliation and longsuffering, enduring hardships, being patient in suffering, continuing in the doctrine of Jesus paul taught the same gospel that Jesus taught to the Jews and then commanded them to teach the world for salvation. the prophets makes things plain. they explain the gospel before the birth of Jesus really....

 

[followjesus]

Works are an outpouring of who we are working for.

Faith saves us and nothing else. Once saved, we are working for Christ and not Satan.

yeah its a matter of the fact that if there are no works of repentance and righteousness, if we continue on in sin...faith is void and failed the test when it comes. faith is tested in order to cause growth and maturity. faith is active, a fruiotless tree with the word faith carved in its trunk will be cast away because there was no fruit John ch 15 Wroks are the evidence of true faith. had abram only said " i believe you lord, and then when God said get up and go to a land ill show you, abram didnt obey......thats different. in other words

" saying Lord lord will lead to " away from me i never knew you" but to those who acted from Faith and fed the hungry, clothed the poor, gave water to the thirsty, visited the sick and imprisoned" as Jesus himself says will be welcomed into the kingdom, those who say : lord we prophecied, we drove out demons in YOUR NAME.( proof they believed in His name) yet they did nothing he taught concerning true brotherl;y Love " the good samaritan kind of Love, the action and deed, truth Love that He taught and exhibited to us in His ministry and also His walk to the cross. what we do is the evidence, the Truth of our faith.

If God gave His only Son, who among us can say " its not right to dedicate 100 percent of all i am to Jesus who suffered and died. God will do what we cant accomplish, but we belong to Jesus for eternity we have a Lord and we are taught to learn and follow His way. that includes actually doing what He says to do. its what is written thats all im saying.

 

[jerry2465]

a person can't earn salvation by good deeds or keeping the law of Moses (Matthew 7:22-23), however your life should produce "good fruit" as a result of your faith. Jesus even says whoever has his commandments and KEEPS them loves him, and a good tree (Christian) bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. Jesus also specifically instructed his followers to do good work, even with the great commission
"GO out and PROCLAIM the gospel" is a direct order to make effort for the cause of Christ. Jesus said "whoever loves me keeps my commandments" its easy for someone to say "yeah im a christian" but then continue life just as he always has without giving mind to Christ in his actions, but for someone who truly loves God, he will automatically bear fruit as a response to that love. So we don't work to gain salvation, but rather we work as a result of our salvation.



[h=1]John 14:21English Standard Version (ESV)[/h] [SUP]21 [/SUP]Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”



[h=1]Mark 16:14-15English Standard Version (ESV)[/h] [h=3]The Great Commission[/h][SUP]14 [/SUP]Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. [SUP]15 [/SUP]And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.




[h=1]Luke 6:43-45English Standard Version (ESV)[/h] [h=3]A Tree and Its Fruit[/h][SUP]43 [/SUP]“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, [SUP]44 [/SUP]for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [SUP]45 [/SUP]The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.




[h=1]Matthew 12:46-50English Standard Version (ESV)[/h] [h=3]Jesus' Mother and Brothers[/h][SUP]46 [/SUP]While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers[SUP][a][/SUP] stood outside, asking to speak to him.[SUP][b][/SUP] [SUP]48 [/SUP]But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” [SUP]49 [/SUP]And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! [SUP]50 [/SUP]For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

[mailmandan]

Man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-24). Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all would demonstrate there is no root.

It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony.*

 

[Grace777x70]

All true faith will in some form have a corresponding action or work that accompanies that faith.

 

[garee]

Salvation is not without merit. The eternal wage of sin must be paid in full.

We are saved by the work of Christ by which he merited the grace he freely bestows of those He calls . It is not of our selves in any way shape or form .. we defend his faith that works in us, it defends us.

Faith is a work according to what He believes. Separating Christ's works from His faith shows death remains.

Jam 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Why does it seem that people cannot understand that faith without works or faith without his labor of love is dead?

It would almost seem some might think God does not have faith, or somehow does not need it ?

Either faith is dead without works, or faith is dead without works.No limbo in between. Changing the law: "faith without works is dead" changes the author who gave it so that we can believe it.