Christians who Know they're saved, have you ever read Matt. 7:21-23? Do you believe faith w/o works is dead?

Question

Jesus said:

Not everyone who calls me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do what my father in heaven wants them to do. When the judgment day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me you wicked people!’ Mt 7:21-23


James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What do you think?

Answer 1

I agree!
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Faith & good works go hand in hand, how do you prove your faith? With good works. For you can do good works & have no faith. But above says "so faithwithout works is dead also"!!!!The asker was not questioning salvation but hypocrisy!!!!!

Everyday I try to do what I can in this physical body. My husband (a new Christian) & I are starting to tithe. We go to church on Sunday. I know I cannot speak for both of us, but I try to fellowship with God all day. I try to be a proverbs wife, and try to keep as many commands as possible. I constantly rebuke in love those around me who swear and do other sins. I find living this way to be fulfilling & actually a lot simpler than trying to keep up with the Jones, which we did for many years. I try to be content, but sometimes patience is hard. I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I constantly read, study, memorize & meditate with Gods Word. I hope everyday to grow in faith, kindness & wisdom. I would really love to be an inspiration for other women & mothers, but it is okay if that is not what the Lord has in plan for me! So I hope other Christians will do the same. To be filled with the Holy Spirit & have faith because I believe those words you wrote/spoke, those words that God spoke!

Answer 2

Yes,they are both very sobering scriptures.

In the first instance,I believe that Jesus was rejecting those who never really pursued a "personal" relationship with Him.( a daily walk). One can look like the genuine article(Judas) but not really be with Him.

In the James reference,a similar or parallel thought is found in the same book where James said the demons believe and tremble. Just believing in Jesus crucifixion does not save us,we believe by faith,repent,accept Jesus as Lord and savior. In other words, God provided the grace(at calvary) called us, deposited enough faith in our hearts, then we used the faith and responded with repentance and by inviting Jesus into our life.

Answer 3

Faith and works is a process. Can you have for a job? how about having it without ever filling out an app? I will never say never but if you have faith you should act upon that faith and go fill out an app.....That is a big difference between having faith in God and having faith in yourself. ...In the matter of those who would say Lord have we not cast out devils in your name? are people who believe they are made just in the works alone.
Another we did those tings so that made us right with you...when God is saying there is only one thing that can make you right and that is total surrender...let go and let God...as in an unprofitable servant...he knows that it is the Lord who does everything and it is nothing "HE" did
thereby God gets all the glory.

When we believed Jesus in the word it took an act of faith ..but we also prayed to confess Jesus with our mouths and believe in our hearts...these are not to be confused with...going to a church tithing singing in the choir praying for people feeding the hungry..clothing the naked casting out devils...although these are right and good things ...by doing them only ..will not save you..God bless

Answer 4

We are saved by grace, not by works, so that no one can boast.
We are saved by grace alone. Recall that in Acts 16:31 the jailer asked Paul and Silas how to be saved. They responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." The jailer believed and immediately became saved.
Close to 200 times in the New Testament salvation is said to be by faith alone - with no works in sight. Consider the following:
John 3:15 tells us that "everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
John 5:24 says, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
In John 11:25 Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."
John 23:46 says, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."
John 20:31 says, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
If salvation were not by faith alone, then Jesus' message in the Gospel of John - manifest in the above quotations - would be deceptive, stating that there is one condition for salvation when there are allegedly two - faith and works.
I must emphasize that we are saved by faith for works. Works are not the condition of our salvation, but a consequence of it We are saved not by works, but by the kind of faith that produces works.

Eph 2:8-10 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this: It is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Answer 5

The verse in Matthew pertains to those who claim to be Christian, but don't live the life of a Christian and not everyone who claims Christ as their Savior is telling the truth. The Lord knows those that are His and those that are not.

Answer 6

...Be careful, friend, that you do not make doctrine out of one or two passages of Scripture - this leads to heresy and jump-starts cults. Diligently compare Scripture with Scripture to discern truth.
...Check this one out, from John 6:28-29 -
...28 They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]
...29 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].
...After looking at many verses over the years, I see that the Bible says we must believe on the Christ alone for salvation; if we do, the works with naturally follow. But there is nothing, absolutely no good work or works, that I can do that will add one iota to my salvation - Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. To suggest I can add something to Christ's finish work on the cross is a huge insult to God, who offers forgiveness of sins to all who will believe on Jesus Christ.
...Romans 3:24 We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.
...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. Acts 16:31
...Whosoever will, may come.

Answer 7

I do believe in faith with NO works. God wants you to believe in Him no matter what. Being a good person and doing good things are great in life, but if a person thinks that that's what gets them into Heaven-they are wrong. The only thing he has ever wanted us to do is accept Him as our Savior, that he sent Jesus down here on Earth to die for our sins. That's it.

Answer 8

I believe the thief on the cross explains "Grace" the best.
In this criminals last hours of life, he asked Jesus:
"Remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus said to him: "Verily I say unto you, this day, you shall be with me in paradise"
This thief did no good "Works"
This thief never went to church or never recieved baptism.
He simply believed Christ Jesus was who He claimed to be.
And Christ Jesus credited it to him as righteousness.
Works are an important part of our walk with Christ Jesus.
However, they are not necessary for salvation.
First comes salvation through believing in Christ Jesus.
Then the Holy Spirit "Produces" the good "Works" in us.
We do not boast of doing these good "Works" Rather, we give all Glory and Praise to God Almighty who produces the works in us. "Works" we do apart from the Spirit of God are displeasing to God, they are as filthy rags. The "Works" we do by the Spirit of God, those are the "Works" that please Him.
Our good "Works" are a spiritual barometer of our walk with Christ Jesus, separate from salvation.
1 Cor 3:14-15 says:
If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

These verses clearly tell us that our "Works" will give us rewards in heaven, perhaps the "crowns" that are mentioned in the book of Revelation.
But these verses also say that even if our works, do not pass the test (Burned up) we ourselves are still saved.
Christ Jesus is all that is needed for salvation.
Praise the Holy Lamb of God !!
God Bless You.....Peace.

Answer 9

faith comes first, then the works come out as a bye product. works don;t come before the faith. you don't get the sugar rush and then eat the candy. you eat the candy then get the sugar rush.

if someone of faith is showing no signs of life then you can consider him dead. thats what medical science says right? no signs of life? dead.

Answer 10

I believe that was referring to hypocrites.

James was referring to it being much better to do good things, be a good person in Jesus' name rather than just keeping your faith to yourself and not doing anything about it.