Nothing you said her addresses my idea: “Whatever we “do” does not make us “deserving” of anything.” Do you feel the prodigal son was deserving of what he got?
Again, you are not looking at the whole counsel of God’s Word. I brought up verses that you are ignoring, as well. You are also ignoring the major point in the parable I made, too. So your reasoning on the parable is looking through the lens of an outside belief you prefer to be true (i.e., Belief Alone Salvationism), rather than drawing meaning out of the parable in light of all of Scripture.
While we are initially saved by God’s grace and it is how we are also foundationally saved by His mercy, we also need Sanctification of the Spirit to live a holy life, which will include works. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says God has chosen you to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit. Here are….
Works for Salvation Verses:
#1. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24).
#2. "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.” (James 2:17-18).
#3. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21) (Note: This work by Abraham in offering up Isaac upon the altar in James 2:21 is referred to as “faith” in Hebrews 11. It says, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:” - Hebrews 11:17).
#4. "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16).
#5. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10).
#6. “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:18-19).
#7. "...No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) (cf. Luke 8:11-15, 1 Corinthians 4:15).
#8. “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:29).
#9. “Then 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: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then 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. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matthew 25:41-46). “Then 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: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” (Matthew 25:34-36).
#10. “...if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 19:17-19)
#11. “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” (Luke 10:25-28) (An example of loving your neighbor is given to us in the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37).
#12. “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:10).
#13. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19).
Supplementary Passage (Context):
"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:26-27).
What sayings of Jesus are they not doing?
Two chapters earlier, Jesus says,
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).
(The Immediate context also refers to how those who bring forth evil fruit are the corrupt trees, i.e., inwardly they are ravening wolves or false prophets and yet those who bring forth good fruit are good trees):
”Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20).
#14. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.’ (John 15:5-6).
Supplementary Verse (Context):
”Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.“ (John 15:2).
Note: Notice the first half of John 15:2, Jesus is saying that the branch that does not bear fruit is IN Him.
Jesus says, “every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away”
This branch IN Jesus that bears not fruit, He “taketh away”;
This obviously is referring to how they will be taken away to be cast into the fire (Based on the context - John 15:6).
#15. “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:8-9).
#16. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) (Note: Walking in the light = Loving your brother according to the indirect wording in 1 John 2:9-11; Loving your brother is a good work).
#17. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8).
#18. “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 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: (Matthew 25:25-26). “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30). “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. 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.” (Matthew 25:20-21).
#19. “…I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. …” (Revelation 3:1-3). “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,…” (Revelation 3:4).
#20. "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; " (Jude 1:12).
As we can see, these false believers mentioned in Jude are without fruit.
This is why we are to constantly affirm to others to maintain good works (Titus 3:8).
In fact, Titus 3:14 says,
"And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful."
So we are to affirm works to other believers CONSTANTLY.
The brethren are to learn to maintain good works so that they are not unfruitful.
That's why.
If one is unfruitful, then they are like the false believers whose fruit is withered, and they are without fruit twice dead, and the roots pluck them up, as Jude warns.
Please address at least 2-3 of these verses above.
