Saved by Faith alone

[JimG]

It’s because people don’t really believe that Jesus was being serious,or that he will follow up on his threat,or that this warning applies to them. If we feel like we are decent people,we are not inclined to think that we may be damned for passing by the poor and needy. People do not make the correlation between serving the poor and serving God,even though Jesus spelled it out for us.

I think you are right. Of course, we have all heard of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, but do we have to do that to be saved? In this passage, Jesus seems to be saying, yes we do. When you think about it, this is a pretty scary passage.

 

[anthony022071]

I think you are right. Of course, we have all heard of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, but do we have to do that to be saved? In this passage, Jesus seems to be saying, yes we do. When you think about it, this is a pretty scary passage.

Yes. It’s scary because our sense of justice is so wide off the mark from God’s justice. If we know what justice is,and what it entails,we should actually be thrilled that God is angered by ill-treatment and neglect of the poor,and that he will judge us by how we treat them. It is as much a cause for rejoicing as it is for fear. Fear of God and rejoicing in God come from the same recognition of his justice. It means that God really is good.

 

[holy_wood]

Matt 19:16-17

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Says nothing about having only faith now does it?

Matt 7:21

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven

.
Doing Gods will…sounds like a work to me.

John 6:53-54

Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day

Be it taken sybolically or literally the verse says we must do something to be risen up.

John 15:1-6

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Everyone agree that those branches were part of the body of Christ and does everyone agree that to truly be part of the body you need faith. Yes, then it is clear that those branches, already part of the body mind you, who do not bear**( a work)** good fruit will be thrown into the fire. “But they must abide in him.” (faith working through love)

James 2:22-24

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ( What the Catechism teaches) And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was *accounted to him for righteousness.” *And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

What, The Word of Gos says we are not saved by faith alone, what else is left to debate?

James 2:26

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Cool analogy. Body seperated from body = DEATH
Faith seperated from Works = DEATH

1 Tim 5:8

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

This guy was a beliver but lost his salvation for failing to do…you guessed it a work.

There is much more for me to teach you but you cannot bear it now.

 

[truthnlight]

All you have to do is refer them to Matthew 25,34-46.
That makes it clear we are saved or damned by our works.
I think the real reason why Protestants downplay the importance of works is so that the believer may think that if he helps the poor,the weak,the sick that he is doing it out of his own morality rather than humble obedience to God’s commandment. So that leaves room for pride of accomplishment,self-satisfaction,giving credit to one’s self. It leaves room for deciding whether one should help the poor,the weak,the sick at all. It leaves room for excusing one’s self of divine commandment.

"So you also,when you have done all that you were ordered to do,say,‘We are worthless slaves,we have done only what we ought to have done!’ " Luke 17,10.

Salvation is trusting or believing in, by faith, that Jesus Christ paid for your sins with His blood on the cross of Calvary.

“He that BELIEVETH on the Son hath everlasting life:. . .” John 3:36

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The Bible makes it clear that OUR WORKS has nothing whatsoever to do with our salvation.

We don’t receive it by our works - and we don’t keep it by our works!

" NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,. . ." Titus 3:5

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

Salvation is the free gift of God. If we had to work to keep it - it would not be a free gift - and God would be a liar!

“. . . the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“. . .by the righteousness of one THE FREE GIFT came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5:18

“. . .for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

“. . . and, lo, I am with you ALWAY, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE,. . .” 1 John 5:13

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE,. . .” John 5:24

him that cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." John 6:37

“And ye are COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:10

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. . . For by one offering he hath PERFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:10,14

“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED IN JESUS CHRIST, and called:” Jude 1

“Who are KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5

“Now unto him that is able TO KEEP YOU from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24

What about the BACKSLIDER?

What about the “backslider” or somebody that forsakes the Lord? The Bible says he will suffer loss (rewards, etc.) - but he himself shall be saved!

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

But what if I sin an awful sin?

1 Corinthians 5 reports of an awful sin in the church. And even though Paul commands “. . . To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh” - Paul still speaks of that person being saved - “. . .that the spirit MAY BE SAVED. . .”

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. . .To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit MAY BE SAVED in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:1,5

To lose your salvation - makes God a LIAR!

With all the PROMISES from God to KEEP you, to SAVE you, to PRESERVE you - to even suggest you could lose your salvation - is to call God a LIAR!
“. . .he that BELIEVETH NOT GOD hath made him a LIAR; . . .” 1 John 5:10

They trust in feelings rather than the word of God.

Cont

 

[truthnlight]

They trust in feelings rather than the word of God.

“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool:. . .” Proverbs 28:26
They are confused by the simplicity of salvation.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY that is in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
They trust in tradition or church teachings rather than the word of God.

“Making the word of God of none effect through your TRADITION,. . .” Mark 7:13
They trust in their own righteousness.

“. . . and all OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSES are as filthy rags;. . .” Isaiah 64:6
They have NEVER been saved.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;. . .” Matthew 7:21

 

[anthony022071]

The Bible makes it clear that OUR WORKS has nothing whatsoever to do with our salvation.

Then you contradict Jesus in Matthew 25,34-46.

From James 1,14-26:

What good is it my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?

“Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Issac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works,and faith was brought to completion by the works.”

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead,so faith without works is dead.”

How can a dead faith lead to eternal life?

 

[MariaG]

The Bible makes it clear that OUR WORKS has nothing whatsoever to do with our salvation.

Then you contradict Jesus in Matthew 25,34-46.

From James 1,14-26:

What good is it my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?

“Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Issac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works,and faith was brought to completion by the works.”

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead,so faith without works is dead.”

How can a dead faith lead to eternal life?

Yes, it is only the Catholic interpretation that is completely consistent with ALL scripture.

We are saved through Grace alone. Nothing we can do will earn our salvation. But we grow in grace and righteousness through our works. Works that are only possible in the first place because of God’s grace, so we have nothing to boast of.

If one truly wishes to understand, and not continuely fight over words, I suggest reading a work by James Akin, Righteousness and Merit.

God Bless,
Maria