Let's look at Paul, formerly called Saul. This is what he says about himself.
Phl 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Phl 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Phl 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Phl 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
Phl 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith
Paul followed the law to the letter. He even states that he was blameless, yet he admits the law cannot save him.
Let's look at the story of the good Samaritan.
Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 10:26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luke 10:27 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.
Luke 10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Luke 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead.
Luke 10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him],
Luke 10:34 And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Luke 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Luke 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
Luke 10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
What I see in this story is bondage. The guy that was beaten was a Jewish man. The Priest and the Levite were both Jewish men, but they were following the law. The law stated that they would be unclean if they touched a man or beast that was dead or they thought was dead. So, they choose to follow the law to the letter, yet obeying the law to the letter would not allow for them to save someone and remain clean. It appears the law cannot save us or allow for mercy.
Let's look at some Bible verses and thoughts.
All this in the quote was taken from Pastor Chuck Smith. I agree with what he taught on this.
Now what does it profit, my brethren, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? can faith save him (Jam 2:12-14)?
Now, at this point, many people see James and Paul in conflict in teaching. I don't. Paul teaches that salvation is through faith, faith alone. "By grace are you saved through faith; not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship" (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Then, what does James say? "Can faith save him?" The answer is yes, faith can save him. A true faith. But make sure you have a true faith. For, if you have a true faith, it will be manifested by the works. In other words, to just say you have faith doesn't cut it. Saying it isn't enough.
I've had people come to me and say, "Oh, I have all the faith in the world." Baloney! Nobody has all the faith in the world. And saying it doesn't make it so. If you believe certain things to be so, then your life is going to be lived accordingly. Your life testifies of your faith or your beliefs. To say that you believe in God and that God is supreme and that God is first in your life, then it will follow that there will be certain evidence that will verify that fact what you have declared to be so. By the works that you do, your faith will be proved or proclaimed. To say that you have faith and not have any works that correspond is totally wrong. You've deceived yourself. You aren't really walking in faith. If you are truly walking in faith, your works are going to be manifesting that truth.
So "what does it profit if a man says he has faith, and he doesn't have works? can that kind of faith save him?" No, it can't.
If a brother or sister is naked, or is destitute of daily food, And you say to them, [Oh] Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; but yet you don't give them any clothes or any food; what good are your words (Jam 2:15-16)?
They can't make him warm. They can't fill his stomach.
Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, if you try to stand alone. Yes, a man may say, "You have faith, and I have works": but you show me your faith without your works, I will show you my faith by my works (Jam 2:17-18).
So it isn't just the declaration. It's the declaration that has something behind it. The proof behind it is the works that I do. Now the works don't save me. They only prove that I have saving faith. And if I don't have works that are corresponding to what I am declaring, then I do not have saving faith, just the declaration, the verbal affirmation isn't enough, and it won't do it.
Now, a lot of people made mistakes; going forward and saying the sinner's prayer and then going away and living the same kind of life, doing the same kind of thing. They say, "Oh yeah, I was saved. I went forward and I said the sinner's prayer." No, no, the sinner's prayer isn't going to save you. It is a living faith in Jesus Christ that brings about actual changes in your life and the proof is in the works; the proof of your faith. Your works have to be in accordance, in harmony with what you are declaring to be true.
You believe that there is one God; [Ah] you do well: the devils believe the same thing, and they tremble (Jam 2:19).
"Oh, I believe in God." Big deal. Who doesn't, except some fool? The Bible says the fool is the one that says there is no God. So you say you believe in God, it only proves one thing, you're not a fool. But it doesn't save you. The devils believe in God, they probably believe more firmly in Him than you do. They said to Jesus, "We know who you are, you're the Holy One of God." (Mark 1:24). So you say, "Oh I believe Jesus is the Holy One of God." So what? Have you submitted your life to His Lordship? Are you doing His works? Are you obeying His commands?
You see, not all who say, "Lord, Lord," are going to enter the kingdom of heaven. So you say, "Oh Lord, Oh the Lord, Oh the Lord," yea, yea, but saying it is not going to do it. Jesus said, "not all who say, Lord, Lord, are going to enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of the Father" (Matthew 7:21). James is telling you the very same thing. It isn't saying I have faith, it is demonstrating the faith because the works of my life are in harmony with what I am declaring that I believe.
If I believe that there was a bomb planted in this room, set to detonate in two minutes, and I stand up here and calmly proclaim to you, "You know, there's a huge bomb in this room that is going to detonate in two minutes and blow this whole place to smithereens." Terrible of people to do that, isn't it? Can't imagine the mind of a person that would plant such a bomb. Why would they want to destroy us? You'd say, "Ah, you don't really believe there's a bomb here." Why? Because my works don't correspond with what I'm declaring that I believe. But if I go running out of the door and say, "Get out of there. A bomb's going to blow up in two minutes," then you're more apt to believe that at least I believe what I'm telling you because now my actions are corresponding with what I am declaring that I believe to be so.
The same is true with faith and works. You say, "Well I believe in God and I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and all." Well, do your actions correspond? Do your actions really show that Jesus is the Lord of your life? Is that demonstrated by the works that you do? That's what James is saying. Don't just say it. Don't rest in just words, beautiful words. But, let's see the actions that demonstrate that you truly believe what you're saying.
"Will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead ?" (Jam 2:20)
It isn't really alive. It isn't a living faith. It isn't a saving faith.
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" (Jam 2:21)
You see, his works corresponded with his faith. He believed God. He believed that through Isaac, God was going to raise up a nation because God had promised that. "Through Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now his very offering of Isaac was proof of his strong belief in the word of God. Believing that God would, if necessary, raise Isaac from the dead to keep His promise. And so his faith was in keeping or his works were in keeping with his faith.
"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works," (Jam 2:22)
They were working together. His faith produced the works as faith will also produce the corresponding works in our life.
"and by works was faith made perfect?" (Jam 2:22)
Not a question mark. In the Greek there is no question mark there. It's just the declaration, "by works his faith was made complete." His faith was proved.
And the scripture was fulfilled which said, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (Jam 2:23-24)
The works being the proof of the faith.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (Jam 2:25-26)
When your spirit leaves your body, your body is dead. The body without the spirit, is dead. So faith, if it doesn't have corresponding works, is not a true faith. It's dead. It does nothing for you. It cannot save you. Dead faith can save no one. It's a living faith and a living Lord, and that living faith can be demonstrated by the actions of my life that are in harmony and corresponding with what I declare to be true and what I declare I believe to be true. There has to be the corresponding works for faith to be alive.
Therefore, let us examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith, the true faith that saves. Not just the verbalizing of the Apostle's Creed, I believe, but the actions of my life being in harmony with it.
Father, help us that we might indeed be doers of the word and not hearers only. That we might not just affirm a belief but may we demonstrate that belief by the attitudes and actions of our lives. Lord, help us not to be deceived. In Jesus' name, Amen.
May the Lord bless you and guide you as you go this week. As you face the many temptations, may the Lord give you strength and may you walk and live after the Spirit. And may you respond after the Spirit. In the temptation may you not yield to the flesh and react after the flesh. May your life be pleasing unto God, as our actions come into harmony with our declarations of what we believe. May we show it in the works that we do. In Jesus' name.
It seems to me that these verses are clear. As an LDS member, how do you view them, in light of the works plus grace issue?
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
My point on these verses is this: Paul is clearly teaching that we are under the law as long as we live. He uses the example of husband and wife, if one dies we are no longer bound by the marriage so we can remarry. We read in the Bible, Christ is our husband and we are married to him, read verse 4.
Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
Rom 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to [her] husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of [her] husband.
Rom 7:3 So then if, while [her] husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.
Here we read that we are free from the law, and that the law is weak and brings death.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 10:4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Here in verse 3, it talks of tablets of stone. Those are the stone tablets that Moses wrote the Ten Commandments on.
2Cr 3:3 [Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Cr 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Cr 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;
2Cr 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2Cr 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away.
The law is a school master, and a very hard one at that. Our righteousness is not from the law. We are lead by the Spirit, not the law.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one.
Gal 3:21 [Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
These verses should be rather clear.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Well, I hope I have given you something to think about. I know a certain Billsjane has given it much thought. He decided he would rather spend eternity apart from Christ, and insult the Holy God by claiming His death on the cross was not good enough to save us. Bills said he would rather work for his salvation. It is a complete insult to a Holy God to say we need to add works to His death for us. When Jesus said, "It is finished," He meant that. Works cannot save us, and neither can keeping the law. Rick b
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