"Good works cannot save you"- Is this a cop out to justify horrible behavior?

Question

Just do whatever you want, it doesn't count anyway as long as you accept Jesus as your Savior.
Forget the Golden Rule. You don't have to follow Jesus or listen to the lessons he taught. Just be "Washed in the Blood of the Lamb"

Answer 1

Unfortunately some Christians think praising the teacher is more important than living the teachings.They fail to see the stupidity of their thinking.

Answer 2

This issue was largely resolved when those elements of the NT were being written.

Paul interprets Jesus' remarks about the Pharisees and the Law as saying explicitly trying to follow the Law (this is what Paul means by good works, he does not mean doing "nice things" or being a "nice person") will fail to provide a "right" relationship with God since all humanity (and Paul broadens this beyond what the 1st century Jew might have understood) has sinned and fallen. Humanity must be transformed away from a reliance on Law for establishing a right relationship with God, to a view where Christ settles that issue once, for all.

The writer of James evidently saw that this might lead to a total disregard of the Law and as a consequence suggests that the transformation of the person results in a transformation of both person *and* practical reason. What "we do" must be aligned with what "we are" in the face of our inability to have that consistency everywhere, all at one, for all our lives.

The Christian life is one of struggle to align our actions with our beliefs all the while knowing that we will never completely succeed. Some of us are better at it than other, but all of us a compelled to try. That trial and those successes and failures are no longer steps to our transformation, but rather steps in revealing to all the extent of that transformation in our lives.

Where this runs into trouble in the 21st century is our belief that all of this can happen exempt from any community. The early church, and the church until the Enlightenment, had no such illusions. Our transformation is always in the sense and context of a community into which we are "born" and in which we learn what it means to be transformed and re-born into such a community.

Most conservative Protestants completely reject *any* notion that the community is essential. For fundamentalists the transformation is *always* a vertical rather than horizontal affair. There could be *no* church and it would make no difference.

HTH

Charles

Answer 3

No No No!!! You have to look at this from a different perspective. People in religious power, then as now, were preforming good works. At face value they were just the holiest of people. They did all the requirements of the Jewish religion. But in the back room, they were corrupt., power and money hungry. Same goes on today. Look at Jim and Tammy Baker, the Catholic Priests. I could go on and on. This is saying that no matter how many good works you do, it cant get you into heaven. It's what is in your heart and soul. If your soul tells you to do good works then it is counted on your behalf but if you do it for another reason, forget it!! You could do millions times millions and if it isn't for right reason, its history. Some people feel that this leaves an open door policy. That's not so. It'S all about what is in your heart and soul.
GOD Knows what's goin' on!!!!

Answer 4

Not true. "Good works cannot save you" is a warning against self-righteous people. People who think that because they give lots of money to charities or do lots of community service they are going to heaven. That phrase just means that good worls isn't enough.

However, Christianity doesn't condone the kind of behavior you're suggesting at all. At one time, a cult formed that called themselves "antinomialists." they believed that they could do whatever they want because they were "washed i n the blood." Christianity, however, says that, if you're a Christian, your works can prove it. James 2:17-19 "Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may 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. You believe that there is one God; you do well. [But] the devils also believe, and tremble.'"
This passage shows that, although a Christian must believe to be saved, he also must have proof of his salvation, for even Satan believes in God.

Answer 5

I think the problem that quite a few people have is a lack of understanding about Biblical "repentance." The word "repentance" in the Bible means "a turn around." Making a U-turn is a good example of repentance. The Bible clearly teaches that repentance is necessary for salvation. So don't think that Christians have a license to sin; on the contrary, they will be held more accountable to God if they are sinning in the knowledge of the truth.

Answer 6

Cape, my sentiments to a degree. It is a way and manner to stay ignorant and imbued within the cultural mindset and lifestyle. Yeshua said to be in the world and not of it, not sure how that condones being of the world and being a friend with the world. To not be of the world is to not be of the mindset and lifestyle. Yeshua called for his disciples to live consecrated lifestyles and enlightened mindsets that sought after knowledge and harmony, a mindset that is spiritual to its very core. How can a disciple be a disciple without adhering to a discipline, or being disciplined at all. They pay more attention to the death of the man then the life that he lived, it was the life that he lived which achieved the life that he became.

Yeshua never said any of this washing people in his blood, the whole sermon on the mount is negated, the need to become a good ground was negated by them, so the spiritual seed, soul seed in them can't grow because they refuse to become pure or work on their self and put to death their lower nature. They completely confuse the scriptures. I agree with the Epistle OF James, "Faith without works is dead, it is like a body without spirit, ones faith is justified by their works, faith must be lived and it is walking and moving after a ideal, and it is not going to manifest itself unless you do the things that are necessary in order to manifest it within your own being.

Paul's doctrine is confusing to them, his whole doctrine was about inner work and how by living a spiritual life it would enable you to enter the kingdom within, no different really then what Yeshua was saying, or James. Sin is knowledge not lived, and by not applying what they know to do (or applying what they have in hand - the truth that they understand), they have invoked the greatest sins of all and they are unworthy of the little bit that they have and will invoke karma by their complacency (James 4:17, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin").

Answer 7

Would you like to give me an example of what you mean?
For instance, the late John Lennon (1940-1980) wrote a
beautiful song called "Imagine." It caused a lot of contro-
versy in the church community, because one of its verses
suggested a life "with no religion."
He was only speaking his mind, echoing the sentiments
of millions. Soon after the song was released, he was
murdered.
"Good works cannot save you": well, I suppose there is
some truth to that. But that being said, I think it would be
much more accurate to say: "No good deed goes un-
punished." (Because, unlike God, that can be proven,
beyond the shadow of any possible doubt.)

Answer 8

You cannot be saved by good works, it takes faith....but faith without works is dead faith....if you are saved, you will want to do good deeds for others....You will find most Christians become givers as well, once they are saved....It just means that Grace is all you need to come to Jesus...he saved me just as I am.....I didn't need to act good or do deeds,,,he takes me just as I am...

Mother Teresa didn't get to Heaven unless she repented and was baptized and had the Holy Spirit within.....Good works alone will not get you in the door of Heaven...to get through that door,,,,you have to go through Jesus... He is the only way.....you accept the sacrifice he made for you, turn from your sins and receive the Holy Spirit....

Answer 9

"On the Protestant view one could not, and by God’s mercy, expiate one’s sins. Like an accepted lover, he feels that he has done nothing, and never could have done anything to deserve such astonishing happiness. All the initiative has been on God’s side, all has been free, unbounded grace. His own puny and ridiculous efforts would be as helpless to retain the joy as they would have been to achieve it in the first place. Bliss is not for sale, cannot be earned, "Works" have no "merit," though of course faith, inevitably, even unconsciously, flows out into works of love at once. He is not saved because he does works of love; he does works of love because he is saved. It is faith alone that has saved him; faith bestowed by sheer gift."

C.S. Lewis.

Of course that means nothing to the unbeliever who chooses to focus on Christians abusing their grace.

Answer 10

How in the world do you come up with this?
Sorry buddy to burst your ignorant bubble.
Go back study the bible go in a good bible preaching Church.
If this is all not good enough go in a ICU and see little baby die.
If you have any more of this question after you seriously study the bible than come back to me and we can discuss some other things. You will thank me that I told you to do so.