It appears everyone is saying the same thing about salvation alone saves, but we still produce works, but let's make sure.
Here's how I see it:
1. Christ alone saves.
2. We die to the law.
3. We are reborn in Christ.
4. We are a new creation in Christ.
5. This new creation does the will of God naturally.
6. Sometimes the flesh tries to intervene.
7. We get to choose to follow flesh or Spirit, renewing of the mind.
8. As we follow Spirit we see fruit, James calls them works.
9. We see and reveal fruit/works, but only faith saves.
10. Apart from Christ we can do NOTHING, so we abide in the Vine and HIS fruit is grown through us.
We can see what a person truly believes by their gospel message.
If we say, Christ alone saves, this is what we believe.
If we say, Christ alone saves, but you better have works, we don't truly believe in the power of Christ to save and produce works. Remember the good works were prepared BEFORE us. He knows what He's doing, we don't need to add on to the gospel message, but we do need discipleship after salvation. He commands us of this.
Please note: Before Christ, we need Christ. After Christ, we need to grow up in Christ. This "growing" up process is called discipleship, maturity, and growing in the knowledge of the Lord several times in Scripture. It is this process that takes us from "fleshly/carnal minded" babes in Christ into mature believers lead by the Spirit.
Here's how I see it:
1. Christ alone saves.
2. We die to the law.
3. We are reborn in Christ.
4. We are a new creation in Christ.
5. This new creation does the will of God naturally.
6. Sometimes the flesh tries to intervene.
7. We get to choose to follow flesh or Spirit, renewing of the mind.
8. As we follow Spirit we see fruit, James calls them works.
9. We see and reveal fruit/works, but only faith saves.
10. Apart from Christ we can do NOTHING, so we abide in the Vine and HIS fruit is grown through us.
We can see what a person truly believes by their gospel message.
If we say, Christ alone saves, this is what we believe.
If we say, Christ alone saves, but you better have works, we don't truly believe in the power of Christ to save and produce works. Remember the good works were prepared BEFORE us. He knows what He's doing, we don't need to add on to the gospel message, but we do need discipleship after salvation. He commands us of this.
Please note: Before Christ, we need Christ. After Christ, we need to grow up in Christ. This "growing" up process is called discipleship, maturity, and growing in the knowledge of the Lord several times in Scripture. It is this process that takes us from "fleshly/carnal minded" babes in Christ into mature believers lead by the Spirit.