SALVATION ONLY POSSIBLE WITHOUT WORKS!

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Timeline

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2014
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Did I say I negated grace?
Did I say I rob God of His glory?
Who said anything about not about having grace or doing merit.

More strawmen. Nothing remotely relevant to what I stated again. Unfounded assertions, meaningless rhetoric.
You can't do better than that? Where is your evidence of "being saved by faith only"?
Besides scriptures posted, we have the thief on the cross next to Jesus. This man was saved because of compassion and because he requested Jesus to remember him. Now I think we can agree he did not do any works. Today someone that is paralyzed or is unable to work would be granted the same grace. However if you are able to work and do not, I believe that you are in danger of being lost. We are not saved by works, but if we do not work there is a good chance that we are not saved because we are ungrateful.
 

Apostol2013

Senior Member
Jan 27, 2013
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10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
 
A

Alligator

Guest
Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

John 14:21

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

John 14:23

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

John 14:15-16

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.

Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'… Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

James 2:14-26

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? [SUP]15 [/SUP]If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, [SUP]16 [/SUP]and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[SUP][a][/SUP] is that? [SUP]17 [/SUP]So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. [SUP]18 [/SUP]But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [SUP]19 [/SUP]You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! [SUP]20 [/SUP]Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? [SUP]21 [/SUP]Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? [SUP]22 [/SUP]You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; [SUP]23 [/SUP]and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. [SUP]24 [/SUP]You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. [SUP]25 [/SUP]And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? [SUP]26 [/SUP]For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
The 10 commandments are part of the law (2Cor 3:7-11, James 2:10).




You refer in part to Matt 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[c]angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

This is all referring to preaching the gospel to the unsaved.
Remember that scripture is SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED, 1Cor2:14.


Below are some scriptures to give the spiritual context to what is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, taking in the stranger, etc.


What is the spiritual food/drink that mankind is in need of?
It's Christ Jesus.
1 Cor 10:3-4
And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.


Who are those in spiritual prison?
It's those who are without Christ.
Isa 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;


And what is the state of mankind without Christ?
It's spiritually sick, and needing to hear the gospel of Christ.
Isa 1:5-6
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.


And how are the spiritually naked clothed?
Isa 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,


And who is the spiritual stranger?
Eph 2:12
that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel andstrangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.


Eph 2:19
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,


So we see scripture speaking in spiritual terms regarding preaching the gospel of grace. And in doing the works of believing in Jesus, John 6:29, Christians also let their light shine preaching the gospel of Christ to spiritually feed, clothe, heal and set free, the lost.
Matt 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works (believing in Jesus, John 6:29), and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Our works are to believe on Jesus. These works manifest as preaching the gospel to the lost, as described above.
We also see these works of believing on Jesus manifesting in terms that we do not fornicate with Hagar, who is symbolic for righteousness by works of the law (Gal 4:24). Christians do not follow lukewarm doctrines that mix works of the law (Hagar) with grace, Rom 11:6

We also see that Christians do not get into drunkenness. Again this is not speaking of physical drunkenness, but instead it refers to spiritual drunkenness from the spiritual wine of fornication with Hagar, Rev 17:1,2.

All these works described above are works of believing on Jesus.

This differs from what legalists here preach regarding works of the law (10 commandments, etc). Those who preach these works focus only on the physical and they preach condemnation/death to anyone who does not attain some minimum standard of obedience to the law.
i will simply say that looking after our fellow man and performing works of obedience involve both the spiritual and physical. But as I said earlier, leading the true Christian life involves more than simply believing.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
You do realize that this is all about works of the law of Moses, do you not? Passages like Rom. 3:18 , Gal. 5:4, etc. Prove this. I don't know many people on this board who actually believe we are still subject to the law of Moses. But the fact that we are no longer under the law, but under grace doesn't mean we are free from all obligations to Christ. We are commanded to care for the needy, visit the sick, preach the Gospel, etc. There is more to Christianity than just believing. If performing these commands means that I'm a "legalist" , then I'm more than happy to wear that honor.
This excuse of everyone who believes in faith alone believing it is ok to go on living in sin and not doing any work is getting old and quite restless.

When are you people going to open up and realise true faith produces true action. One can not truly repent, Truly have faith in ALL God says about them, their circumstances because of who they are and what they have done, and the only way to have this circumstance taken care of.

NO ONE who truly knows where he was, TRULY has complete faith and assurance in everything God has said about the above, WHo has been truly born of god and truly give the spirit of God on their hearts will

1. Stop believing
2. Not show any type of work
3. Live in sin
4. give God the finger and say here God, take your gift back.

I think it is quite obvious you people have not done any of the above, if you have you would not still live in fear. Still think you can fall away Still think you can oppose the holy Spirit who is supposedly in you, and walk away completely.

wake up and smell the rose of the gospel before it is too late!

And yes, I am yelling, I am so sick of being misrepresented by so many people who refuse to listen or understand what we believe
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
Did I say I negated grace?
Did I say I rob God of His glory?
Who said anything about not about having grace or doing merit.

More strawmen. Nothing remotely relevant to what I stated again. Unfounded assertions, meaningless rhetoric.
You can't do better than that? Where is your evidence of "being saved by faith only"?
Just because you do not come right out and say it, Does not mean it is true.

The pharisees did not say it either, But if we really know who they were, we would know they say everything you claim you do not say

And since your nothing but a NT version of them who has replaced mosaic law with the law of your church, it should be obvious you are in fact saying the same things they were.

Just because you believe in Christ does not mean anything, Instead of being a messianic jew who adds the law to grace, Your a roman christian who adds roman law to grace. That is the only difference, what rules and regulations and sacraficial tradition you follow
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
i will simply say that looking after our fellow man and performing works of obedience involve both the spiritual and physical. But as I said earlier, leading the true Christian life involves more than simply believing.
if you simply believe, you are not saved, Never have been, FAITH SAVEs not mere belief.

but you have been shown this many times, and still do not see it.
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
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Elin,

Not when you understand that God works through means (second causes) in bringing his sons to glory.
Faith comes through the means (second cause) of hearing, not by being dropped into you directly.
Renewal comes through the means (second cause) of warnings, not by being dropped into you directly.
Sanctification comes through the means (second cause) of obedience, not by being dropped into you directly. Etc., etc., etc.
You don't understand the economy of salvation.
And how does this actually speak about what I stated? Where is all this nonsense about "second causes" come from?
YOu making this stuff up as you go since you have nothing to support your view from scripture?
It absolutely does. . .in Mt 7:21-23, but your understanding is too shallow to see it.
And I understand all too well your self-serving rationale for denying counterfeit faith.
Where does scripture use the term, counterfeit believer? this text surely does not. Vs22 tells you that these thought they were beleivers, because on one point in the past time they explain that they cast out demons,and done wonders in your name. Jesus says that He never knew them because they were practicing lawlessness. Belief, believing is constant, continuing and active. It cannot stop. If it does as in this case, they departed from Christ, so why would you expect Christ to grant eternal life with Him. It is the faithful that endure, not do it for a time then give up.
Explain to me how someone can apostisize that was never in a group, or held that groups tenets apostasize? Do you know what the word means?
Not true believers, only counterfeit believers, as those in Mt 7:21-23, because they had no salvation
in the first place.
Their faith was counterfeit.
But your understanding is too shallow and self-servingly prejudiced against it to see that.
a believer is a believer. YOu can call him anythng you want but he was a believer. It clearly shows a believer who fell away because they were no longer abiding in Christ, they were not longer doing the will of God.

Because they are unbelievers. . .how did you miss that?
Counterfeit faith is not true faith (Mt 7:21-23), it is actually faith in untruth, which blinds.
So we are to believe that Christ assigns unbelievers with the unbelievers. Specifically Matt 24:41ff we have a faithful servant who took Jesus for granted and thought he could get away with beating his fellow servants. His master, Christ, at the judgement (or death of the servant) he will be cast (where?) in heaven? It says the UNFAITHFUL servant will be cut in two and appoint him with hypocites were there is knashing of teeth. In order for anyone to BECOME UNFAITHFUL, one must of necessity be faithful.
YOu are really fishing now. Or is it just throwing mud against a wall, hoping some will stick?
Not according to Paul. . .that's your own idea.
You'll have to take it up with him.
You accept an authority outside Scripture which authorizes what Scripture does not state.
Therefore, you are wasting your time and ours here.
no evidence and trot out the enuendo, mischaracterizations and strawman.
 
H

haz

Guest
i will simply say that looking after our fellow man and performing works of obedience involve both the spiritual and physical. But as I said earlier, leading the true Christian life involves more than simply believing.
Physical good deeds helping the physically needy are done by non-Christians as well. So if you are looking at such deeds you won't see any difference between Christians and non-Christians.

The thief on the cross who called Jesus "Lord" did not do any physical good deeds, nor obedience to the law. That thief however did believe on Jesus and even rebuked the other thief who mocked Jesus. This is just one example of works that shows our faith.
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
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Hi Shyness,

Perhaps you missed my earlier post to you. Here it is again, regarding Matt 7.

What is God's will?
John 6:40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This is consistent with the gospel of grace.
This is also consistent with the works Jesus told us to do, John 6:29.

And who are those who practice lawlessness and are told to depart from the Lord?
Answer: It's the legalists who preach the law.

Remember that whatever the law says it says to those under it, Rom 3:19
It's the legalists here on this forum who are under the law. And in this they make themselves a sinner.
Gal 2:18
For if I build again the things which I destroyed (righteousness by works of the law) , I make myself a transgressor/SINNER

Here we see scripture confirming that it's the legalists who are told to depart as they chose righteousness by works of the law instead of righteousness by faith. Legalists reject Christ's sacrifice and what it offers us. Instead they have chosen to be under the law. Hence, whatever the law says it says to them. And they will be found guilty (Rom 3:19, James 2:10). They are rightly described as those who practice lawlessness.

As for Christians, however, we believe on Jesus. Our faith is counted for righteousness, Rom 4:5. Christ's sacrifice has sanctified us, Heb 10:10. Our life is hid with Christ in God, Col 3:3. Hence Satan, the accuser, cannot charge us with lawlessness.
Rom 8:33
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Shyness, if you are following error doctrine that mixes works of the law with grace, God says youcannot do that, Rom 11:6.
He asks you to repent of your dead works of righteousness by works of the law, and instead that you should believe on Jesus.

Nothing in this thread is about "works of the law". The opposition to the OP, including Aligator, has never stated, or even alluded to "works of the law". Your whole post is actually irrelevant because it is not addressing the topic.
 
A

Alligator

Guest
if you simply believe, you are not saved, Never have been, FAITH SAVEs not mere belief.

but you have been shown this many times, and still do not see it.
i just decided at random to open this post since I've had you blocked for some time. This is why you haven't been hearing from me. I'm glad I opened it because this nonsense assures me I made the right decision .
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
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Besides scriptures posted, we have the thief on the cross next to Jesus. This man was saved because of compassion and because he requested Jesus to remember him. Now I think we can agree he did not do any works. Today someone that is paralyzed or is unable to work would be granted the same grace. However if you are able to work and do not, I believe that you are in danger of being lost. We are not saved by works, but if we do not work there is a good chance that we are not saved because we are ungrateful.
We are not speaking about non-believers who are NOT working. We are speaking about believers who at some point in their lives stop bearing fruit. For arguements sake, these people do not repent ever after that point. If so, they were believers but are no longer believers and will NOT BE SAVED.
Your exception example is just that. Jesus will not turn any seeker of Him away. If one seeks Him, he will find, and Jesus will take him in. This is called the 11th hour salvation, or if you want to make it even tighter, 11:45, thus 15 minutes before death. He will be saved. On the other hand, a person who believes at 2:00AM of his life but at 12PM he leaves Christ, He just does not want to be a believer. This is the person of Matt 7:22-23. He will not be saved because he did not remain abiding IN Christ. It is the end of our journey in this life that will determine if we receive the promise of eternal life with Christ.
 
N

nomos10

Guest
many people get confused about grace and law but if you have grace you will keep the law ! plain and straight . grace is not aganist law as paul said Rom 3:31 "do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law."
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
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This excuse of everyone who believes in faith alone believing it is ok to go on living in sin and not doing any work is getting old and quite restless.



When are you people going to open up and realise true faith produces true action. One can not truly repent, Truly have faith in ALL God says about them, their circumstances because of who they are and what they have done, and the only way to have this circumstance taken care of.

NO ONE who truly knows where he was, TRULY has complete faith and assurance in everything God has said about the above, WHo has been truly born of god and truly give the spirit of God on their hearts will

1. Stop believing
2. Not show any type of work
3. Live in sin
4. give God the finger and say here God, take your gift back.

I think it is quite obvious you people have not done any of the above, if you have you would not still live in fear. Still think you can fall away Still think you can oppose the holy Spirit who is supposedly in you, and walk away completely.

wake up and smell the rose of the gospel before it is too late!

And yes, I am yelling, I am so sick of being misrepresented by so many people who refuse to listen or understand what we believe
I understand your position to a point. You believe that one is finitely, written in stone, have irrevocable salvation upon the minute one believes. Once that person says He accepts Christ, He is absolutely saved, past tense. Then you say that this salvation/faith produces the good works of being a servant, a follower, obeying Christ, etc, etc, Because one is SAVED, how can one fall away. Impossible. Consequently you hold to a theology that says saved by faith only. Works do not save, have nothing to do with salvation, they are just gravey for God but they have no relevance.

This is where it gets fuzzy for me in understanding your position. Since they are irrelevant they would be optional, but I have heard several proponents say that a believer cannot do no works. It is inherent of a believer that he can only do good works and does them. Again fuzzy, I assume that he also cannot do bad works because that is then inherently not being a believer. Thus if he cannot do bad works, then he does not sin. Sin is bad works, namely not doing something according to God's will, which cannot happen for a believer. Some have even gone so far to say that the Holy Spirit actually does the good works. But again fuzzy, who does the bad works, who does the sinning?

Where am I on understanding your position? Enlighten me where I went off the road.
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
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Just because you do not come right out and say it, Does not mean it is true.

The pharisees did not say it either, But if we really know who they were, we would know they say everything you claim you do not say

And since your nothing but a NT version of them who has replaced mosaic law with the law of your church, it should be obvious you are in fact saying the same things they were.

Just because you believe in Christ does not mean anything, Instead of being a messianic jew who adds the law to grace, Your a roman christian who adds roman law to grace. That is the only difference, what rules and regulations and sacraficial tradition you follow
And I just did a response to what you claimed was total misrepresentation. The two threads, don't even add me in it, the proponents to saved by faith only, have yet to summarize, state correctly, what the opponents believe. They are consistanly mischaracterized, all of you are batting at strawmen.

Just like here. There is not even a statement that is close to anything I implied, inferred, and surely not directly stated.
I particularly, like the bit on Rome again. You attack Rome at any chance you get, and what is the relevance, I have no idea since I an not a Roman Christian anyway. But even if I was, you obviously don't know much about the RCC either. It is another strawman for you.
 

Cassian

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2013
1,960
7
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if you simply believe, you are not saved, Never have been, FAITH SAVEs not mere belief.

but you have been shown this many times, and still do not see it.
This is a mischaracterization again. Just want to point that out to you. You are imposing your understanding upon what the other person is saying.

Because you don't understand what your opposition is saying, how can you refute it? This is why you are hitting the strawman all the time. One does not need to believe what the other person is saying, but understanding is necessary.
 
H

haz

Guest
Nothing in this thread is about "works of the law". The opposition to the OP, including Aligator, has never stated, or even alluded to "works of the law". Your whole post is actually irrelevant because it is not addressing the topic.
Hi Cassian,

Forums are difficult places to get one's message across at the best of times. We each have our own positions with it's various labels, etc, describing particular aspects. No doubt "works of the law" is just one example that you have objected to as you see works of the law differently. The reality is that these differences are something we all will just have to work with.

However, I suggest that you would do better to refer to scripture to present your view. Many of those who seem to support your posts differ from you in that they argue based on scripture, hence I find them easier to understand than you. From what I've seen your posts focus mainly on anything else but scripture

I've tried several times to read your posts and all I see is fluff, bluster and obfuscation. I've noted that others have pointed this out to you also. As I don't have a lot of time on forums I didn't bother addressing your points as you weren't making any point of substance anyway. I offer this as advice, so hopefully you won't get offended and vengeful.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
i just decided at random to open this post since I've had you blocked for some time. This is why you haven't been hearing from me. I'm glad I opened it because this nonsense assures me I made the right decision .
Oh its nonsense?

Ok. So james is in error. I guess you like many would rather it not be in scripture, because it does not support your theory.


And please keep me on ignore. If you have nothing to add which would show I was wrong, but just wish to attack. Then it is not worth listening to your nonsense.
 
Dec 26, 2012
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1. Stop believing
2. Not show any type of work
3. Live in sin
4. give God the finger and say her
e God, take your gift back.

EG
I would be very,very careful on # 1 and # 4. Those are a matter of the heart and will. There is not one place were God says if one CHOOSES to walk away,where He will force you to stay. You can not find it. It's NOT THERE. In fact the Bible VERY CLEARLY warns that IT CAN HAPPEN.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
I understand your position to a point. You believe that one is finitely, written in stone, have irrevocable salvation upon the minute one believes. Once that person says He accepts Christ, He is absolutely saved, past tense. Then you say that this salvation/faith produces the good works of being a servant, a follower, obeying Christ, etc, etc, Because one is SAVED, how can one fall away. Impossible. Consequently you hold to a theology that says saved by faith only. Works do not save, have nothing to do with salvation, they are just gravey for God but they have no relevance.

This is where it gets fuzzy for me in understanding your position. Since they are irrelevant they would be optional,
Why would it get fuzzy? Why would you think it is optional. The only reason I can fathom this is you deny the true power of faith.

If you have true faith in what someone says, (the term literally means a "full assurance) Have you EVER in your life not had something change in your life. or done at least some of what the person said based on your COMPLETE trust in what was said?

Did Not Hebrews show us that the people who had true faith show that true faith by doing the things which they "could not see, but trusted God would do? Is that not what faith means? "the substance of things HOPED FOR, the evidence of things NOT SEEN. How can someone who has a full assurance and hope (faith) not do the things which would bring that hope into fruition?

Does not James infer this in his first chapter? Showing that people in times of stuffering are supposed to trust Christ, And those who do not trust Christ will be like a ship without a rudder being tossed to and fro. and not expect anything from God. Because instead of trusting God (faith) they are doubters who instead turn to the world to try to relieve their suffering themselves? (serving two masters?

If you can not get this BASIC truth of what faith is, you can not understand the gospel. or our believe system.


but I have heard several proponents say that a believer cannot do no works. It is inherent of a believer that he can only do good works and does them. Again fuzzy, I assume that he also cannot do bad works because that is then inherently not being a believer. Thus if he cannot do bad works, then he does not sin. Sin is bad works, namely not doing something according to God's will, which cannot happen for a believer. Some have even gone so far to say that the Holy Spirit actually does the good works. But again fuzzy, who does the bad works, who does the sinning?

This is nonsense.

Again, How can one who is fully assured of the words of Christ NOT DO WORKS? This is impossible. the only way they would not do works, is they are doubters. They may believe, but thay have no faith.


Where am I on understanding your position? Enlighten me where I went off the road.
you went off the road by not understand what faith really is. and thinking someone can trust and be fully assured of something, yet NOT DO anything which he actually claimed he trusted in.
 
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