[Staff edit].
Jesus message was definitely about works. He never once said 'faith alone' or 'grace alone'...NEVER!
John 1:17 - For the Law was given through Moses;
grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. *What did Jesus say in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26? Nothing there to support your gospel of works. *New flash - We are
saved by grace through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Romans 11:6 - But
if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. Jesus' message about a lack of works exposing a false servant does not mean that His message was about salvation by works.
Jesus' Gospel was not about His death, burial, and resurrection.
Jesus had predicted His death, burial and resurrection. Mark 8:31 - And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Jesus stated that if his enemies destroyed the temple (of his body), he would build it again in three days (John 2:19; Mark 14:58; Matthew 26:61).
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. 'Kingdom' is listed 55 times in Matthew alone. Why not have a look? To know His Gospel is to know about His Kingdom.
His kingdom is not about works righteousness and neither was His gospel. Why not have a deeper look?
Let me give just one example. Then tell us if His death, burial, and resurrection has anything to do with what Jesus preached.
Jesus predicted His death, burial and resurrection and His gospel was the "good news" about "the kingdom of heaven being at hand." (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15) The death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) had everything to do with what Paul preached and the gospel that Paul preached came to him through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12).
Matthew 25
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Yet more passages of scripture that I often hear works-salvationists twist in order to support their false gospel of works salvation. The talents represent monetary value and are distibuted according to ability (Matthew 25:15).
The requirement is to invest in Christ. The first two servants
deposited their money with the bankers (Matthew 25:27) but the third servant
buried his money in the ground (vs. 25). The third servant had been given abilities and the opportunity to invest in Christ and bear fruit in accordance, but had
chosen to reject it.
The fact that the latter man in this parable is called
wicked and
slothful and an
unprofitable servant (Matthew 25:30) who is
cast out into outer darkness, certainly indicates that he was not a true servant of the master. The idea of this illustrative parable is that all true believers will produce fruit in varying degress. All believers are fruitful, but not all are equally fruitful (Matthew 13:23).
Those who produce no results at all are not truly converted. Faith without works is dead, remember?
This man's characterization of the master maligns him as a hard man, reaping where he did not sow and gathering where he scattered no seed. This wicked, slothful so-called servant does not represent a genuine believer, for it is obvious that this man had no true knowledge of the master. *Two of these servants represent children of God, but not the third. *Children of God are not cast out into outer darkness. The fact that this man is called a "servant" does not necessarily mean that he was saved. *The Israelites were called the Lord’s servants, but they were not all saved. *Isaiah 43:10 - "You are My witnesses," declares the Lord, "And
My servant whom I have chosen..
Now we have the true message of the Gospel of the Kingdom.
What we have is your distortion of the true message of the gospel of the kingdom -- "works righteousness." The true message from the parable of the talents is that profitable servants are praised, given increased responsibilities and invited to enter into the joy of their Lord. Wicked, slothful stewards are scolded, rejected, and punished. The basis of the reward will be their stewardship of his resources entrusted to them. Those who fear and do not believe will be rejected and judged. In your vain attempt to promote works righteousness, you missed all the critical details.
It definitely flies in the face of 'faith alone'.
Not at all, yet John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26 along with Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:22-28; 4:5-6; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9 etc.. definitely flies in the face of salvation by works.
*Man is saved through faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST ALONE.
*Here is the balance that works-salvationists have out of balance - Man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-24).
Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works.
It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony*
Go ahead, read about the Kingdom Jesus preached. You will never read about any death, burial, and resurrection in any message He gave about the Kingdom.
Why do you continue to "downplay" the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ? As I already shared with you, Jesus predicted His death, burial and resurrection multiple times in His message. Also, the gospel that Paul preached and received through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12) was about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Are you implying that the gospel Jesus preached is in conflict with the gospel that Paul preached?
Jesus' Gospel is the Gospel I believe.
Jesus' gospel and your gospel are not the same. Works-salvationists believe a "different" gospel.
Once again you dodged my question: What do YOU believe the gospel IS that Paul preached and what do YOU believe it means to BELIEVE the gospel? (Romans 1:16)