Is the faith God bases our salvation on more than our beliefs alone?

Romans 10:9

Jesus does not say " if you do not forgive others then God will no longer be your Father ... " bad attitudes do block God's flow of blessing in our lives and impede our walk with God.

For there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus


1 John 4:18

For sure, our salvation is based on more than 'faith alone'. Nowhere in the bible say that faith alone will save us. In fact, the only place where the Bible mentions 'faith alone' is in the book of James and it tells us that faith alone will not save us, faith without works is dead.

Jesus emphasizes this. He tells us that many will have faith in Him and call out 'Lord Lord' but won't be saved. But only those that do the Will of the Father in heaven will be saved. Satan believes that Jesus is God and he's always believed that, but Satan wasn't saved.

Finally, in the Gospel of Matthew, the Judgement of Nations, we are told that we show love of God through love of neighbor. Those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked visit the sick and imprisoned will inherit eternal life because when they showed their love to their neighbor they were also showing their love to Jesus.

The judgment of nations is a blueprint for how each of us will be judged. But the Judgement of Nations gospel doesn't mention having faith alone at all.

It is true that works won't save us, but we shall know our faith through the works they produce.

Satan believes that Jesus is God and he's always believed that, but Satan wasn't saved.

No contradiction in the scriptures, but there are two kinds of faith.
The first kind is, under conviction, placing your faith in Jesus and receiving eternal salvation. Like for Roman's 10 and John 3:16.

This starts the relationship with Jesus. Then there is daily faith, depending on Him thru our lives, and this is where you see the likes of James chapter 2 come in.

Faith dead... in James..as in unused, dormant, useless... not that it is lost or never there. Why? Because all the examples in James of Acts of service aren't about the first kind of faith in receiving Christ as Saviour.

Jesus tells us that only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. So what is the Will of the Father? That's simple and is summed up in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus tells us that those who love God with their whole heart and their neighbor as themselves will obtain eternal life/salvation.

Note the paradox here. Jesus is praising the actions of the Good Samaritan. However, Samaritans had no faith in the One True God as they had become idolators and estranged from the One True God of Israel. Yet Jesus points out this Samaritan of no faith as being the example for obtaining salvation. Jesus points to his example and says, 'Do this and you shall live, have eternal life.'
Again, no mention of faith alone.

1. Believing God.
2. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's not make things unnecessarily complicated.
Obviously you do not understand justification by grace through faith. So to refute your statement (bolded) we have Ephesians 2:8-10.

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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

There is no contradiction. John 5:24 Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Jesus tells us to hear all that He taught and that we must love God and our neighbor and show it through actions. THAT IS WHAT HE TAUGHT. Belief isn't just believing that Jesus is God and our Savior but also believing what He taught.


John 5:24 Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Faith in Jesus is believing in Him and all he taught us to do. He taught us the Lord's Prayer. Remember the prayer to the Father, 'Thy Will Be Done' and the Father's will is to love God and neighbor, can't have one without the other. And you can't have love of God or neighbor without actions. Christian love isn't just some kind of warm fuzzy feeling, it takes actions.

Satan always believed Jesus was God? Jesus' Messianic mission did not become widely publicized until after His baptism, which followed His temptation in the desert by Satan, who prefaced 2/3 of his offers to Jesus with, “If You are the Son of God...” When the demons called Lord Jesus “The Son of God”, it was likewise after the temptation in the desert. Satan and his angels knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but did they suspect Jesus was the Logos from God the Father and therefore God Himself, eternal and almighty, unable to be defeated?

The devil believes God exists, but he doesn’t trust God to save him; instead, he knows
that some day the final battle will be fought and that God alone will be victorious.

James, show me your faith without works, it is dead.

ROMANS 4:WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH JUST LIKE ABRAHAM

1. Abraham believed God and it was imputed (counted) to him for righteousness
1What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

2. The same justification is available to all who believe
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

3. Even David was aware of justification by grace through faith
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

4. Abraham was not circumcised when he was justified by grace
9Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

5. Righteousness is imputed to those who are justified through faith
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

6. It is only by grace that we are saved through faith
16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

7. Abraham's faith was strong and expected the impossible
18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

8. What was written about Abraham was also written for our sake's
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Works come later. Not relevant.

Thanks everyone for your most thoughtful answers.

It always amazes me how our God is never a God of extremes. It is extreme to say that it does not matter what we do to express our faith in the Lord, it is only what we believe. It is extreme to say that we must obey the rules God gives us in order to be saved. Both are in error.

The Lord with His kindness and mercy gives of himself to live within us and when we listen to Him we follow Him. If our flesh takes over and we fail for a time, the Lord is always there to pick us up and clean away the failure.

“John 5:24 Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

judged should read condemned or judged guilty.

when he says hear my word it means acknowledge and accept it as his word so he’s saying if we hear his word


“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

there’s a lot on the gospel to learn and believe as we go through life eventually we get to things like this if we hear his word

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:46‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“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. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:22-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:40-42‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So if we hear these things and believe in him we’re going to eventually come to the right understanding and apply it to our life.

what Jesus said was always based on people hearing his doctrine and believing in what he was saying and then becoming disciples applying our beliefs to life .

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
‭‭John‬ ‭7:16-17‬ ‭

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:51‬ ‭

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:

and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:23-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

both comfort forgiveness and also rebuke and teaching and exhortation to repentance is found in Jesus words in the gospel it’s why what he preached is so important it brings us into inner clarity and purity and that brings real repentance in life that lasts

Great post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scripture tells us: "Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

I have found myself reacting to an insult a poster has made to me in a way that does not follow these instructions from our Lord, and many posters are in rebellion to these words. Some posters feel they are right in their attitude toward other posts. We know the Lord tells us we may discuss His ways with each other, we can disagree. I am speaking of the personal insults, not the disagreements.

I feel it is important that we listen to the instructions our Lord gives us, face up to our failures, and ask forgiveness for ourselves. We are accept what the other poster decides to do with love for him. That isn't easy to do.

This is only one incident of sin, how do you think the Lord wants us to handle sin, the times we do not follow Him? This is only one example of that.

a very old and well used image here in the forum



fits in perfectly with the op

old and many times recycled

rinse and repeat cause one day, just maybe one day, works will supercede faith and we actually will be able to add to Jesus finished work

news flash: without the Holy Spirit we would not even know or understand salvation. how do some people continue to confuse their own efforts with actual salvation?

we cannot even keep ourselves. that is also the domain of God through His Spirit

repeat often until you get this