If "faith without works is dead", what works as a Christian do you practice? Do you believe that you are

Question

saved by grace alone? How do you reconcile works and salvation by grace?

Traveling: Thank you for the inquiry. I assist the poor with food, clothing drives. I support missionaries around the world. several things, but I do not want to brag and seem like the Pharisees.

Answer 1

Yes we are saved by grace alone.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph. 2:8-9

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

Our works are rotten!

But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away. Is. 64:6

WORKS ARE A RESULT OF SALVATION NOT FOR SALVATION. Once we are biblically born again then we gladly serve the Lord because of what He has done for us. We are excited to serve him and do it joyfully not because we have to. If I tell you that I'm a Christian then I better have evidence of it. The evidence is witnessing, prayer, love, humblness. etc.

A passage in James puts it best.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:19-26

Works performed by say JW's and Mormons are unbiblcal. They are doing them to be saved an in turn blaspheming God. Basically they are saying that Christ's work on the cross wasn't good enough. This is a slap in the face to Christ! They do works but only because they have to because their organizations mandate it. They have no clue what grace is as a result their attitudes in the works show it.

Answer 2

It does seem like many fundamentalists will say that does not matter it is superceded by other verses that you are saved by whatever. Reminds me of the verse you can tell a tree by it's fruits. “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.” that is a good one I like that. A person can have do works without faith it is not even necessary as you can see by many atheists who humble me with their works when they tell me their stories. If your faith benefits you alone it is worthless to anyone but yourself. And does not the book also say to love your brother as yourself? When you see the self in all then only do you understand the deeper meaning of that verse and the results of that understanding is that you do many works. Just my thoughts though.

Answer 3

We are saved by grace alone so that we cannot boast in our works. (Eph. 2: 8,9 and hordes others!)

While it is true that faith (intellectual orthodoxy, as in James 2:19) without works is dead (James 2: 26), what the verse is NOT saying is that WE are dead (ie no salvation), if we don't do works.

What it IS saying is that our works testify to the fact that our faith is alive and continuous.

What "works" does Scripture mention? Not tallying up hours going door to door, but James says in chapter 1 verse 27 that pure relgion is to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Answer 4

Works I practice? For one example: use Yahoo! Answer to post my tougths here with the intention to direct some people, which I can not reach by other means, to believe in Jesus.

Saved by grace alone? I'm saved due to the grace of Jesuschrist who offered His blood to wash my sins. I put my faith in Him, confessed my sins, and accepted his sacrifice that paid the debt I had with God. Jesus does not only ask you for repent from sin, He ask you to obey His Word.

How do you reconcile works and salvation by grace? When you accept Jesus, you start a love relationship with Him. The first commandment is to love God above all things. As a natural result of your love to God you start doing things to honor, please and obey God.

If a person who says theat he/she is saved and does not:
* demonstrate he/she loves God,
* demosntrate that she obeys God,
* show gratitude toward Jesus for what Jesus did for Him...

can the person's faith be sincere? real? alive? The answer is no, that was what James said: "faith without works is dead".

Answer 5

Actually, quite simply.

It is the legalistic groups that insist these are works of the law, but one need only read the context of James 2 to see that these are works of faith, that expresses itself through love -- works of love.

Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

If there is no demonstration of love, how can one claim they have faith?

.

Answer 6

When God's spirit resides bodily in you, you have to shout to the stars about it. His manifestation of being your Father is that you wish to be better and follow and learn about him. You can not help yourself.
Sharing your faith is something that you desire to do all of the time..The problem is, that it is not always the proper time.
At work, etc, so new Christians have to learn balance.

Answer 7

I think we are also commanded to do benevolence work. (Actions speak louder than words.)

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Anime Fan, how many Christians do you know? And do you watch them 24/7 to see what good works they do? Do you check their financial records to see how much they donate to church, or other charities?

"Judge not, lest ye be judged." Oh, but I guess you feel it's ok to judge others, since you're not a Christian.

Answer 8

Good works are the result of true faith. If you plant a seed and care for it will it not grow? You are saved by faith, the works are the result of this faith .

Answer 9

No. You have to follow the commandments; You have to be as Christ as much as possible to truly be a Christian. Confess your sins to god and repent. Of course "works" have to be done. You have to spread the gospel, to those who will hear it anyway, and you have to be good to people, you have to help people in times of trouble, be kind to strangers. After all, isn't that what Christ would do?

***I agree with the not bragging part. My aunt and uncle are very Christian and they own their own home business, so they have enough money to live pretty well on. They have helped me in a lot of ways. I say thank you and they don't say your welcome. I always thought it was wierd until I finally figured it out. They don't say thank you because they would rather me thank God for giving them the resources to help me. "Give God the glory."

Answer 10

I am saved by faith and I demonstrate that faith through good works. I have a homeless family living with me (for over four years). I pay to send the little girl to Catholic school. What are you doing?

EDIT: Carol, you asked, I answered.