Not By Works

Hello brother,

As mortals, when we see a policeman we feel guilty. When we see a speed limit, we look at the
speed we are doing. This is because we know we could be guilty not because we are.

So firstly we react against the law wondering what they mean and where we stand.
Jesus then asks us to look in more detail, how we behave and how He wants us to behave.
I remember years ago when this first happened to me. I felt broken. I realised my heart
had not started to begin to approach the issues of loving others and was settled just in doing
my own thing.

So then I began to think, how could I care for others? What is a service and a gift to them and
what would be a problem? So one could say this is a heavy burden, but actually it is the beginning
of opening the door to finding out what it means to love others.

Some think this is us working things out rather than taking the responsibility of who we are and
how God has called us to walk. And unless we start to work it through we will always just have
the dreaded feeling that we might be guilty. It is not surprising that sinners who wish to stay in
the dark, stay there, because to start to look in the light would change them and what they do.

We are put in him and he in us when we believe and obey.

Matthew 18:3 "I assure you," He said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

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.

Luke 13:3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Matthew 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Luke 11:28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

John 6:39-40

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

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.

I'll unpack it for you.
The law makes us feel condemned.
Because we know we can't keep it.
Jesus came to be our Savior.
Where are arms are to short to reach....He lengthens them.
Do your best, and quit worrying.
I've posted this before:

We do our best
Jesus does the rest.

The yoke is easy because if we love Jesus, He helps us to pull on it.
If you love your mother...you want to please her.
If you love a girl, you want to please her.
Same thing..only it's God.

If you can't pull the load --- don't.
The time will come when you can...
and if it never comes, so be it.
Just try.

To make things clearer Paul says this

I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Acts 26:20

Some say repenting is not necessary, and proving one repentance through deeds is heresy.
I would suggest people who hold this view are not Christians and do not know Jesus.

Jesus preached repentance, the apostles preached it and all expected repentant people to
show their repentance through their deeds or else it was just a show.

And as is clear the teachers of the law were happy to try to show they repented by being
baptised but did not show any change at all.

No such thing in the Bible as warning against obeying Jesus at anytime and that we will be a co savior!

You are preaching a false gospel when you go against our repenting of sins and having faith that Jesus' blood washes them away.

You don't know the scriptures where Jesus tells us what to do to get saved?

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “the Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Jesus saves us all on his own, and he says he saves those who obey.

Then believe Paul who says REPENT OF YOUR SINS.

amen brother

i listened

he seems to believe


1.Saved by grace through faith and not of works

2. works play no part in keeping us saved.

3. we are kept saved by God.

4. we are made new and given new desire for righteousness when born again.

5. if you go out from us you were not of us and we are not of them who fall from faith...



at one bit he seemed to contradict himself

but he used the word "if" a few times (just as the bible does) to fix it


seems legit to me assuming i didnt misunderstand him

We are to repent of dead works to save us. Which means coming to God with an understanding that we can do nothing, nor obey the Law, to achieve Salvation.

Jesus came to find the LOST sheep, those that KNOW they are lost and need Him. NOT to those proud sheep that think THEIR works and adherence to the Law can save them.

If we could repent (turn from) our sins BEFORE Christ gives us a NEW heart, and makes us a NEW creation, then we wouldn't need Him.

TURN FROM YOUR DEAD WORKS!

Good post H.
I enjoyed reading it.

If you don't mind I would just like to add my thoughts concerning your last sentence.

With regards to sinners staying in the dark.

With regards to a repeated pattern of sin I believe there is a cause.
Like the severe gambling addiction I had.
So I was afraid to discuss it after I spoke to someone once who just said "You are sinning so stop it"

I went underground after that. Felt judged, condemned and useless.
Even doubted my faith and asked God to kill me (and I had a wife and 4 kids).

Alas the church is good at shooting its wounded.

And it's easy not to look at the light because there is a fear of change.
It's not a case of not wanting to change but if one has an ingrained pattern then that's what causes the fear.

The church needs to be an open place for those struggling, the wounded can seek help and not be condemned but nursed back to health.

The cause of effect must be dealt with.
Until that is addressed it won't be dealt with and people will not be healed.

My experience tells me that concerning my severe gambling habit.

And that is a statement standing solid on the rock of truth. I was just going over my post fearing I may have conveyed that idea. I didn't see it.
I was just saying that the will of God will stand, and if it be his will to bless me with eternal life in his glorious presence, that is going to happen.

No one can be saved by works. I have never known a Christian say that they must be saved by works and not grace. But, once saved, there is work to be done.

Ooops...hit "post reply" by accident.
I somewhat disagree with the latter half of the statement though.
He gives no wiggle room to say that when he says in Isaiah that he will be found by them that did not seek him out, or asked for him, and they will be my people and I will be their God.

It means we have to repent of our SINS.
You don't even say things that are from the Bible. You repeat the teachings from false teachers.

I gave you scripture that that says repent!
It isn't dead works to obey God!

Hi 50....
I can agree with all you've said but would like to make two statements:

1. Your last sentence: "If there's the smallest factor...........I need not hope nor adhere to accomplishing either".

Why not? What about our transformation? Should we not have the hope to become a new creation?

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 4:24
And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:1-23
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ...

2 Peter 1:5-11
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ...

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.



2. It certainly is God who justifies us and this through no work of our own....Our salvation is our free gift from Him. So this is justification...What about sanctification? Do we cooperate with God for our eternal salvation?



2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But did you know that it is a false teaching of many? It is the teaching of Luther and Calvin.
God's will is that ALL be saved.
However, God saves those who obey Him.

We have to do what Jesus says to do to get saved. We have to have faith that is not dead, but alive with right action.

That is about the Gentiles hearing for the first time that they can be saved too.
It doesn't mean the Gentiles didn't have to obey Him; it means the first Gentiles were told that they can now be saved too without the purification works of the law.

God bless you for sharing sound doctrine brother.

john 9
39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

john 10
1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.


romans 9
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.