Earning favor

[Hammster]

Would this be an example of "favor" ?

Revelation 3

10 Because you have kept My command to endure with patience, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name.

I don’t know. I don’t think so. I think that’s more of a reward.

 

[Hammster]

Noah found favor in the eyes of God for Noah was a righteous, right doing man, perfect/blameless man who walked with God.

I have to stop you there. The verse does not say Noah was righteous. You added that.

 

[Hammster]

Yes, I agree with that too. That's why the yes or no question is a little unfair.

I'm not nice to people because I have it in my mind that this will earn me some favor with God...but because it just become second nature to us, I think.
Although we can still be unthoughtful at times...this is why we sin...we still have our sin nature although it's changing.

If a person is saved, he's saved. Sometimes I'm called a legalist and I'm asked HOW MANY good works are necessary to keep our salvation. This is a question akin to How Much Faith Is Necessary To Be Saved.

One can do little works, one a lot, one none for whatever reason,,,and they are still saved.

Why do you think Jesus told Mary she picked the right way?

I think it’s because of her desire to be close to Jesus.

 

[topher694]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

I don't think favor is the right word.

I think you can build trust with God by doing good works...

You've been faithful over a little, I'll make you ruler over much (Matt 25:23)

 

[Contenders Edge]

Furthermore, in the Old Testament, there were passages that implied people who were of a "special status" who would survive alone a calamity that befell Israel back then they were visited by calamities by God.

In the New testament, it is illustrated that we reap what we sow, so that would be "meritorious" in nature.

That men reap what they sow is not unique to the New Testament. It has always been a fact of life (Job 4:8). Also, people can still be visited by divinely caused calamities in this present day, just as they did in the Old Testament era. Remember Ananias and his wife Sapphira who were killed by God for lying to the Apostle Peter about how much they sold land that they had owned for (Ac. 5:1-11) and the judgment inflicted upon Herod by the Angel of the Lord when he allowed himself to be elevated to be a god by the people to whom he gave an inspiring speech to rather than give the praise due to God (Ac. 12:23).

Read the book of Revelation which foretells of all kinds of divine judgments that are to come upon the earth because of the wickedness of man. We worship an unchanging God (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8) as is made plain to anyone who seeks out all that the Bible has to say on any given matter that it address from beginning to end.

We dare not think that just because we are under the law of grace that the ways of God have ever changed, for the God of the Old Testament is also the God of the New Testament.

 

[fhansen]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

A Christian pleases God by doing His will, whether believing in Him or doing the works He's prepared for them to do, or whatever. This pleases Him immensely in fact because He doesn't want us to stay some worthless dung-heaps! Praise God! Because, alternatively, we can always say no. Read the Parable of the Talents to see how this all works.

 

[FIRESTORM314]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

Like the man from Del Monte - I say Yes !

LUKE 12:37
There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!

 

[FIRESTORM314]

Like the man from Del Monte - I say Yes !

LUKE 12:37
There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!

Does that class as works though?

 

[Shimokita]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

True

Unless by "earn" you mean "deserve" in some sort of a debtor/employment context.

 

[Grip Docility]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

Like maybe becoming.... “More Saved”?
Like... earning a bigger mansion in Heaven?

 

[Hammster]

Like maybe becoming.... “More Saved”?
Like... earning a bigger mansion in Heaven?

Or staying saved.

 

[Grip Docility]

Or staying saved.

The Logic that "staying saved" by works employs, blows my mind!

We have "This Guy" accomplishing everything... (ahem... Jesus, not Lockridge )

And then someone inevitably says... Hey, I think I can Improve on "Their" work.

Do people understand... Romans 10:3 ?!?

 

[Not David]

It's not exactly a true or false question.

You can do works as a Christian that are dead (without faith) and not please God.

In terms of favor tho, consistency is key, it has to come out of who you actual are. (since you're a new creation now) Forcing a result, tends to result in being placed in situations that force you to realize it was all fake.

True, if you do stuff like "fasting or giving to the poor" but you don't do it out of love, then it is in vain.

 

[TheSeabass]

I have to stop you there. The verse does not say Noah was righteous. You added that.

Genesis 6:9

 

[Hammster]

Genesis 6:9

I spoke out of turn. It wasn’t because of Noah’s righteousness that he found favor. Grace came before righteousness.

 

[LostMarbels]

True or False

A Christian can earn favor with God by doing good works.

Favor? True. Salvation, false. I think many times people confuse the two as the same topic. Good works are counted as righteousness by God in certain circumstances.

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

By faith, obedience, sacrifice, seeking, and action (all verbs) you can please God, and find his favor. What is more it is written in James to be a doer, not a hearer only deceiving yourself. Faith requires action. And God is the rewarder of the faithful. Works are necessary for faith, but not necessary to become saved.

 

[Shimokita]

The Logic that "staying saved" by works employs, blows my mind!

How about the avoidance of heinous sins?

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,d]">[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who doe]">[e] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.​

How about this?

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.​

 

[LostMarbels]

Do you think Mary was more favorable to Jesus than Martha?

Yes. Jesus is God. And an angel of God came to Mary and said: Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Blessed art 'thou' among women. Marry was set apart as blessed among all women. It is safe to say Marry was favored by God.

 

[Grip Docility]

Genesis 6:9

Sounds good until you see what that means in Hebrews 11.

Romans 4:4 anyone?

 

[Grip Docility]

Yes. Jesus is God. And an angel of God came to Mary and said: Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Blessed art 'thou' among women. Marry was set apart as blessed among all women. It is safe to say Marry was favored by God.

The question is posed now... was Mary without sin, in your mind.

Fair warning... this is a loaded question.