So IF works are NOT needed for our salvation,
WHY did Jesus say to do them?
Was He just wasting His breath?
Did He just feel like talking to those croweds?
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
It seems the works we are to walk in were already ordained by God.
When Jesus talked about works and helping the commandment who was he talking to?
Those under those laws.
Now before you jump on me I am not saying that what Jesus said in anyway shape or form is irrelevant for us.
Hebrews 10:14-18
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
As genuine beleivers God has now written his law in our hearts.
Now that being the case we will do good works because they have been written on our hearts.
If it's written on our hearts then we will do good works out of the true motive.
This motive is love.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
This love of God and love of others.
The reason Jesus asked us to obey him was so that world would see that we are his disciples, doing the things that Jesus has asked us to do is so that the world will see him, if they see him in us then hopefully they will want what we have and that is Jesus.
Any other motive is bad works as such.
Also to me at what point does obedience meet the pass mark?
What if I fall into a period of disobedience and Jesus comes back during that period?
If we were called to obedient 100% of the time in order to earn/keep salvation then Jesus could have just said "Shown you how to do, now go do it"
He would not need to have died.
We are saved by one thing and one thing only. Jesus in us and us in Jesus. The Holy Spirit testifies to this, to help us, he is our helper. He works in us to do good works and to continually remind us who we are.
What are we? We are children of the Father.
That being the case I feel that Jesus asked us to be obedient so the world will see the Father.
just my simple thoughts