If you read these verses from james it plainly states what faith without works is worth to anyone, nothing. If you read the verse from Revelation then you see that we are judged
according to our works, good or bad. Do you remember the verse that says you are either for God or against him? When you apply that to works you are either working for God
or you are working against him.
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"If that is the case, then please tell me exactly how many works are enough to save me. If I don't do enough, then I go to hell,
regardless of whether or not I have placed my trust in the atoning death of Jesus Christ on my behalf?"
I can't answer how many because I don't do the judging he does. If I had to guess I would say and this is my opinion you have to do enough to keep your faith
vibrant and alive and growing and not stagnet and lifeless with no works. We need to look at it like this, works are not burden to be borne by us, but a way to let
our faith in him grow as we see the good that comes as we do our works out of LOVE.
Let me say one other thing here: If we ever feel that good works are a burden on us then we have a serious problem with our faith,
because we should be glad to do things for others because we have God's love in our hearts.These are good example verses of some who did works and some who didn't and what Jesus thought about it:
Matthew:
25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
25:35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
25:36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
25:37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
25:38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
25:39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
25:40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
25:42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
25:43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
25:44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
25:45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
25:46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
James
1:25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1:26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
James
2:14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
2:15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
2:16And 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?
2:17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
2:18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
2:19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
2:20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
2:21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
2:22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
2:23And 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.
2:24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
2:25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
2:26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Revelation
.22:12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
