This is a Question to all my Christian Friends on R&S?

Question

1)"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

2) James 2: 14

"My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don't do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you? If you know someone who doesn't have any clothes or food, you shouldn't just say, "I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat." What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn't lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead"

My Questions to my christian friends If the State of Mind becomes weak to follow Saying no 2 about good deeds, does Saying No 1 even matter. Thanks in Advance for your answers.

2nd Answerer, Thanks for Judging me!

Answer 1

CJ: Thats is such a fundie thing to say. You are one to sit there and tell someone that they are trying to interpret the bible wrongly. You are the kind of person that would see a homeless person and tell them that if they had faith in Jesus then they wouldnt be homeless, and try to convert them instead of give them food. I on the other hand dont beleive in the "free ticket to paradise" you fundies do. I beleive that good actions, deeds and treating mankind with respect, compassion and love will get you rewarded in the afterlife.

It makes me sick that christians out there say that faith alone in christ will get you to heaven, and they dont have to treat others with love and respect and help out there fellow man. Im sorry, but Jesus taught love, kindness and compassion to EVERYONE, and to treat everyone like they themselves would want to be treated. Someone who goes out there and dedicates thier life to helping others will get much further then just beleiveing in something and ignoring others. for all you christians out there, you are supposed to live your life like christ did, helping others, giving to others, showing love, kindness and compassion.

Another thing, people are saying on here that you cant do good deeds without beleiving Christ...well im sorry, but that is just wrong. Regardless if i beleive in christ as my savior or not, I do good deeds because it is the right thing to do, not because I am scared of eternal damnation if i dont. my parents brought me up that way, not the church. my parents taught me to respect others, not to be ungrateful in life because others out there have it so much worse then i do.

Edit: PK...no i havent been homeless and come across CJ, however, only a fundie would sit there and respond with an answer such as that to a question like this. The person asking the question is trying to make a point that faith without good deeds is nothing, obviously by CJ's answer, he doesnt think that way. In fact CJ, and a couple of others, are judging the person asking the question. If he was such a good christian then he would know not to judge others, as only God can do that. I have seen many of people with that mindset treat others in need with disdain, and try to preach to them instead of helping them. to answer your question more bluntly, i was using a generalization, which one shouldnt do, but unfortunatly is usually the case.

Answer 2

I can't imagine a true Christian with true faith not doing some kind of good works. Others may not know about the good things that a Christain does. This is because you are really supposed to keep the things you do to yourself and not be prideful about them.
Unfortunately not all Christains are good witnesses (examples) to christ. I have often thought christains can be the worst witnesses. A big part of that is non Christains think a good Christain should be perfect. This is impossible to live up to because we are all, after all just lowly humans. No matter how perfect we may want to be. The other reason is for some reason, some Christains get the idea that to be a good Christain it is their job to judge and look down on people who do not believe. That is not their job. Doing this makes them a bad example of what it is supposed to be. It all boils down to WE are just NOT perfect. Just a bunch of lowly humans doing the best we can with what we have at the time!!!

Answer 3

I know were supposed to be, Christs Representatives in this world, but he knows were not perfect an were going to mess things up once in a while , an just flat out miss the mark , from time to time, but that little fact about our nature shouldn't stop us from being, Christ like as far as feeding the hungry clothing the poor visiting the sick an imprisoned , the more and more we take on the very nature of Christ the less we have of our own faultily selves , this is what should be our desires , as followers of Christ, your right faith without works are dead, God bless

Answer 4

I see your point and it's a good one.

But this is how I see it: notices that James never says that if you don't act as well as believe, you'll burn in hell. It just says that faith w/o good works is "alone and dead."

Jesus is the way, truth and life, but not the way fundamentalists try to make it out. (Tha's another rant...)

Maybe you can come to God the Father through Jesus, but still be lazy in your good works. Like, you'll still have a relationship with God, but your faith won't grow and become more and more alive.

I like that James used the word "alone." Faith needs community to grow and become full. Just sitting at home and thinking "Yeah, I believe in God" between video games won't do much for your faith.

Answer 5

Right. The verse in James' basically states that faith without works is a dead faith.
If someone is truly walking in the faith, their works will show it. This is the "fruit" a believer has.

An illustration I like to use is simple: A live tree, say a fruit tree will NATURALLY produce fruit. A dead fruit tree, though still a fruit tree, cannot produce ANYTHING.
The person must have a live faith, not mere belief.

Answer 6

As a Christain we are expected to have faith in Jesus and follow his example such as giving to the poor and make sacrifices to help others. You can believe in Jesus all you want but if you go out there and ignore a starving homeless person on the street you are not following his example. You need faith and good works to get to heaven. CJ: anyone can read the Bible it is not restricted to any particular person. Don't be so judgemental.

Answer 7

John 14:6 shows the way of salvation, through Christ alone.

The James passage deals with the believer after salvation. Our faith is revealed to others by our works. Good works are the natural outgrowth of salvation.

That is what separates Christianity from other beliefs. They will say do, do, do, to become something, Christianity says, you are something, you are saved, redeemed, justified, a child of God, now, in light of that knowledge, do good works. Do because you are something, not to become something.

Answer 8

The Book of James 2: says, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also," because if your faith is sincere, you will want to serve others, help others. It is an outward sign of inner faith and grace. But the works without the faith are also dead. They go hand in hand.

Answer 9

James is stating that faith with out the fruit of it which is works is rather hollow. When we have Christ in our lives it is proven by our doing the right things. Works will not get you into heave alone you need to be saved through Jesus Christ but most certainly people will know we are saved by our works.

Answer 10

You're on target my friend.
Anyone can say they have faith in God...but what does this mean????
The Message of Jesus is to Love God and love your neighbor as yourself..... but how can you love one that you can't see but don't love you could see??? That's pretty logical.
Jesus said that the mark of a true Christian is the love he demonstrate for each other; you may have faith in God all you want but it will be useless if you don't demonstrate it.
Christianity is a very practical subject.

Answer 11

I don't quite understand the question, but 1) is all that matters. 2) should naturally follow if you have Christ. I'm not sure what you mean by "State of Mind becomes weak".