faith and not by works.....?

Question

i know the bible says that it is through faith and not by works that people are given eternal salvation,
but here in america (it being a considerably christian nation),
a high percentage of people are christian specifically because their parents instilled it in them.
If you are born in very christian nation, and you are very likely to be christian yourself because of the sociological prominence of that religion here, doesn't that make the whole "faith" part of it arbitrary?
shouldnt caring about your fellow man and loving him as you should love god be the deciding factor as to whether some one is worthy of salvation.
what does it matter if you technically believe in god in this situation?

Answer 1

This is a very valid point and such a serious reality for those who were 'born' into their faith. I happen to understand your idea.

Unlike most people I know, I was raised in a christian family. They 'claimed' to be christian but they never really practiced this. So therefore as a young adult I began my own religious quest to find the answers of my own individual faith. I found my path by converting to Islam. But this is irrelevant to what I am trying to say. I believe that so many people are born into these roles and camoflauge themselves as a part of a belief system yet they do not really practice it.

So in short, I have concluded that salvation is purely by one's practice of faith. Surely anyone can wear a mask of a saint but that is all politics in the world of man. True people of faith are God fearing and aware of their every action in all different aspects of their lives. But when Judgement Day will come, then all records of deeds to each soul will be revealed and only then will the strong in faith be given paradise.

So if your question is: can one be granted paradise based on sociologcal prominence... then the answer would be absolutely NOT. Everyone has to embrace their true faith and whole heartedly accept and practice it.

Answer 2

Well the Bible says you have to and since the whole Christian Faith is based on the rules and teaching of the Bible...it is right. Just because you are raised in a christian society doesn't make you a christian...it takes some work...and alot of faith....and you have to be saved. That is just the way God made it...no reason to question it.

Answer 3

It's kind of funny, because you hear that it's about faith and not works. However, you also hear that unless you confess the name of the lord, you are condemned. Confess is a verb, making it an action. What if you don't know that the christian gospel is true, but you have faith that the higher power of the universe will take care of you. Does your faith overrule the fact that you are not believing a religion because it does not seem any better than any other religion out there and there are a lot of inconsistancies that can't be explained? Does faith only count if you are in agreement with those people who say that faith is the reason they believe christianity? That in itself is inconsistant

Answer 4

In America we compete for everything and are taught to be number one at all cost. The United States of America has taught the world greed for the dollar bill. Most faithers believe that prosperity is God's promise. The world respects hard work. Each is it's own reward. Most people are motivated to give in order to get. A lot of persons praise God when there is blessing and wonder what God is doing when there is no blessing. God has done enough, yet we want more. Most people look to his hand of provision rather than trust his heart. Show me your faith and I will show you my works.

Answer 5

Well technically speaking it matters very much to God because He sent His only begotten Son to die for us to be an acceptable blood atonement for our sins. The Bible says the only way to God is through His Son, Christ Jesus.

The Bible commands us to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind AND strength. And to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Just because your parents are Christian does not mean necessarily that one is a Christian.
You can attend church all your life and not give your soul and spirit to Christ Jesus. It is not through osmosis.

The wonderful gift of salvation, just think about it, God gave His Son to die for us---would you give your son (assuming you have one) to die for others. I don't think I could.
The gift is free we need only to believe and accept the gift by faith. We cannot perform any works to gain salvation. Because then, as the Bible says, lest any man boast (that he has done more than another).

Answer 6

What matters about it is that each of us has sin. Doing good deeds does not erase the sin that we have. Only Jesus on the cross defeated sin and death. Therefore, it is nothing we can do...works...that will wash away that sin. Since only the blood of Christ can do that, a person must believe in Jesus as their savior to be "saved" from their sins.

Being a Christian doesn't mean you just believe and do nothing else. Jesus told us, in the sermon on the mount, how to live on this earth. Be kind, be merciful, be humble, be forgiving.

And someone does not "inherit" salvation from their parents. They may be brought up in a Christian family, but never give their hearts to Jesus; it is a personal choice, not just a tradition.

Answer 7

Faith cannot be inherited. An understanding of christianity may be passed down from parents but you can only be filled by the Holy Spirit and saved if you have a genuine faith in Christ. A person can go throught the motions of relgiions without ever really coming to know God personally.

The bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags to God. If we do our best it still doesn't come close to His perfection. He is a holy God and we need to believe in the sacrifice that Christ made for us personally in order to be reconciled to Him and have eternal life in His presence.

Answer 8

>the deciding factor as to whether some one is worthy of
>salvation.

The whole point of Salvation as a Gift of God is that it is NOT earned. If we have to work FOR our salvation, then just how much would we have to do to be "worthy" of it. The Christian concept is that NONE of us are good enough. "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans ....)

'It is by grace that we are saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest we should boast.' Though we are NOT saved BY works, yet we are 'saved UNTO good works'>

>what does it matter if you technically believe in god in this >situation?

Just what is "technically" believe in "god"? Either we believe in God and commit ourselves to Him in life, in death, in life beyond death. Or else you are still seeking.

Answer 9

Faith often expresses itself in works. You can say you believe, but real faith drives one to works. To feel bad for the poor is not really faith unless it motivates you to do something about it. In Scouting they said it involved 1 hour a week, but for those with faith, it required what ever time it took to get the job done.

Answer 10

Being born in a garage does not make you a car. Being born in a Christian nation does not impart salvation either. We are not worthy of salvation, but God offers it through His Son, Jesus. Only faith in Him will cut it...no church, no baptism, no good works will do the job.