'Meritorious' works bad, Justified works good

[ATG]

Meritorious works don't save anyone. Only works of faith justify the person.

I've seen many OSAS Christians talk about 'meritorious' works, when trying to disannul all works from being saved and justified with God by Jesus Christ.

First off, it's not possible to separate our works from our salvation and justification, without separating our faith from our lives. How can any person be a saved and justified Christian of God, and not have any works of faith to live by: For the just shall live by his faith.
Secondly, if our works must be separated from our salvation and justification with God, then they can't be any good with God or man: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

And so meritorious works that do not justify a person with God, must be works of man that are not of God, specifically works that men without Christ can boast of:

Eph{2:8}
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
And so, proud meritorious works are not the humble good works, that people can only do through Jesus Christ our Lord:
Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Salvation and justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, is without all works of men's righteousness, not without works of God's righteousness by faith:

Titus{3:4}
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
These 'meritorious' works which men do, include our own works of righteousness, law, and, good will without Christ. They are not evil works in themselves, but neither are they the good works justified by God, that can only be done by the grace and faith of Jesus Christ.

3 John{1:11}
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that is doing good is of God: but he that is doing evil hath not seen God.
Act 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

And so, we see only the good done by God with us, Immanuel, are justified by Jesus Christ to the glory of God:

Mat 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Conclusion: No man is justified by his own works without Christ, lest he boast in himself alone, which are 'Meritorious' works of man alone. The meritorious works that do not justify any man, are self-meritorious, not God glorifying...

1Co 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

 

[ATG]

Works by grace exclude self-meritorious works to boast of;

Rom 11:6
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
We notice here, that if justification is by grace, then it is no more of works, not that it is of no works at all. If it is of no works, then there is no more grace.

Only self-glorifying works are not by grace, but works glorifying God are always of grace, else grace has no works at all.

Once any person repents of our own works without Christ, and receives by grace the faith of Jesus Christ, then our works are no more of boasting, but only of glorying God by Christ Jesus:

Mat 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The manufactured error of 'meritorious' works, that is used for OSAS justification by faith alone without works; Is to make all works done by man self-meritorious, so that no works done by any man can justify him with God.

Which was false for Abraham, Rahab, and Jesus:

James{2:21}
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only…Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Act 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

And also now false for all sons of God by Jesus Christ, whose works by grace through faith only bring glory to God the Father:

1Co 6:19
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

If it be by grace, then it is no more of our own works without Christ, but only of our works through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

[ATG]

Eph{2:8}
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

With God, neither the grace, faith, nor works are of ourselves, but are all the gift of God by Jesus Christ.

If by the free gift of God, it be by grace through faith, that are not of ourselves, then neither are the works of ourselves, that we can boast of.

Self-meritorious works of man are not by grace and faith in Jesus Christ. Only works done by a person with God, are justified by God:

Act 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Phl 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

[God-fearing]

Now can you explain why Jesus told his disciples not to rebuke the stranger who was doing good works in Jesus name and jesus replied
Those that are not against us are for us. Mark 9:40

 

[ATG]

Now can you explain why Jesus told his disciples not to rebuke the stranger who was doing good works in Jesus name and jesus replied
Those that are not against us are for us. Mark 9:40

Mar 9:39
But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.

The record is not of doing good works, but of miracles done in Jesus' name. If Jesus does a miracle by any person on earth, it's not against His own kingdom.

Mat 12:25
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

The miraculous work itself is part of His kingdom. So don't forbid the miracle, just because the one speaking is not part of His church.

Mat 7:22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In any case, if you're saying that self-meritorious works justify men with God, then who needs Jesus Christ?

All religions with good works are welcome into the universal brotherhood of good people, including atheists, satanists, pagans, etc... any person that does good works.

There are Christians that preach all men are now saved by Jesus' work on a cross, and all they need do is good works to also have a better life on earth, before eternal life in the resurrection.

You one of them?