Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all would demonstrate there is no root.
This statement below from your previous post implies that both faith and works are the root of salvation:
To be saved from the flood they needed to believe and obey, to be saved from Egypt and be passed over, (last plague), they needed to believe and obey. To be part of God's people at the end we need to believe and obey.
Noah had already "found grace" (Genesis 6:8), was "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5), and "walked with God" BEFORE he built the ark. His obedience was a DEMONSTRATION of his faith and not the origin of it. Building the ark demonstrated his faith and saved Noah and his family (physically) from drowning. (Hebrews 11:17)
God told Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelites to paint blood on their door posts. This signified their faith in God's warning and marked them out from the pagan Egyptians; when the angel of death passed through Egypt he would pass over the doors marked with blood (hence the name, "Passover") without killing the firstborn males who lived within those houses.
Obedience is not forced or legalistic for genuine believers. So to be part of God's people at the end, just how much do we need to obey according to you? Where do you draw the line in the sand and say that you were "obedient enough" so now the Lord will be able to save you? Does that not imply that we are saved by faith AND obedience/works?
In that same post you also said:
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Those who focus heavy on law keeping, particularly with keeping the 10 commandments from the OT continuously cite verses about keeping the commandments as if that is the basis or means by which we will receive eternal life. (salvation by faith and works) 1 John 2:3 - By this we know that we have come to know Him, (already know Him, already saved, demonstrative evidence) if we "keep" (Greek word "tereo" - guard, observe, watch over - Strong's Greek: 5083. τηρέω (téreó) -- to watch over, to guard) His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep (guard, observe, watch over) His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. We do not flawlessly obey God's commandments 100% of the time. We are not sinless, without fault or defect, flawless, 100% of the time, but in the eyes of God, believers are seen in the eyes of God as righteous and flawless only because of the righteousness of God which is imputed by faith. (Romans 3:24-28; 4:5-6; Philippians 3:9 etc..)
Finally in that same post, you said:
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Salvation is not a reward that we receive based on works. 1 Corinthians 3:11 - For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14
If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15
If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; (of reward) but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
I'm judging based on your words and I've heard your same arguments from others who teach salvation by faith and works so what do you expect me to believe? Keeping (guarding, observing, watching over) His commandments is the demonstrative evidence of our love for the Lord, but is not the basis or means by which we obtain salvation.
Sure we should obey our Lord after we have been saved through faith, yet there is a difference between doing His will IN ORDER TO BECOME SAVED: John 6:40 - For
my Father’s will is that everyone who
looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
AND doing God's will AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SAVED: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Now
we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Obedience that believers produce "after they have been saved through faith" is the fruit of salvation or the means of salvation? Which do you proclaim?
Those who teach salvation by faith and works are typically fond of these verses. I'm sure that "turn from the holy commandments" in verse 21 really jumped out at you, especially if you believe that commandment keeping is the basis or means by which we obtain and/or maintain our salvation.
Now those who are truly born of God have received a new nature, a divine nature. They have been transformed from pigs and dogs into sheep. The change is more than just cosmetic, as in 2 Peter 2:20. *These cleaned up on the outside dogs and pigs were never sheep.*
Compare 2 Peter 1:4 -
"partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption - Strongs #5356 that is in the world through lust with 2 Peter 2:20 - with they
escaped the pollutions - Strongs #3356 (different Greek word) of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yet they are again entangled therein, and overcome. *Notice that 2 Peter 2:20
did not mention them being "partakers of the divine nature."
Corruption (Strongs #5356) (to shrivel or wither, spoil , ruin , deprave, corrupt , defile, to destroy by means of corrupting, to spoil as does milk). Corruption - describes decomposition or rotting of an organism and the accompanying stench. The utter depravity of the fallen flesh and the resultant moral decomposition of the world opposed to God is driven by it sinful lusts or evil desires.
Internal corruption.
Pollutions/Defilements (Strongs #3393) ("pollutions", "filthy things", "contaminations", "world's filth") describes the state of being tainted or stained by evil and refers to impurity, impure, tainted, defilement, foulness or pollution.
Pollutions/Defilement refers to what is on the
outside (2 Peter 2:20). But genuine believers have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)
Corruption is deeper than pollutions/defilements on the outside: it is decay on the inside.
Having the knowledge of Jesus Christ does not save a person if there is
no heart submission to that knowledge. The latter end is worse than the beginning for these men because rejecting this knowledge will make them more accountable at the judgment.
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