I understand the concept of being saved by grace. No one can earn their way to heaven by works. Everyone sins, and even one sin is enough to keep a person out of heaven. Therefore, only by the grace of God can we be saved. But... the scriptures also say that faith without works is dead, and that we must work out our own salvation. The Bible frequently mentions that we must keep the commandments, and that the state of those who perform good works will be better than those who do not.
As people are taught that salvation is awarded to all who believe, they will be less likely to perform good works. They will be more likely to sin, and less likely to repent, because they believe they will be saved in the end on account of their faith. Essentially there is no motivation to repent. That is why I think the teaching that people are saved by grace alone is the work of the devil.
2007-01-12 09:39:28 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ummm let's think about this for a moment. What would be the most likely way satan would lie? As it is, most think we have to work to earn salvation although God has declared that all our works are as filthy rags. Eph 2: 8-9 tells us plainly that it is by faith and not by works that we are saved. We are also told that we will do good works BECAUSE we are saved, not to get saved. When someone does trust Christ, they are made a new person and they will then want to do good instead of evil.
When James said faith without works is dead, he was not talking about the type of faith that saves but the faith that shows others that we are saved. That is why he also said a dead body is useless. By this he was showing as that being a Christian without good works would be useless to others. It is by our love and our works that others will know that we are Christians.
Those who think that "saved by grace" gives us a license to sin do not consider the awesome promise of chastisement. Just as we do no let our children do anything they want without correcting them GOD does not let us get away with things either.
http://www.shatterdmen.com/Chastisement.htm
2007-01-12 10:08:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree. The Bible says, "If you love me, keep my commandments."
It's very interesting though that grace believers are quick to point out when someone isn't acting like a Christian, but if we are saved by grace alone, then there shouldn't be a way to act like a Christian.
Jesus said he came not to do away with the law but to fulfill it. So many saved by grace people believe that Jesus did away with the 10 commandments, but he didn't. INstead, he said that he came to make it harder. Yes, we have grace and forgiveness for when we mess up, but we also must do our part by showing God and the world that we love Him by keeping His commandments.
I think just like the "name it and claim it" and other movements in Christianity, this one will also give way to some new doctrine. People should read the Bible and come to their own understanding of how grace and the commandments work together, not against each other.
2007-01-12 09:47:02 · answer #2 · answered by shybusch 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
attaining grace is gods gift for when you have accomplished being a practicing and practicle christian. grace is the reward for what you do within both works and faith,the bible says both are dead without eachother. it is not a teaching of the devil you just are looking at it the wrong way in my humble opinion ofcourse. the teaching of salvation by grace may be best explained in the cathecism of the catholic church,it will lay all your worries to rest, or maybe not,either way check it out. you may find some useful information at fisheaters.com
2007-01-12 09:57:10 · answer #3 · answered by fenian1916 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are saved by grace. However, if you truly are saved you will want to do the goods works. Good works doesn't have to mean that you start a new Church or go to Africa to feed the poor. It means to treat those around you with love and respect, to help when you can. The ten commandments are given to show us that we need a Savior, you break them all the time in actual deed or thought. It is best to just trust Jesus to help you, tell Him if you are confused, somehow you get an answer.
2007-01-12 09:52:18 · answer #4 · answered by angel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, why would the devil want you to be saved? Ephesians's 2:8-9 say "by grace are ye saved thru faith, not of yourselves, for it is a gift of God, not by works, lest any man should boast". Acts 16: 31 "and they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house", Romans 10: 9"that if thou shalt confess w/thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved". I don't know what church you go to, but you don't haves to work for your salvation, nor can you loose it. Its a gift from God, John 3"16, "for God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever shall believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life"
The ancient Jews believed in the first part of the year, there were three books, one for the very good, one for the very bad and one for the average Joe. They thought they could "work" their way in to the book of life and that is so not true. I think salvation is so simple it gets complicated when people don't understand that by grace are ye saved.
2007-01-12 10:29:02 · answer #5 · answered by the pink baker 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What the verse is saying is that yes, we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and faith without works is dead, which means that we must not only say, "Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ", but we must also act like we believe! It does no good to claim to be a Christian, but then act like your average atheist. Is that what the apostles did? Certainly not! After Paul was saved, he didn't just sit back on his haunches and wait for Christ's return, he went out and shared the Gospel worldwide, and set standards for how a Christian should act.
"Faith without works" is like my husband. He claims to be a Christian and is baptized, but he sits on his butt all day watching secular TV, seldom reads the Bible, and doesn't even go out to minister to the poor or sick with all this "spare time" that he has. That's "faith without works", which is dead.
2007-01-12 09:57:40 · answer #6 · answered by FUNdie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello =)
This is the premise of the work of James, Brother of Christ....basically that it is good to talk the talk, but even better if you walk the walk......
I think that both are necessary, really, in a true Christian life.
Of course, I think you're going a bit far with the "devil" stuff....if you attribute every single phenomenon in the known universe either to God or Satan, you leave no room for man.......
Religious philosophy is purely the work of man, even though man may be the work of God. When we fail, it is our fault, not the fault of Satan or God.....this is where the role of "sin" comes into play. If man were nothing but the puppets of either God or Satan, then there would be no such thing as "sin"......
Namaste,
--Tom
2007-01-12 09:45:55 · answer #7 · answered by glassnegman 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a difference between salvation and fellowship. You won't lose your salvation once you have truly, truly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour but if you sin, you fall out of fellowship with God and lose all your benefits of your salvation like blessings, healing, deliverance etc. But if one is truly saved, he will know on the inside bcos the Holy Spirit will come to live with him and he is changed on the inside spiritually. The physical and mental part will have to be worked out and this is working out one's salvation thru fear and trembling. A Christian is sealed with the Holy Spirit once he believes in Jesus and His precious blood that washes away all sins but he needs to work out his physical and mental faculties to align them to the Word of God bcos only the spiritual is reborn not the mortal.
Faith without works is dead bcos one can claim he/she is a Christian but if one doesn't show any outward signs at all to be Christlike, one's salvation is suspect. Can he be just saying only but not believing in his heart fully? Can he be just mentally assenting but not spiritually reborn? Could someone be a "Christian" bcos he sees the benefits of being in church for other purposes but never really accepted the Lord Jesus? So faith without works is dead. But give time for hard core sinners who are reborn to change. Habits are hard to break, so long as he is trying.
2007-01-12 10:08:08 · answer #8 · answered by pretribber 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, that would be the work of Christ the savior...ever heard of Him? check the new testament and read what He had to say on the matter...'working out your own salvation' sounds all nice and progressive, but Christ never taught that...you have a very cynical and misguided view of what it means to be a Christian-it doesn't mean that you just do what you like, then repent and everything is cool...MOST of what we Christians call 'our Christian walk' consists of learning to be more like Christ and following His commandments...love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself...your reasoning is very flawed
2007-01-12 09:52:23 · answer #9 · answered by spike missing debra m 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's the main point of Christianity.
Don't talk the talk if you don't walk the walk.
Many who claim to be Christians, don't do anything to serve God.
2007-01-12 09:47:37 · answer #10 · answered by Born Again Christian 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋