Faith Lacking Works is Dead

[Christsfreeservant]

James 2:14-17 ESV

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”​

Some people have the mistaken notion that only James taught this and that Paul didn’t. But Paul did teach this, too. He said if we walk according to the flesh we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we have eternal life (Rom 8:1-17).

He said that we are slaves of the one we obey. If we obey sin, it leads to death, but if we obey obedience, it leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (Rom 6:16-23).

And he taught that if we make sin our practice that we will not inherit eternal life with God but that we will die in our sins. For, he said that we are all going to reap what we sow, and we will be judged by what we do (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

Jesus Christ taught the same thing. He said if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience. For, he said, if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self) we will lose them for eternity. But if we lose our lives (die with him to sin) for his sake, then we have eternal life (Lu 9:23-26; cf. Eph 4:17-24).

Jesus made no bones about it. Following him is a total commitment. If we do not participate with him in his death to sin we have no part in him. If we do not take up our cross daily and follow him, we are not worthy of him. If we do not walk in obedience to his commands, we don’t know him (Jn 6:35-58; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 10:38; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 3:36; Jn 14:21-24; Jn 15:10).

In the Old Testament God described faith as obedience and unbelief as disobedience. He did the same in the New Testament. So, faith is not some feeling or some intellectual assent to who Jesus is, but it is doing what God says to do. It is walking (in conduct) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. It is putting to death the deeds of the flesh, etc.

For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit 2:11-14).

James 2:18-23 ESV

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God.” ​

Many people today are teaching a faith in Jesus Christ which is of human origin, not of God, for it does not submit to God’s law, thus it is hostile to God (Rom 8:5-8).

For, it teaches that we can just invite Jesus into our hearts or make some public confession of faith in Jesus Christ or repeat some words after someone else and that it guarantees us forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God regardless of how we live our lives on this earth.

It makes no requirements for dying with Christ to sin and for living to him and to his righteousness. It makes no requirements for walking in obedience to our Lord according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Some may teach these things, but not as requirements for eternal life with God.

They will teach or they will give the impression that we can keep on living in sin and that Jesus will just keep on forgiving us, and they totally ignore the Scriptures that teach that if we walk according to the flesh that we will not inherit eternal life with God. They also ignore the Scriptures that teach that God will judge us by our works.

Faith in Jesus is not a “do-nothing” faith. Even the demons believe and they shudder, but they are not saved. Many will come before God one day saying, “Lord, Lord,” and he is going to tell them, “Depart from me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you!” For, he said that it is those who do the will of the Father in heaven who enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 7:21-23).

James 2:24-26 ESV

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”​

Genuine faith in Jesus Christ is going to be accompanied by obedience to the Lord in doing the works that he has called us to do and that he is empowering us to do. Our faith is proven genuine by what we do. We can’t just claim faith in Jesus Christ and then go on living in the flesh doing whatever it is we want to do. That is not God-persuaded faith.

It doesn’t mean we will live perfect lives or that we will never fail, but it does mean we have died with Christ to sin, we have been reborn of the Spirit of God, and now we are living for the Lord and no longer for our flesh. For if our minds are set on the flesh, and if we continue to live according to the flesh, we do not have an inheritance in God’s eternal kingdom.

So, what we must know here is that Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died to deliver us from our slavery to sin, not just to forgive us our sins. He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now glorify God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:19-20).

So, faith apart from works is dead faith. Yes, we aren’t saved by our own good works done in the flesh, but we are saved to good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).

Songs in the Night

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!

 

[Guojing]

James 2:14-17 ESV

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”​

Some people have the mistaken notion that only James taught this and that Paul didn’t. But Paul did teach this, too. He said if we walk according to the flesh we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we have eternal life (Rom 8:1-17).

He said that we are slaves of the one we obey. If we obey sin, it leads to death, but if we obey obedience, it leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (Rom 6:16-23).

And he taught that if we make sin our practice that we will not inherit eternal life with God but that we will die in our sins. For, he said that we are all going to reap what we sow, and we will be judged by what we do (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

Jesus Christ taught the same thing. He said if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience. For, he said, if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self) we will lose them for eternity. But if we lose our lives (die with him to sin) for his sake, then we have eternal life (Lu 9:23-26; cf. Eph 4:17-24).

Jesus made no bones about it. Following him is a total commitment. If we do not participate with him in his death to sin we have no part in him. If we do not take up our cross daily and follow him, we are not worthy of him. If we do not walk in obedience to his commands, we don’t know him (Jn 6:35-58; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 10:38; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 3:36; Jn 14:21-24; Jn 15:10).

In the Old Testament God described faith as obedience and unbelief as disobedience. He did the same in the New Testament. So, faith is not some feeling or some intellectual assent to who Jesus is, but it is doing what God says to do. It is walking (in conduct) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. It is putting to death the deeds of the flesh, etc.

For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit 2:11-14).

James 2:18-23 ESV

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God.” ​

Many people today are teaching a faith in Jesus Christ which is of human origin, not of God, for it does not submit to God’s law, thus it is hostile to God (Rom 8:5-8).

For, it teaches that we can just invite Jesus into our hearts or make some public confession of faith in Jesus Christ or repeat some words after someone else and that it guarantees us forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God regardless of how we live our lives on this earth.

It makes no requirements for dying with Christ to sin and for living to him and to his righteousness. It makes no requirements for walking in obedience to our Lord according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Some may teach these things, but not as requirements for eternal life with God.

They will teach or they will give the impression that we can keep on living in sin and that Jesus will just keep on forgiving us, and they totally ignore the Scriptures that teach that if we walk according to the flesh that we will not inherit eternal life with God. They also ignore the Scriptures that teach that God will judge us by our works.

Faith in Jesus is not a “do-nothing” faith. Even the demons believe and they shudder, but they are not saved. Many will come before God one day saying, “Lord, Lord,” and he is going to tell them, “Depart from me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you!” For, he said that it is those who do the will of the Father in heaven who enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 7:21-23).

James 2:24-26 ESV

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”​

Genuine faith in Jesus Christ is going to be accompanied by obedience to the Lord in doing the works that he has called us to do and that he is empowering us to do. Our faith is proven genuine by what we do. We can’t just claim faith in Jesus Christ and then go on living in the flesh doing whatever it is we want to do. That is not God-persuaded faith.

It doesn’t mean we will live perfect lives or that we will never fail, but it does mean we have died with Christ to sin, we have been reborn of the Spirit of God, and now we are living for the Lord and no longer for our flesh. For if our minds are set on the flesh, and if we continue to live according to the flesh, we do not have an inheritance in God’s eternal kingdom.

So, what we must know here is that Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died to deliver us from our slavery to sin, not just to forgive us our sins. He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now glorify God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:19-20).

So, faith apart from works is dead faith. Yes, we aren’t saved by our own good works done in the flesh, but we are saved to good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).

Songs in the Night

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!

Salvation for Israel, was always based on faith AND works, so yes, if James was writing to the 12 tribes of Israel, he is correct in all that he said.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Salvation for Israel, was always based on faith AND works, so yes, if James was writing to the 12 tribes of Israel, he is correct in all that he said.

Not true. Paul said a person can deny God by a lack of works (See: Titus 1:16).

 

[SkyWriting]

Not true. Paul said a person can deny God by a lack of works (See: Titus 1:16).

But did any other writer say that as well?

 

[Guojing]

Not true. Paul said a person can deny God by a lack of works (See: Titus 1:16).

If you believe that, then you are also believing he is contradicting himself in Romans 4:5

 

[Ceallaigh]

Not true. Paul said a person can deny God by a lack of works (See: Titus 1:16).

10 "For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work". Titus 1:10-16

Looks to me that Paul was talking about false teachers. Judaizers who teach that it is necessary for Christians to adopt Jewish laws and customs, especially those found in the Law of Moses.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Faith without works is dead.

Anyone here without works? I doubt it.

As it's virtually impossible to go through life without works.

Have you shown kindness, helped someone out etc? You have works.

Ever encourage someone, made them feel better, blessed them in some way? You have works.

Ever prayed for someone? You have works.

Ever shared the gospel, even if it's only been by way of posting to CF? You have works.

Being without works is a near impossible feat.

 

[mlepfitjw]

The only works you might not have is if you do not work a job per say. In reference to Roman 4:5. At least that is the way I see this verse because not everyone can work a job - disabilities, and those types of things.

 

[Ceallaigh]

The only works you might not have is if you do not work a job per say. In reference to Roman 4:5. At least that is the way I see this verse because not everyone can work a job - disabilities, and those types of things.

Not a verse I would expect legalists to keep in their arsenal.

5 "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” Romans 4:5-8

 

[mlepfitjw]

Are willing to please explain more of what you are saying, MMXX. Because I don’t understand.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Are willing to please explain more of what you are saying, MMXX. Because I don’t understand.

I replied to your post out of context to what you said. Sorry about that. What I was addressing is the legalistic notion posed by others that belief and grace are not enough to acquire justification, but that works (deeds, actions) are also required to acquire justification. Romans 4:5 seems to stamp out that notion.

 

[Guojing]

The only works you might not have is if you do not work a job per say. In reference to Roman 4:5. At least that is the way I see this verse because not everyone can work a job - disabilities, and those types of things.

Wait, are you saying in Romans 4:5, Paul is talking about work as in working in a regular job?

 

[Danthemailman]

Faith without works is dead.

Anyone here without works? I doubt it.

As it's virtually impossible to go through life without works.

Have you shown kindness, helped someone out etc? You have works.

Ever encourage someone, made them feel better, blessed them in some way? You have works.

Ever prayed for someone? You have works.

Ever shared the gospel, even if it's only been by way of posting to CF? You have works.

Being without works is a near impossible feat.

As an unbeliever, in the eyes of Jesus you are seen as a "worker of iniquity" because all of your sins still remain and have not been washed away by the blood of Christ (Romans 3:24-28) no matter how many works that you attempt to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to obtain salvation by works. (Matthew 7:22-23)

 

[Danthemailman]

In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to validate his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith. So James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to show the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

But did any other writer say that as well?

Cross references for Titus 1:16 would be... Matthew 7:23, and 1 John 2:3-4. Note: Keeping the commandments would involve the greatest two (Which are works). For to love your neighbor is defined as helping the poor beat up guy on the side of the road (See: Luke 10:25-37). Another one is John 14:23. Obviously one knows God if they abide in the Son and the Father, and obviously one is doing good works if they keep the words of Jesus.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Wait, are you saying in Romans 4:5, Paul is talking about work as in working in a regular job?

Romans 4:4, and Works of Earning Money vs. Works of Responsibility in Owning a Free Gift.

To him that works his reward is not of grace but it is of debt as if it was some kind of obligation like at a job whereby he works so as to earn money.

"Now to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him)." (Romans 4:4) (AMPC).​

So yes. I agree. Works Alone or trading dollars for hours like at a job involving salvation is wrong. Works Alone Salvationism (without God’s grace) is wrong because one has no grace or rest ever. This would purely be a works based system of salvation with no grace or mercy (like with Christ) if one messes up. A person’s good deeds have to outweigh their bad deeds.

But this is not the same thing as "Works of Responsibility in Owning a Free Gift."

I believe God's grace is a free gift as Scripture says (Ephesians 2:8). Gifts are received, and then we do works of responsibility to take care of those gifts.

Let me give you an example:

If Rick received a car as a free gift from his dad, does that mean he can run red lights, drive drunk, and hit pedestrians? No. If he were to do that, he would not have his gift for very long. Now, was his car any less a free gift because he had to do works of responsibility in possessing his free gift? No. Did Rick have to work at a job and get a loan to buy this car? No. It was a free gift from his dad.

Here is another example:

If Billy-Bob prayed for a wife for many years and he eventually receive a wife from the Lord and consider her as a gift, then that does not mean Billy-Bob can cheat on her and or not love her and expect for her to stay with him. It is the same with God. Disloyalty to GOD means we do not really love GOD and we just love ourselves more than Him. GOD calls us to obedience to His Word. This was the problem that goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. But men today want to say that we can break God's commands and they will not die. This was the same lie that the enemy was trying to sell Eve on. The serpent told her that she would not die if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Which was a violation of God's command).

Anyways, in conclusion: We know that working like at a job (trading dollars for hours) is not the same as doing "Works of responsibility in owning a free gift." Paul is not talking about responsibility in possessing Jesus Christ (Who is our gift). Paul is talking about trying to earn your salvation by a system of "Works Salvationism Alone" that did not include God's grace at all. But men today confuse the issue to justify sin under God’s grace (Which is what Jude 1:4 warns against).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

As an unbeliever, in the eyes of Jesus you are seen as a "worker of iniquity" because all of your sins still remain and have not been washed away by the blood of Christ (Romans 3:24-28) no matter how many works that you attempt to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to obtain salvation by works. (Matthew 7:22-23)

Jesus was not condemning those who did wonderful works in His name on account of their good works. He condemned them because they worked iniquity which is sin. Matthew 7:26-27 says that everyone who does not do what He (Jesus) says they are like a fool who built their house upon the sand and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house. So the context is in defense of holy action, and not in a belief alone while we do nothing.

Matthew 7:23 just shows that good works will not help us if we also justify sin or iniquity (Whereby Jesus would not know us). For to know Jesus is to keep His commandments (See: 1 John 2:3-4).

For when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, all his previous righteousness will not be remembered.

Ezekiel 3:20 says,
“Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

Seeing the Lord associates with those who do righteousness (1 John 2:3-4) (1 John 3:10) (John 14:23) (John 15:10), if a person goes back to commiting a sin, and they do not confess and forsake such a sin, all their previous righteousness will not be remembered and thus as a result, they will not be remembered. It will be as if He never knew them (Matthew 7:23).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Not a verse I would expect legalists to keep in their arsenal.

5 "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” Romans 4:5-8

I believe Romans 4:5-8 whole heartedly. It is referring to the first aspect of salvation (Being initially and foundationally saved by God's grace without the deeds of the Law), and not the second aspect of salvation (Sanctification or living holy by God's power). Titus 2:11-12 says that God's grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and that we should live righteously and godly in this present world. The call of the gospel is.... God has chosen us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and a belief of the truth (See: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

For if a believer stumbles into sin on rare occasion, do they do a good work to redeem that sin? No. They go to God's grace by confessing of their sins to Jesus Christ (See: 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:1). But God's grace is not a license for immorality as per Jude 1:4. We have to realize that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (See: Hebrews 12:14). Please keep in mind that Hebrews 12:14 also says that we are to follow after making peace with all men as a part of seeing the Lord, too.

 

[Walter and Deborah]

James 2:14-17 ESV

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”​

Some people have the mistaken notion that only James taught this and that Paul didn’t. But Paul did teach this, too. He said if we walk according to the flesh we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we have eternal life (Rom 8:1-17).

He said that we are slaves of the one we obey. If we obey sin, it leads to death, but if we obey obedience, it leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (Rom 6:16-23).

And he taught that if we make sin our practice that we will not inherit eternal life with God but that we will die in our sins. For, he said that we are all going to reap what we sow, and we will be judged by what we do (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10).

Jesus Christ taught the same thing. He said if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience. For, he said, if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self) we will lose them for eternity. But if we lose our lives (die with him to sin) for his sake, then we have eternal life (Lu 9:23-26; cf. Eph 4:17-24).

Jesus made no bones about it. Following him is a total commitment. If we do not participate with him in his death to sin we have no part in him. If we do not take up our cross daily and follow him, we are not worthy of him. If we do not walk in obedience to his commands, we don’t know him (Jn 6:35-58; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 10:38; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 3:36; Jn 14:21-24; Jn 15:10).

In the Old Testament God described faith as obedience and unbelief as disobedience. He did the same in the New Testament. So, faith is not some feeling or some intellectual assent to who Jesus is, but it is doing what God says to do. It is walking (in conduct) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. It is putting to death the deeds of the flesh, etc.

For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit 2:11-14).

James 2:18-23 ESV

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God.” ​

Many people today are teaching a faith in Jesus Christ which is of human origin, not of God, for it does not submit to God’s law, thus it is hostile to God (Rom 8:5-8).

For, it teaches that we can just invite Jesus into our hearts or make some public confession of faith in Jesus Christ or repeat some words after someone else and that it guarantees us forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God regardless of how we live our lives on this earth.

It makes no requirements for dying with Christ to sin and for living to him and to his righteousness. It makes no requirements for walking in obedience to our Lord according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Some may teach these things, but not as requirements for eternal life with God.

They will teach or they will give the impression that we can keep on living in sin and that Jesus will just keep on forgiving us, and they totally ignore the Scriptures that teach that if we walk according to the flesh that we will not inherit eternal life with God. They also ignore the Scriptures that teach that God will judge us by our works.

Faith in Jesus is not a “do-nothing” faith. Even the demons believe and they shudder, but they are not saved. Many will come before God one day saying, “Lord, Lord,” and he is going to tell them, “Depart from me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you!” For, he said that it is those who do the will of the Father in heaven who enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 7:21-23).

James 2:24-26 ESV

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”​

Genuine faith in Jesus Christ is going to be accompanied by obedience to the Lord in doing the works that he has called us to do and that he is empowering us to do. Our faith is proven genuine by what we do. We can’t just claim faith in Jesus Christ and then go on living in the flesh doing whatever it is we want to do. That is not God-persuaded faith.

It doesn’t mean we will live perfect lives or that we will never fail, but it does mean we have died with Christ to sin, we have been reborn of the Spirit of God, and now we are living for the Lord and no longer for our flesh. For if our minds are set on the flesh, and if we continue to live according to the flesh, we do not have an inheritance in God’s eternal kingdom.

So, what we must know here is that Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died to deliver us from our slavery to sin, not just to forgive us our sins. He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now glorify God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:19-20).

So, faith apart from works is dead faith. Yes, we aren’t saved by our own good works done in the flesh, but we are saved to good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).

Songs in the Night

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!

Amen! Faith Proves Itself By Works James 2:14-26 KJV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise];

Was this not Faith and Works ?

Love, Walter

 

[Danthemailman]

Jesus was not condemning those who did wonderful works in His name on account of their good works. He condemned them because they worked iniquity which is sin. Matthew 7:26-27 says that everyone who does not do what He (Jesus) says they are like a fool who built their house upon the sand and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house. So the context is in defense of holy action, and not in a belief alone while we do nothing.

Matthew 7:23 just shows that good works will not help us if we also justify sin or iniquity (Whereby Jesus would not know us). For to know Jesus is to keep His commandments (See: 1 John 2:3-4).

For when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, all his previous righteousness will not be remembered.

Ezekiel 3:20 says,
“Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

Seeing the Lord associates with those who do righteousness (1 John 2:3-4) (1 John 3:10) (John 14:23) (John 15:10), if a person goes back to commiting a sin, and they do not confess and forsake such a sin, all their previous righteousness will not be remembered and thus as a result, they will not be remembered. It will be as if He never knew them (Matthew 7:23).

The point here in Matthew 7:22-23 is that Jesus NEVER knew these many people which means they were NEVER saved. Their attempts at external obedience apart from a relationship with Christ is not the will of the Father. (Matthew 7:21; John 6:40; John 17:3) Unbelievers will ALL be characterized as "workers of iniquity." These were NOT genuine believers and that is the heart of the issue. Also a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20)

As we read on in Matthew 7:24-27, we find two different foundations with two different results. Each house has a different material upon which its foundation is laid, and each house has a different final outcome. One house is built by a wise man upon a rock and it stands. The other is built by a foolish man upon the sand and it collapses.

Those deceived by their own self-righteousness in Matthew 7:22-23 were "outwardly" doing things that also the righteous would do, yet they did not truly know Christ (had no personal relationship with Christ) which stemmed from not truly believing in Him.

The rock the wise man builds upon is true righteousness found in Jesus Christ alone. The sand the foolish man builds upon is self-righteousness. Only those who truly believe in Christ unto salvation are wise and hear the words of Jesus and properly act on them.