why do people say that good works is unnecessary for a person to get to heaven? what does this verse say?

Question

Matthew 25:35

The Final Judgement

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me.

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. ’And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

by the way, it's "verses".

Answer 1

I agree with you.

JAMES also said that "Faith without works is dead."

And CS Lewis wrote - that arguing which played a more important role in our salvation, was like arguing which blade of the scissors is most useful!

Answer 2

C S Lewis correctly said that faith and good works are the two blades of one pair of scissors. Both are required by God, but the crucial point is that only faith will gain us entry into heaven. We could do massive amounts of good works in our life but none of that, on its own, will do a thing towards pleasing God so that he lets us into heaven. That is because all our good works are tainted with sin, especially pride.

Faith, however, is a gift from God to those who but ask, believing in him, that he is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek him. Only faith in the name of Jesus Christ saves anyone from their sin and its 'wages', death. Those who receive saving faith THEN begin to do the good works God predestined for them to do, and those works please God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 20:11-15 show that on the Day of Judgment all who had saving faith will be saved, but not all such will be rewarded, because they did not do works that will stand the fire of God's testing; they did not 'build' with eternity in view. They wasted their time on trifling matters that don't last. Their works will be burned up as if they were stubble and wood, but they will be saved. (1 Peter 4:12-17, 2 Thess 1:6-7) So, doing God's works will be rewarded, but only saving faith will save us.

Answer 3

Whats Eph.2:8-9 say.
Matthew 25 is talking about after the tribulation when Jesus will seperate those who are saved from those who are not.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for doing works. Look in Matthew chapter 22 or 23 where he pronounces all those woes on them. Why: cause they was trying to do a work through the law and that was not what was needed.

Answer 4

Salvation and justification are based upon faith, and good works are outgrowth of that. Through his grace, God provides us with faith. We can't conjure up faith ourselves by producing works. Faith is the seed; good works are the fruit that is produced. Faith is the foundation, good works are the building that it supports. A seed or a foundation are no good in and of themselves, but they are necessary for the fruit and the building to be produced. The fruit and the building are the practical, tangible evidence of the properly-functioning seed and foundation. Good works *alone* will not justify us before God; they must be based upon faith.

Ephesians 2:8, 9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

(That is to say that by his grace, God provided us with faith for justification; our faith is not a result of our ability to fulfill the works of the law of Moses)

Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 2:17: Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
v. 24: Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
v. 26: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Good works are proof to the world of our faith. How else can they "see [our] good works and glorify [our] Father, which is heaven"?

Answer 5

In James it says, show me your faith WITHOUT YOUR WORKS and I'll show you my faith by my WORKS.

If I offered you one Million Dollars through Grace because I loved you, is this not grace? But if you never BELIEVED that I would give it to you and rejected it, is this faith? The grace is my offer and the faith is believing and the works is you coming to receiving it.

Faith and works coexist.

The Bible says in all your getting, get an understanding!!

God Bless You!!

Answer 6

Many people say they love God, but the way they treat others shows this to be a lie.

Someone who loves God will also love others and that will be expressed in acts of kindness.

Answer 7

WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLE??? go to the bible.
If salvation(by grace are ye saved thru faith) is the passport then obedience (by works according to the words of Lord in the bible) is the visa. that's like being called and among the few chosen!!!

Answer 8

Faith without "good works" of grace that flow from and nourish faith-hope- and-love's unity and development is as useful in getting to Heaven as an auto without petrol gas or electricity is in getting to its destination.

Dead faith is just that and like anything dead it eventually rots and causes disease

Answer 9

The Catholic position on salvation can be summed up thus: We are saved by Christ's grace alone, through faith and works done in charity inspired by the Holy Spirit.

It takes more than simply knowing Jesus is the Messiah to be saved; even the Evil One knows Who Christ is.

James 2:14-26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

All salvation comes from the grace of Christ's Sacrifice and only from the grace of His Sacrifice. Salvation is a free gift -- a gift that is not "owed" to us, that God didn't have to offer us, and that we could never "earn" on our own -- that we accept by faith and works. Christ doesn't have to give us this gift of salvation; we don't "deserve" this gift, we can't "earn" it; but He, in His endless Love for us, offers it nonetheless. We have to believe this gift exists (have faith) and then open our hands to receive it (obey, inspired by the grace given to us).

Answer 10

Nothing but a faith in Jesus will get you to heaven, but the scriptures say that if you have faith you will perform good works, so if a person is barren of good works he does not believe in Jesus. He is only an actor in a play.

grace2u