What are works? This may seem like a silly question but all kinds of people agree with "faith and works" but may define works differently. As a child I understood works as going to church, praying, giving offering and things like that but sometimes these things seem made up (or slowly absorbed into works). But what did James mean when they spoke of works?
Works are the substance of the unseen will, called faith .In that way faith is a work the will cannot be separated form the substances.
Works we offer have no power they are a responce to him working in us to both will and perfm the good pleasure of Him not seen.
Hebrews 6 rightfully divides the understanding between a faith we can offer working towards God and a faith that comes from hearing God towards us as he works in us.
If we would offer our new born again faith towards Him by any work we could do it is considered dead. We are not the source of faith (the unseen things of God) .We have none to offer being dead in our trespasses and sin. We have the treasure of that power working in us but would never assume it is of us. . offered towards God as dead works. Verse 3 informs us and this will we do, if God permit.
Hebrews 6 King James Version (KJV) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from
dead works, and of
faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do,
if God permit.
The word
toward as to how it is used is the key. It represent two direction as sources inspired from above bound on earth. Or earthly inspired of the father of lies towards the unknow heaven. .
Those who say they hear and say they are doing the work necessary for salvation are shown as they who crucify Christ over and over every time they violate the warning to not go above all things written in the law and prophets (sola scriptura)having tasted of things to come they refuse to believe in a God not seen as it is written. but rather follow after I heard it though the grapevine as oral tradition of mankind. walking or understanding by observing the things seen the temporal .
One propmised demonstration is enough for those in whom Christ is working to both will and perform His good pleasure. The better things that
accompany salvation to those in whom our God does work in to both will and perform his good pleasure .
The promise that God not seen will not forget their labor of love or work working with Christ when attributed to the power of his name. . not as dead works our works towards him . . our amen so be it , we hear and are moved to perform it as
it is wriitten.
It God's word the one exclusive source of faith .. . not of us .
Us and them that went out because they were not of us. .
Hebrew6:9-10 But, beloved, we are
persuaded better things of you, and things that
accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and
labour of love, (work of faith) which ye have shewed
toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.