Do you believe that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?
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Well. I guess you cant explain something you don't understand. Maybe think on what Jesus said when he said "for without me ye can do nothing. "
It is also written in scripture that man is saved by grace through faith
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.…(Ephesians 2:8 & 9)
It is by grace you have been saved! (Ephesians 2:5)
On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (Acts 15:11)
26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works. 28 Amen I say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
You know a different God from me. My God is merciful, gracious, knows that I'm a sinner through and through with no hope of doing anything righteous. My human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. My righteousness is filthy rags. In there is no good thing. Saved by my works? Not a hope.
What was Abraham's work? He believed God. (James 2:23). I believed Jesus and I was saved before I knew anything about fruit or works or the Holy Spirit or the myriad truths that we learn after we are born again.
So works are the result of being saved, not the means to being saved.
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)
Well, technically “Confessing with your mouth…” would be a “work”. Would “Believing in your heart…” be a work? (Rom 10:9-10)
The thing is - once you’re saved, you know you’re saved. How can you tell that you’re born? What work does an infant do to be born?
The thing is - once you’re saved, you know you’re saved. How can you tell that you’re born? What work does an infant do to be born?
If you are still not convinced, the words of Jesus are
John 6: 28 & 29
Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
Spot on. Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:29)
Really? It seems that you do not really care about what God has said regarding saving faith. Or you are actually clueless about this important matter.
Jas. 2:17 "Even so, faith, if it has not works, is dead by itself."
2 Pet. 1:5-10 And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD TO YOUR FAITH virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control, patience, nd ti patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For IF THESE THINGS BE IN YOU AND ABOUND, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But HE THAT LACKS THESE THINGS is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brothers, give diligence to make your calling and election SURE: for IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU SHALL NEVER FAIL; for so AN ENTRANCE SHALL BE MINISTERED TO YOU ABUNDANTLY INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
the word justified means shown to be right
you will do nothing for God or for His kingdom until you are saved.... no salvation no works
Our salvation is based on grace through faith, and the evidence of our salvation comes from the deeds of our faith. It is not possible to be a Christian and not be carrying out His will in our lives.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
- John 3:16-21
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
- John 3:16-21
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10
Totally agree, I'm just stating that's what some claim.
In regard to James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is shown to be righteous. James is discussing the evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3)
Greek word for justified "dikaioo" Strongs #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
You see that a man is justified (shown to be righteous) by works and not by an empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains alone "barren of works." (James 2:14)
*Fits the context.
Romans 4:2 - For if Abraham was justified (accounted as righteous) by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it (faith, not works) was accounted to him for righteousness. *Hermeneutics.
Greek word for justified "dikaioo" Strongs #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
*Fits the context.
In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to evidence his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith. So James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to show the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine.
James 2:22
You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.
Ephesians 8:2
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
You cannot perform Christian works without the Holy Spirit.
You only receive the Holy Spirit when you believe (have faith) in Jesus.
Salvation is always received in the form of a gift.
Christ has reconciled us to His Father through His own blood shed on the cross.
Boast in Christ and nothing else.