Does Jesus Christ teach of salvation by works as well as faith?

Question

I've always believed that Christianty meant that those who beleuived were saved regardless of actions as a result of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. If this is true then why cant we all just live how we want? Okay, so that might be a bit simplistic, but my point is:
Does Jesus teach us to live a cerain way? Does He tell us there are things we are supposed to do in order to please God? What if we don't do them?

Answer 1

I find that other people are so much better at explaining some things than I am.

"To gain eternal life, we need both grace and works. A Christian author, C. S. Lewis, compared grace and works to the blades of a pair of scissors. Both are necessary. To ask “Are you saved by grace or works?” is like asking “Do you cut with this blade or that one?”

We receive God’s grace because of the Atonement. We can’t raise ourselves from the dead, so the Resurrection is an example of His grace. We can’t purify ourselves from sin, so the Lord’s forgiveness is another example of grace. But before He will forgive us, we must repent—that’s our part, our works.

Besides repentance, our works also include receiving ordinances, keeping covenants, and serving others. While these works are necessary for salvation, they aren’t sufficient. They are not enough because we can’t live perfect lives, but we can do our best to live righteously. By doing so, we invite the Lord’s grace into our lives and qualify for the gift of salvation."

Answer 2

Hi there! The particular teaching of "once saved always saved" does not find a strong warrant in scripture. You will find in Hebrews, for example, that if you should fall away back under the law, it may become impossible to redeem you. The notion that we can live however we want is a highly offensive one. Think of it in these terms: what woman would marry a man who said to her at the altar, "I do, but do I have to give up all my girlfriends? What if I only cheat once a month? Whadda ya say?" In the same vein, there are those who claim that they sin every day and claim to be saved. They have this miserable notion that somehow they can't help it. Either they received a new nature and the grace to overcome sin or they didn't. If you can't help doing a certain thing, it's not sin. If there is a clear command against doing something and you do it any way, you have made a choice, you can help it and it's therefore a sin. seems pretty clear to me. Jesus taught us to live in love and by the Spirit. The apostle Paul also taught us that if any man does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Lastly, the Bible also teaches that those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons (daughters, children) of God. The Spirit of God will not lead you to sin. If we refuse His Lordship, we are not His and simply WILL NOT GO TO HEAVEN.

Answer 3

Salvation is a free gift from God, we put our faith in action when we trust God that all He said and did to save us is true...that is, that God, coming in the form of Jesus Christ to earth, made a way through His death and resurrection, for us to be forgiven of our sins, and to have eternal life.

The good works that we do is supposed to come as a result of salvation and God working in our lives, not as an act to earn salvation. We can't earn anything, if that were true, then there would be first class and second class Christians. The Bible tells us that God is not a respecter of people, we are all sinners in need of His salvation.

Answer 4

What did Jesus' brother, James mean "When he said to work out your salvation with fear and trembling ?" And James, Jesus' brother also said that "Faith without good words is dead." Read the Book of James. You really think that John, or any of the other disciples were closer to Jesus than His own brother, James? Think again. Please read on, below. Jesus said, "Many will come to Me on that day, saying Lord, Lord, did I not preach in your name, did I not heal the sick in your name, did I not raise the dead in your name." And Jesus said, "Begone from Me, into everylasting fire shall you go, for when I was sick, you did not take care of Me, when I was hungry you did not feed Me." *"Whatever you have done, to the least of these people, you have done unto Me," Jesus said. A Christian can not be Lukewarm, riding the fence. A Christian can not Judge, Criticize, and Condemn other people {for Jesus said not to do this = Matthew 7:1-5), and expect to keep his or her free ticket of salvation, to enter heaven. Jesus wants human beings to Love all People Unconditionally, while respecting each person's Free Will, without Judging, Criticizing, or Condemning them. Other people have an excuse, do Christians ? Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments!" Jn. 14:15. Faith and Good Works is the kind of Life that Jesus taught = Love all People Unconditionally as Jesus did, and you will live with a guilt free conscience, and True Peace of Mind, and Happiness.

Answer 5

It is true we can't earn salvation, but as you were getting at, Christians must live a certain way. Faith through works yields salvation.

We are saved by grace and works (obedience, not those meant to glorify us).

James 2:24 below sums it up, but here it gives examples from the OT of those who were justified by their obedience.

James 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if
someone says he has faith but
does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a
brother or sister is naked
and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to
them, "Depart in peace,
be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the
things which are needed
for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith
by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have
works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19You
believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the
demons believe--and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered
Isaac his son on the altar? 22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23And
the Scripture was
fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it
was accounted to him for
righteousness."[7] And he was called the friend of
God. 24You see then that a
man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by
works when she
received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead
also.

Answer 6

By faith...If it were by works ,why did Jesus die on the cross for then , if all we had to do is works ? The works is what you do for him after your salvation, witnessing , Tithing , giving to charity , be a light of the world. If you are saved and , sit on your thumbs don't spread his word , he will take away your rewards in heaven .Read Luke 19:12-26 , Nobleman = God ,country =earth .The pounds is the gospel , those whom shared it got interest on the money ,the one who put it under the napkin ,got his reward in heaven taken away . Austere means unbending . God will be strick with thoes who don't share the gospel.

Answer 7

No. There is no way a Christian can earn salvation. Jehovah is not obligated to do anything for imperfect people. However, Jesus did give his servants a work to do. “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”—Matt. 28:19, 20.

This is the work Jesus assigned to his early disciples. Jehovah's Witnesses are doing this work today in over 230 lands around the world. It is not salvation by works. It is complying with a direct order from Jesus Christ. Why aren't others doing this instead of just going to church and letting some paid clergyman do the preaching for them?

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

Answer 8

Simply put, he wants sum Ackrite (act right 4 those who r unfamiliar)

Faith and works are like the song "Love and Marriage"
"This I tell you brother
You can't have 1 without the other"

The Gospels are filled with Jesus' words on how we are supposed to live. In the simplest form "Love God w/ ur whole heart/mind/body/soul/strength etc, and love ur neighbor as urself."
Everything else kinda falls into place if you follow those 2.

Answer 9

Yes, Jesus teaches us to CONTINUE to call upon him. By doing this, we follow the commandments in the Bible and live our lives by the Bible teachings.

Faith without works is dead.

A man once asked Jesus: "Lord, are those who are being saved few?" How did Jesus reply? Did he say: 'Just accept me as your Lord and Savior, and you will be saved'? No! Jesus said: "Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able."—Luke 13:23, 24.

Jesus merely indicated that fewer people than one might expect would exert themselves vigorously to receive this marvelous blessing.

For the answer, consider Ephesians 4:17 through 5:5. It does not say that God will accept us no matter what we do. Instead, it tells us to be different from the worldly nations who have "come to be past all moral sense, . . . but you did not learn the Christ to be so . . . Put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct . . . Let the stealer steal no more . . . Let fornication and uncleanness of every sort or greediness not even be mentioned among you, just as it befits holy people . . . For you know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no fornicator or unclean person or greedy person—which means being an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God."

Thus, "accepting Christ" involves far more than just accepting the blessings that Jesus' superlative sacrifice offers. Obedience is required. The apostle Peter says that judgment starts "with the house of God," and adds: "Now if it starts first with us, what will the end be of those who are not obedient to the good news of God?" (1 Peter 4:17) So we must do more than simply hear and believe. The Bible says that we must "become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [ourselves] with false reasoning."—James 1:22.

Answer 10

Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved
Through Faith
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast"

and
James 3:17 and 26
"Even so, faith if it has no works is dead being by itself."
"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead"


Saying you believe in Jesus then just living how we want is called "licentiousness".. What that means is that some people think "well, I am saved by God's grace, I can live the way I want and count on His grace to forgive me" Well that is erroneous thinking. As we see in James faith without works is dead. God's grace does not give us a "licence to sin".

Yes we are told how to live in order to be pleasing to God. Read and study your bible. Look at the commandments, look at what Jesus said were the two most important things - to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.

What if you don't do them? Some one who is truely saved will act like it. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, to convict us of sin and lead us in paths of righteousness. The best way to do that is to study your bible every day and spend time in prayer with God every day.

Matthew 7:21" Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."

I hope this helps answer your question. Feel free to email me if you need help getting started on studying your bible.