How can this be when Jesus himself said faith without works is dead? How can one person who worked hard all their life with faith and following the teachings of Jesus to live a good, honest life while loving others, be lumped in with the person who declared Jesus as his saviour and then goes out and shoots 10 people? Sounds like an excuse to have your cake and eat it too, if nothing else. Christianity is following the teachings of Jesus, and he said works count too. How can that be disputed?
2007-03-09 07:01:11 · 19 answers · asked by Christine S 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Salvation by confessing Jesus Christ Lord of your life and believing in your heart He raised from the dead.
This is an act of Faith, confessing & believing. For with the mouth one confesses unto righteousness, and with the heart one believes unto Salvation. God looks at the heart. And when one is born of God (Gods Way), person is a new creation in Christ Jesus. Old man (sins) are gone and new man in Christ alive forever more.
That is also understanding what Yeshua means, His name means He shall Save His People. Savior.
Messiah is, He is the Annointed Savior of the World promised throughout the Old Testament. He Is Emanuel (God with us).
LORD, God has highly exalted Him with a name above all, that at the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and tongue confess Jesus Christ is LORD.
A person who is a born again Christian isn't lumped with a person who declared Jesus his Savior and then went out & shot 10 people. That person isn't saved.
Unless you are thinking about Christians in the military. Righteous war is warring (possibly killing) those enemies who kill us or innocent others to protect our own people (America) and innocent others in other countries. If wicked enemies got their way, they would kill all the innocent good people and rule. This will happen only after the rapture and the antichrist reigns for a season. Anybody not taking the mark of the beast will have their head cut off.
People who go out and murder people aren't born again Christians. If they confess to be Christians, they aren't so in their heart. In the bible, if one even hates his brother/ sister, the love of God isn't in that persons heart.
Also, Faith is trusting & obeying God. That in itself is an act of faith. The devil believes in God, but doesn't trust & obey God or commit to God. The devil desires to destroy God and Gods people.
We are made the righteousness of Christ by His redeeming Blood. At moment of spiritual birth. Christians don't murder people because they are made the righteousness of Christ. Not that we don't murder to be more righteous. Nothing we do can make us more or less righteous. But I wouldn't murder anyone, because I am made the righteousness of Christ. Even if I get in unforgiveness even for a moment, I get miserable.
How could I even think killing someone is eating cake?
2007-03-09 07:23:48 · answer #1 · answered by t a m i l 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bible says that someone that goes out and commits a major sin was probully not a Christian in the first place.
Jesus said "if you love me, obey my commands"
At the same time, there was that story that Jesus told about the workers and the silver coin. The workers that came in at the end of the day were given that same amount of money.
The phrase "faith without works is dead" is from the book of James. This book has a detailed answer to your question. It mostly stresses that good works, and not doing bad works, are the product of faith!
Hope this helps!
2007-03-09 07:07:15 · answer #2 · answered by John R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Works are a demonstration of faith. People say "I believe Jesus is my savior," but if their works do not reflect his teachings, then they really have no faith.
You are correct, it cannot be disputed... at least, not reasonably. Some say that the Bible says it is enough to merely believe... and if you decide to take a statement at it's most convenient possible meaning, this is true. There are many times when God encourages his followers to "listen to his voice." Do they also take that to mean that God wanted people to hear his words, regardless of how they acted on them?
Salvation through "faith alone" is a false doctrine, and one not supported by the Bible.
2007-03-09 07:21:13 · answer #3 · answered by Andrew G 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a question of semantics.
The epistle of James clearly states that "faith without works is dead."
Similarly, Jesus speaks of those who cry out Lord, Lord, will not be saved, because what they failed to do for the least of His brethren, they have failed to do for Jesus himself.
The protestant argument is that if one does not do the works, then he or she really has no faith and is not saved. However, when one believes and is saved, then the good works will naturally follow. So, in the end, faith alone is necessary for salvation.
I am catholic. So, you know where I stand.
2007-03-09 07:09:27 · answer #4 · answered by Jack Chedeville 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need faith and works to be admitted into heaven.
James 2:24
"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."
James couldn't have said it more clear. Nowhere else does it say we are saved by faith alone.
"faith apart from works is dead." James 2:17,26.
Faith and works go hand in hand. Salvation alone is not biblically based nor did Jesus specify that you only need salvation and nothing else.
2007-03-09 07:41:15 · answer #5 · answered by cynical 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've read the answers thus far and there are some really good one of which I gave thumbs up but there is one verse that will put a little twist into it and it says " those that endure unto the end shall be saved " , and also warns of the DECEITFULNESS of sin. Sinning of whatever manner opens one up to being deceived by satan and if deceived, how can faith and works be there ?
2007-03-09 07:31:04 · answer #6 · answered by Israel-1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Romans 10:9 & 10, baby! All have fallen short. None of us is acceptable to God, because by nature we're fallen sinners. It's the CHRIST IN US. God cannot and will not deny His Son. This grace is defined as unmerited divine favor. Cool, huh? God doesn't keep a tally of good and bad deeds like people do. Works matter because if we're out of fellowship with the Father, things will be messed up in our lives, and God has a hard time blessing and protecting us when we're out of sync with Him.
2007-03-09 07:19:13 · answer #7 · answered by Revelation S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salvation is by the blood of Jesus only. Works do not "save" you, however works will follow because you are saved. If you get saved and then go out and shoot 10 people, somewhere in-between you lost or turned your back on your salvation. God and sin do not "co-exist" in the same soul. God will not stay where blatant on-going sin reigns, and sin will not stay where the fullness of God reigns. To "stay" saved you must obey the Word. Faith "dies" if it is not lived.
2007-03-09 07:06:47 · answer #8 · answered by wd 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Works are done naturally after salvation by faith through grace. It's a form of worship and glorifies God, thus doing works is a demonstration of thankfulness. Without faith though, it would be legalism.
2007-03-09 07:05:15 · answer #9 · answered by Cyber 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have to keep going- "faith without works is dead. I will show you my faith by my works."
F=S->W
Faith saves you & the evidence (fruit) of your salvation is good works.
That passage in James illustrates this beautifully as does Ephesians 2:8-10; John 3:16-18, etc...
2007-03-09 07:05:25 · answer #10 · answered by Jeff- <3 God <3 people 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋