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Are we Justified by
FAITH or WORKS?

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

(Romans 3:28 -Paul)

“Faith without works is dead...a man is justified by works, and not by faith only...For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

(James 2:20,24,26)

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,

even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,

and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified...

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

(Galatians 2:16, 21 - Paul)

 

“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...He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:

and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

(John 3:16, 36)

 

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

(1 John 5:13)

“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:.Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

(Ephesians 2:8-10)

More Bible Verses To Read

(ROMANS 3:21-30)    (GALATIANS 2:16-21)    (JAMES 2:14-26)    (JOHN 3:16-18,36)    (1 JOHN 5:10-13)

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FAITH that WORKS

Saving Faith

Both FAITH and WORKS are divinely provided and are found in every true believer!

 

 

Countless people have been confused over the centuries, even today, about what the apostles Paul and James say about the relationship between FAITH and WORKS for our justification. Because of the importance of the doctrine of justification, we must understand the teaching of James 2:14-26 to know which is the only way we can be saved. By faith or by works or by both of them without misunderstanding or misinterpreting the scriptures. Paul said in Romans 3:28 and other places about being justified by faith alone: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." James states in James 2:24: "You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Some see James' verse that we are justified by faith plus works. In fact, the teachings of Paul and James do not contradict each other. Each addresses different issues and problems in the believer's life before and after salvation, and they apply the term justification differently. 

 

Apostle Paul wrote, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:2-3). James wrote, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 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 only." (James 2:21-25).  By reading these verses, it sounds like James is saying that Abraham is justified by works, while Paul is saying that he is justified by the grace of God through faith, without works, but only by faith. James does not argue against salvation by faith alone, but against salvation that is alone, without good works and obedience to God. The Hebrew man Abraham and the Gentile woman Rahab, whom James mentioned (James 2:21-25), were able to put into action their faith, which pleased God and resulted in justification. This means they were accounted before God as righteous. In other words, their faith brought them works that could not have been accomplished without it. The Bible states,"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."" (Romans 1:17) and "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, " (Titus 3:5). Paul is talking about the works we did before our salvation and James talking about the works after our salvation.

 

We are saved by the grace of God through faith and not by works. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9). "And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." (Romans 11:6) The minute we add any works to grace, grace is not any longer grace. "if righteousness come by the law (works), then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21). We cannot put grace and works together for salvation. Only you can be saved by grace. You must know that the grace is exclusively Christian. Nobody else besides our Lord Jesus Christ teaches salvation by grace. In this world, there are only two religions. One spelled "do," and the other spelled "done." When Jesus died on the cross, he said, "It is finished." That means our debt, which we owe, is paid in full and offers us salvation through faith. "It is gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:9). In this verse, Paul says that doing good things before we are saved will not save us, but James says that after we are saved, our faith will lead us to do good works (James 2:14-26). Both of them state separate truths, which tell us that GOOD WORKS will not result in SALVATION, but SALVATION will result in GOOD WORKS.

Paul states: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10), "...they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." (Acts 26:20), "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." (Romans 7:4). Paul and James do not contradict each other at all. They both tell us that good works are part of sincere faith. 

 

Dr. Adrian Rogers tells us: "There is no contradiction between being saved by trusting the Lord and faith without works is dead. They are heads and tails of the same coin.
What Paul
is talking about in Romans 4 is justification before God. What James is talking about is justification before men.
God knows when we are justified by trusting Christ. But people cannot see that we have trusted Christ  All people can see is what we do and how we live. People cannot see our faith. People can only see our works.
Paul is talking about being justified before God. Paul is talking about the root of our salvation. James is talking about the fruit of our salvation. The fruit is the proof of the root.
Paul is talking about inward justification. James is talking about outward demonstration.

Paul is talking about the provision of salvation. James is talking about the proof of salvation.
Paul is talking about the means of salvation. James is talking about the marks of salvation.
We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.

We’re not saved by faith and works but by faith that works. "to do good works" (Ephesians 2:10)
James is saying that we can’t claim to believe in God and salvation by grace if there hasn’t been a dramatic change in our lives. If your religion hasn’t changed your life, then you better change your religion. We do what we do, not in order to be saved, but because we have been saved.
James is talking about a dead faith... dead faith is profitless (James 2:14), fruitless (James 2:15-19), and lifeless (James 2:20-26)..." 

James is not saying we are justified by faith plus works, but the person genuinely justified by faith will have good works and not continue living in sin, showing no fruit of righteousness. James is talking to Jewish Christians and challenging them, as followers of Jesus Christ, to not just "talk the talk but to walk the walk." James's passage (2:14-26) does not disconnect salvation from faith. He never says that faith is not essential for salvation. He never claims works are required to gain or keep salvation. The fact is that we are only saved by faith, but genuinely saving faith cannot be separated from the evidence of good works. The Word of God teaches us a person to be saved must exercise "true saving faith" in Christ. God uses faith to bring individuals into a saving relationship with Him. The famous theologian B.B. Warfield said, "The saving power of faith resides thus not in itself, but in the Almighty Savior on whom it rests...It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but that Christ saves through faith."  Paul wrote grace "is the gift of God...lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians

2:8-9). This means no one can take partial credit for his redemption. The "Prince of Preachers." Charles Spurgeon said salvation is "all of grace."

James' teaching is clear. Works are not the basis of justification but the necessary fruit of true saving faith. Genuine saving faith produces the fruit of obedience and does more than merely believe; it translates into action. True saving faith involves repentance from one's sin and complete trust in the work of Christ to save one from sin and make one righteous. True saving faith involves the entire person, body, soul, and spirit. Saving faith consists of the mind, the heart, and the will. First, understand the gospel; second, believe the gospel; and third, commit to the gospel, which is the only hope of salvation. Saving faith reaches out and trusts Christ and Christ alone as Lord and Savior. Saving faith puts all its trust in Jesus Christ, and His shed blood rests on God's promises and relies on His power. True saving faith is proven by obedience to God's Word, including willingness to sacrifice for God. In every believer, Jesus changes him from the inside out when He comes in. Genuine faith is expressed through our actions and produces good works. In this case, we can say, "I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18). Many people think they are Christians simply because they were born in a Christian home, baptized as babies, raised their hand for salvation, prayed a prayer, or walked down an aisle during an invitation in a church or in an evangelist crusade. Others hope that what they have heard about Jesus is true and that He will save them from God's wrath. It looks like their faith in Jesus is simply "fire insurance" to save them from Hell. This is not true. A person is truly a Christian when he puts his whole trust in Christ alone. A person is only genuinely converted once he has repented and turned from his selfish ways, trusted in Christ, and desires to live like Christ. The person is not a true Christian if genuinely not justified by faith and changed from the Holy Spirit. The converted person has good works and does not continue living in sin but shows the fruit of righteousness.

Saving faith has three elements involving the entire person coming to Christ for salvation: the MIND (Correct mental knowledge), the EMOTIONS (expression of emotional feelings), and the WILL (personal response by trusting Jesus as personal Lord and Savior). 

 

The MIND. The basis of the Christian faith is the intellectual understanding of the truth. Before someone can believe in Jesus, he must hear about him and have specific knowledge about Him (Romans 10:14, 15). He must have the correct knowledge because faith is based on knowledge, and knowledge must be based on truth. A person cannot trust in something that has been proven false to him. God gives us the Bible, His Word, to help us to find the truth that God is holy and righteous, and we do not live according to His standards. We are sinners and need a savior, and because God loved us, he sent His own Son to reconcile us to Himself. The Christian life is not intellectualism, but we use the truth to educate and humble our minds. Proper knowledge is necessary for salvation, but an intellectual knowledge of salvation alone will not save him. 

The EMOTIONS.  True faith involves not only a person's mind but also his emotions, helping him not only to recognize the facts of the gospel but also to deeply believe that they are true.  A person may believe anything the Bible says about Jesus, but the information and the emotional feelings about Jesus do not save him. According to (James 2:19) he is at least qualified to be a demon."You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" Satan knows all about God, even the plan of redemption, but hates him and does not embrace him. This means that intellectual knowledge and emotional feelings and beliefs are not enough. A person cannot trust his own understanding. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5). Also, Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37). The Christian life is not emotionalism and emotional expression and does not save anyone because faith is more than emotional feelings.

The WILL. It is the essential element of saving faith: an expression of personal response by trusting Jesus. We must not only know with our minds and believe the facts of the Gospel with our emotions, but we must also put our whole trust and dependence on those facts with our will. We don't have saving faith until we completely surrender our lives to Christ and trust Him as both Lord and Savior. A faith that saves is a faith that surrenders to Christ's authority. He recognizes that he is a sinner and cannot save himself but trusts Christ alone. True saving faith involves repentance of one's sin and complete trust in the work of Christ to save one from sin and make one righteous. A person is saved as a result of an act of his free will. True saving faith does not stop at assent, but it trusts in Christ alone for salvation and produces the fruit of obedience to God and good works after salvation. A "faith" without works (fruits) is like a body without breath, totally dead."For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.(James 2:26)

 

Jesus said: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15); "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21). James, Paul, John, and Jesus all link to genuine, saving faith with obedience to the commands of God.

There is no contradiction between the teachings of the apostles Paul and James. Both FAITH and WORKS are divinely provided and are found in every true believer, but each has its own place and use. When we read all the epistles of Paul in the New Testament and the epistle of James, we find out that we are saved by FAITH and not by WORKS. Before we are saved, our works are not accounted for our righteousness because they are done in the flesh, and it is impossible to please God. Even our most "righteous" works fall far short of God's glory:  "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." and "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6). The works we did before we were saved have nothing to do with our salvation. Our salvation is"...by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should  boast" "(Ephesians 2:9).  However, the SAVING FAITH produces good works, the works "which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) after our conversion. This kind of works pleases God, and they will be rewarded in heaven according to the promises of the Word of God.

Let's look at a few scriptures to see what the Bible tells us about FAITH and WORKS.

  

FAITH

 

  1. What is faith?: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Faith, in other words, is the assurance of things we hope for but have not yet received. "Abraham believed God.", "He staggered not at the promise of God," and "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able  also to perform" (Romans 4:3,20,21). He took God's Word as promised. 

 

   2. The significance of  faith: "Without faith it is impossible to please him..." (Hebrews 11:6). Without faith, we  may be             kind, friendly, and generous. We may please men, but without faith, we cannot  please God.

 

   3. Saving faith:  Saving faith is to believe the evidence God gave of His Son. It is the faith which saves us,"Thy faith               hath saved thee..." (Luke 7:50). It is to believe with our heart for salvation in the Son of God and not only have                   knowledge of Him. "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John             5:11). "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine  heart that God hath raised him         from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9). Evidence of saving faith is a Christ-like and fruitful life in Christ.

 

   4. What faith does: Only faith can accomplish the following: "Faith hath saved thee" (Luke 7:50), "Saved through faith"           (Ephesians 2:8), "He that believeth... hath everlasting life." (John 6:47), "Have everlasting life" (John 3:16), "Being               justified by faith, we have peace with God" (Romans 5:1), and "That Christ may dwell in your hearts."                                  (Ephesians 3:17).

 

 WORKS

 

  1. What works cannot do: We cannot be saved by works: "saved through faith...not of yourselves; [not of works]" (Ephesians 2:8,9), "If righteousness come by the law [works], then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:21), "Ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39), and "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified" (Romans 3:20).

 

   2. The right place for good works:  After we are saved, God requires good works from us. "For we are his                               workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk                     should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). "Be careful to maintain good works..." (Titus 3:8).

 

   3. The profit of good works:  God has promised rewards for believers according to their good works. "He will receive a           rereward..." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15), "He shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42), and "I will  make  thee              truler over many things..." (Matthew 25:21). Believers are not saved by works, but totally by faith. However, they                 are rewarded in heaven according to the works they did after they were saved. "God hath before ordained that  we             should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Grandpa Jackson once had a little rowboat. He carved the word "faith" over one oar and "works" over the other. One day, while his grandson was boating with him, he asked about the words. Grandpa stopped rowing with both arms and then started to row with only one arm. As the rowboat moved in small circles, Grandpa told him, "This is exactly what happens in our Christian life. We need to have both faith and works. Works without faith are worthless, and faith without works is dead. This means we cannot go anywhere, like the rowboat, when we use only one oar and not both. When faith and works are rowing together, they have balance, make progress, and bring blessing."

 

 

Remember that only faith is needed to be saved, and not works, but after salvation, you need to have both in your Christian life.  FAITH and GOOD WORKS keep the believer in good balance. "You shall know them by their fruits... so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matthew 7:16,17). “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:5-7)

Let us, the followers of Christ, obey the scriptures, do God's will, serve the Lord, and bring forth good fruit to glorify the Lord. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8), "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).

If you are not saved, never believe, as many churches and others teach today that you can earn Salvation by good works or by faith plus good works. The Bible makes it crystal clear. You can only be saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the Glory of God alone. "For by grace are you 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). You can have complete confidence in your Salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit in you because of what God has done for you. If you believe in good works only to be saved, first, how many good works do you have to do to earn your Salvation? Second, if you can be saved by good works, Christ died in vain according to the Word of God (Galatians 2:21). Do not be a fool. Your works before your Salvation can never save you, only faith in Jesus Christ. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God [from a creature of God] to those who believe in His name:" (John 1:12).  Do not delay any longer. Be saved today, become a child of God, and reserve a home in heaven. "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:10-13).

By Ted Matamis, copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.

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FAITH      &      WORKS
 

keep the believer in good balance.

"For by grace are you saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:.

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto

good works, which God hath before ordained that

we should walk in them.”

(Ephesians 2:8-10)
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BIBLE VE​RSES

"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:20:28)

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no* flesh be justified... I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me...I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." (Galatians 2:16,20,21)

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5). 

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."" (Romans 1:17)

"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)

"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...He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:16,36)

"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:10-13)

*

One of the slogans of the Reformation was that

a person is saved by faith alone, but never by a faith that is alone.

The faith alone justifies, but faith is not alone. 

That true faith produces obedience to God.

This is a primary theme in the whole book of James.

Wrong formula 

FAITH + WORKS = SALVATION

 

Right formula 

FAITH = SALVATION + WORKS

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QUOTES

"Only through repentance and faith in Christ can anyone be saved. No religious activity will be sufficient, only true faith in Jesus Christ alone." — Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias.

"The apostle Paul is abundant in teaching, that 'we are justified by faith alone, without the works of the law!' There is no one doctrine that he in sists so much upon and that he handles with so much distinctness, explaining, giving reasons, and answering objections." — Pastor and Theologian Jonathan Edwards

"What is it about your own miserable works and doings that you think you could please God more than the sacrifice of His own Son!"
"True faith will no more fail to produce [good works] than the sun can cease to give light."
"Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for even as a letter must have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works."— Quotes by Priest and Theologian Martin Luther. 

"The truth is that, though we were justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone (it always produces fruit, 'good works,'...a transformed life)." — Theologian, cleric, and writer J. I. Packer.

"The Reformed position argues that fruit begins immediately, because a justified person is a regenerate person and a regenerate person is a changed person. He is also a repentant person whose 'change of mind' is integral to saving faith." 
— Theologian, professor, author, and pastor R. C. Sproul.

 

"Faith justifies the person, and works justify his faith."— Lexicographer and stenographer Elisha Coles.

"A naked profession of faith is no better than a verbal charity."— Puritan clergyman Thomas Manton.

"Faith makes God's grace available and real to us. Grace is God's ability, and faith is man's responsibility."
— Dr. Adrian Rogers

"Christianity teaches salvation by grace through faith, every other religion teaches salvation through works and merit." 
— Pastor and author, Max Lucado

"Faith without works is not faith at all, but a simple lack of obedience to God." — Pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." — Archbishop Saint Augustine.

"True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who

cannot lie." 
"Any faith that must be supported by the evidence of the senses is not real faith." — Quotes by pastor, author, magazine editor, and spiritual mentor A.W. Tozer.

"Our words and our works are evidence that our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is true."—Alistair Begg, Pastor, author, and teacher of the "Truth for Life" radio program.

"We don't want the faith that comes by seeing, but the seeing that comes by faith." — Academic theologian John McNeill.

"I wish not merely to be called Christian, but also to be Christian." — Patriarch of Antioch Saint Ignatius.

*

James is using the term, justification in the sense of demonstration.

"I do not set aside the grace of God;

for if righteousness comes through

the law, then Christ died in vain.

 (Galatians 2:21)

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Nothing Is Impossible

 

Nothing is impossible

With the Lord in our lives

He causes doors to open

So we can walk inside

 

To brand new opportunities

We never knew before

To a new exciting level

In our walk with the Lord

 

With faith in our hearts

And our hand in His hand

We can cross any canyon

And through seas on dry land

 

For He will make a way

As in faith our walk begins

What seems to us impossible

Is possible with Him

 

When feeling like it's all too much

Remember in the past

How God had made a way for you

When you came to Him and asked

 

And He again will answer you

And show you so much more

As you keep on trusting Him

And walking with the Lord.

— M.S.Lowndes

South Auckland, New Zealand

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Galatians 3:11

The Scriptures inform the mind,
which affect our emotions and moves us to act. Our will does not act except our emotions have been moved by the beliefs of our minds.


FAITH
&
WORKS

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Faith and Work

                                                                                                     This gospel is more true and sweet
                                                                                                                Than all beside that men declare;
                                                                                                                It is as light and strength and heat
                                                                                                                In hearts that waste with dark despair.

                                                                                                                We have no time to moan and sigh,
                                                                                                                With fears assailed, and filled with grief;
                                                                                                                For each and all beneath the sky
                                                                                                                One happy way will bring relief.

Work, though the heart should throb with pain

                                                                                                                Toil on, and be of better cheer;
                                                                                                                Work, with both hands, and with the brain,
                                                                                                                Busy and bright, and keen and clear.

                                                                                                                The lot of all beneath the sky,
                                                                                                                We live by faith, assailed with grief;
                                                                                                                We have no time to moan and sigh;
                                                                       
                                        We trust in God, and find relief.

by J. R. Eastwood

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First Things First

“For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many”

(Mark 10:45).

Before our thoughts turn to service to the Lord, and our work for Him, it is very necessary to have our hearts occupied with His service toward us. While you may be wondering, “What can I do for the Lord?” the answer is, “You must pause and see and believe what the Lord has done for you. You must stand still and see the salvation of God.” Consider these words of divine and evangelistic sweetness: “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

If you are concerned about the eternal destiny of your soul, perhaps you think that “I must do this, I must do that, and I must do the other.” Let me tell you, with deepest earnestness, that you must cease altogether from your own doings, cease from your own reasonings, and cease from your own feelings. Be assured of this: forgiveness of sins is not found in feeling or thinking or reasoning or doing at all: it is only to be found in pausing and gazing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is received through hearing and believing. It is looking off from yourself and your service to Christ and His service. It is ceasing from your restless and worthless doings, and resting in full, unquestioning confidence in the one offering of Jesus Christ, which has perfectly satisfied and perfectly glorified God as to the great question of your sin and guilt.

Here lies the divine secret of peace: peace in Jesus, peace with God—eternal peace. If you are occupied with your doings for Christ, you will never get peace. But, if you will take God at His word, and rest in the Savior He has provided, you shall possess a peace which no power of earth or hell can ever disturb. Remember that your first great duty, your primary and all-important work, is to believe in Jesus—to rest sweetly in Him, and in what He has done for you on the cross. “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:29).

It is absolutely vital to understand that all true Christian service begins with the possession of eternal life, and is rendered in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, in the light and authority of holy Scripture. May the eternal Spirit fill our hearts with genuine love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so that our one grand and undivided purpose may be to live for Him and to wait for that moment when we shall see Him as He is, and be like Him and with Him forever.—C. H. Mackintosh

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Doing or Done?

“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25).

What shall I do? No words can more plainly show the ignorance of a fallen sinner who does not understand his lost, fallen, helpless condition.

When man could do nothing, Jesus came to him where he was. What a journey of love! He came to do all for the sinner, and He has done it—it is finished! “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

My reader, do you know Jesus? Are you resting on what Jesus has done on the cross? Have you been brought to know your utterly lost condition? Have you, by faith, seen Jesus taking your place on Calvary’s cross, and now giving you His place in spotless purity for ever?

If you seek to earn eternal life by doing, you are rejecting and despising Jesus Christ. But if you know and believe the love of God in sending Jesus to die for you and rise again, you have eternal life. It is the gift of God. Let your doing now be to show forth the praises of Him who saved you. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).—Charles Stanley

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Doers of the Word

“But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But 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” (James 1:22-25).

It is not enough to hear the Word; we must do it. Many people have the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or Bible study is what makes them grow and get God’s blessing. It is not the hearing but the doing that brings blessing. Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them! If you think you are spiritual because you hear the Word, then you are only kidding yourself. 

The Word here is compared to a mirror. The main purpose for owning a mirror is to be able to see yourself and to make yourself look as clean and neat as possible. As we look into the mirror of God’s Word, we see ourselves as we really are. James mentions several mistakes people make as they look into God’s mirror. 

Take Time to Look

First, they merely glance at themselves. They do not carefully study themselves as they read the Word. Many sincere believers read a chapter of the Bible each day, but it is only a religious exercise and they fail to profit from it personally. Their conscience would bother them if they did not have their daily reading, when actually their conscience should bother them because they read the Word carelessly. A cursory reading of the Bible will never reveal our deepest needs. It is the difference between a candid photo and an X-ray.

Pay Attention

The second mistake is that they forget what they see. If they were looking deeply enough into their hearts, what they would see would be unforgettable! Think of how some in the Bible responded to the true knowledge of their own hearts. Isaiah cried, “Woe is me! for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5). Peter cried, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Job was the most righteous man on earth in his day, yet he confessed, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).

Read and Obey

Mistake number three is: they fail to obey what the Word tells them to do. They think that hearing is the same as doing, and it is not. If we are to use God’s mirror profitably, then we must gaze into it carefully and with serious intent (James 1:25). No quick glances will do. We must examine our own hearts and lives in the light of God’s Word. This requires time, attention, and sincere devotion. Five minutes with God each day will never accomplish a deep spiritual examination.

I have been fortunate with the doctors who have cared for me through the years, and I owe a great deal to them. Each of them has possessed two qualities that I have appreciated: they have spent time with me and have not been in a hurry, and they have always told me the truth. When Jesus, the Great Physician (Matthew 9:12), examines us, He uses His Word; and He wants us to give Him sufficient time to do the job well. Perhaps one reason we glance into the Word instead of gaze into the Word is that we are afraid of what we might see. After seeing ourselves, we must remember what we are and what God says, and we must do the Word. The blessing comes in the doing, not in the reading of the Word.

Why does James call the Word of God “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25)? Because when we obey it, God sets us free. “And I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy precepts” (Psalm 119:45). “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32). —Condensed from Be Mature by Warren Wiersbe.

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Works of Faith

“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).

I wish to point out the difference between good works and works of faith: acts which in themselves prove that the doer of them has faith. Perhaps James refers to deeds of this sort when he encourages us to show our faith through our works.

Proof of Faith

Feeding the hungry does not necessarily show that I have faith. But Abraham was willing to slay his son at God’s command (James 2:21). Our natural sensibilities reject this as a dreadful notion, but Abraham’s direction came from God and his obedience was born of faith—faith in the God of resurrection (Hebrews 11:19).

James also mentions the work of Rahab, who assisted the destroyers of her city (James 2:25). According to natural thinking, her conduct was disgraceful. However, her faith recognized that she and her people had revolted against the God of heaven and earth. By helping the spies, she reverted to her only true allegiance. This made her a traitor to Jericho, but demonstrated her obedience to God.

Opportunities From God

If you read the famous list of heroes and sufferers of faith in Hebrews 11, I do not think you will find even one person who is included for their “good works.” What I mean is, those actions which demonstrate the possession of faith are not usually or necessarily good works in the ordinary sense. In fact, they may seem to be bad actions, or foolish, or crazy. For example, it is not rational to build a ship, as Noah did, when he had never seen a flood (Hebrews 11:7). It also seems foolish for soldiers to attempt to take a city by marching around it for seven days, but God commanded it (Hebrews 11:30).

Works of faith can only be appreciated by faith until God vindicates them. Furthermore, it is not our responsibility to seek out works of faith. But as we walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), and live by faith (Romans 1:17), God will give us opportunities to perform acts of faith. David does not seek a bear to slay. The gold does not seek the furnace (1 Peter 1:7).

Our Responsibility

But when we come to good works, it is quite different. The Bible makes it clear that we should diligently maintain them. What God looks for in His people is that they should be good people. “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). Followers of Jesus Christ are branches in the true vine, and He nurtures and cultivates us for the purpose of bearing fruit (John 15).

God’s Word tells us in Titus 3:8, “they which have believed in God” should be “careful to maintain good works.” Ephesians chapter 2, which stresses salvation through faith, also reminds us that believers are “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

Would it not be beneficial for the health of our souls—and the testimony of Jesus Christ—if, when we had a little time, or strength, or money that we could spare, we looked around to see what good we could do? And how much greater would be the blessing if the entire course of our lives was identified by service to Him. Dorcas was this kind of a person: her death was such a loss that she was brought back from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).

Our Great Example

 If we examine the life of our Lord Jesus, both good works and acts of faith abound. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Blessed truth! And He was “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He ran the whole race. The invisible joy of Heaven was the crown before the eye of His faith, and for that reason He “endured the cross, despising the shame.” May the Lord grant us the grace to seek His footsteps, and to win His praise. —C. D. Maynard, adapted

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All That Believe

“All that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:39).

This is the good news sent down from heaven to all men. It does not say all who “do their best” or “feel good about their lives.” God’s Word simply says, “all that believe.” It is on the principle of faith that a person receives justification the moment he believes that the Lord Jesus Christ died for his sins, and is the only way he can be saved. Believing itself is not a meritorious action. The merit is not in his faith, but in the Object of his faith.

While it is true that salvation is all of God, all of grace, all through the merits of Christ’s shed blood, and for all men everywhere, yet only those who believe are justified. While there may be plenty of water in the reservoir, and water in the pipes leading to one’s house, he must turn on the faucet to have that water. That is faith. Put out your empty hand of faith and turn on the faucet today. —A.H. Stewart

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Question & Answer

QUESTION: What is the difference between forgiveness of sins and being justified? Both of these terms are mentioned in Acts 13:38,39, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” 

ANSWER: It is a wonderful thing to know that when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour that all of our sins — past, present and future—have been forgiven. They are all under the blood of Christ, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). But not only are we forgiven, we are also justified, meaning that we are cleared of every charge that could be brought against us.

I offer an example that has helped me to see the difference. Suppose I have been found guilty of stealing some of my neighbor’s expensive tools over a period of time. I have resold them and am unable to repay him. He is going to sue me and bring charges against me. I go to him and confess my guilt and ask for his forgiveness as I could never afford to repay him. He has pity upon me and forgives me.

A good friend comes along and when he hears my sad story he asks me what the tools were worth. I give him an estimate of what it would cost to purchase them. My friend then makes out a check to my neighbor for more than they are worth and gives it to him. He gets a receipt from him and it is marked “Paid In Full.” Not only have I been forgiven by my neighbor, but should he ever decide to press charges against me I have a receipt that shows that all his claims against me have been satisfied. I am not only forgiven; I am justified, cleared of any or all charges that he may bring against me.

The believer’s sins have all been forgiven. The Saviour died for all of them. What is our proof of that? Romans 4:25 answers that question. Jesus “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” I deserved death and judgment for my sins. Jesus died in my place and bore my sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). What is my proof that my sins can never be brought against me any more? His resurrection from the dead. A living Saviour at God’s right hand is the believer’s proof that all his sins are gone. My sins can never be brought against me. I am not only forgiven, but justified. There can never be any condemnation (Romans 8:1). I am thus cleared of every charge that could ever be brought against me. —John D. McNeil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up or Down?

I work on the 23rd floor of a downtown office building. Day after day I see the same faces, and know who gets off at each floor. One day I was late for work, and as I rushed to the elevator, a man I had never seen before held the doors and asked me, “Up or down?” As we rode the elevator, he surprised me by breaking the silence to ask if my final trip was going to be up or down.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, when your life is over, will you be going up to heaven or down to hell?”

“I sure hope it will be up,” I said, while anxiously watching the lights approach number 23.

As the elevator stopped he said, “If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be.”

“Of course I do,” I replied. Then, as the doors closed behind me I added, “I go to church every week.”

I didn’t think much about our conversation, and in fact I forgot all about it until a couple weeks later when I was late for work again. This time I was the one in the elevator as he came running to beat the closing doors. Remembering his kindness to me a couple weeks earlier, I held the doors and said, “Up or down?” But instead of getting on the elevator, he stopped just outside the doors.

“What are you doing?” I asked. “Come on, I’m in a hurry.”

“Are you sure this elevator will take me to my office?” he asked.

“Of course it will,” I snapped. “I ride it every day.”

“I know it works, and lots of people ride it, but will it take me where I need to go?”

“Not if you don’t get on it,” I said impatiently.

He finally got on the elevator and as we waited to reach our floors, he said, “You see, going to heaven is a lot like riding this elevator. You can know that it works and watch it go up and down all day, but if you don’t ever get on it, it can’t take you anywhere.”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with going to heaven?” I asked.

“You can go to church every week and do good deeds and say prayers and even believe about Jesus, but if you are depending on those things to get you to heaven you will never get there. You must trust on the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.”

As the doors opened at my floor he handed me a card with some Bible references on it. “Read these,” he said, “and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”

That night when I got home I took out the card he had given me and looked up the verses in my Bible. Tears came to my eyes as I realized that I was a lost sinner in need of salvation, and that Jesus died and rose again to take away my sins. Right there I prayed to God, confessing my sins and trusting Jesus to be my Saviour.

Now I’ll ask you—when your life is over, will it be up or down for you? Have you ever taken the step of faith and trusted Jesus as your Saviour?

Here are some Bible verses for you to consider.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47)

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

“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) — MWTB

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Testimonies

"...My dad was a very bad drinker. He beat my mom and after he shot my brother, I left home and lived on the streets of Chicago for four years.  I had to do anything and every thing to live, plus I got into drugs.  When I found out that I had Hepatitis C and was pregnant, I left Chicago and went to Kentucky.  God took the needle away from me twenty-two years ago and I am now praising God for my health.  Now we take in homeless people, for God has not given me my life, but to use it to live for Him and help others. I was a dead woman walking and now I am alive and realize that He had His hands on me every step of the way. 'I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord.'...- W." 

*

"God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him."

— Pastor, Theologian and Author John Piper

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Live, Love, Laugh!

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

(Proverbs 17:22)

*

Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients to operate on.

The first surgeon says "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."

The second responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is color coded."

The third surgeon says, "No, I really think librarians are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order."

The fourth surgeon chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers...those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over at the end, and when the job takes longer than you said it would."

The fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed: "You're all wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, and no spine, and the head and rear end are interchangeable."

*

If you don't understand this now, you will in a few years.........
 
When asked by a young patrol officer "Do you know you were speeding ?"
 
This 83-year-old woman talked herself out of a ticket by stating . . .
"Yes , but I had to get there before I forgot where I was going."

 

 *

 

The irate senior lady customer calling the newspaper office loudly demanded to know where her Sunday edition was.

"Madam," said the newspaper employee, "today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow, on SUNDAY."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone, and then she was heard to mutter, "Well, that's why no one was at church today."

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SALVATION

Saved By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone,

In Christ Alone, For The Glory Of God Alone.

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Saving faith is not only intellectually knowing about God and emotionally believing in God (the demons themselves do that). "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" (James 2:19).

 

Saving faith is a conviction, brought by the Holy Spirit, of the truth of the gospel. It involves repentance from one's sin, obedience to Christ's commands, and putting genuine heartfelt trust in His promises and His shed blood for the remission of sins to make one righteous. 

Salvation is by grace through faith alone and is not from man's accomplishment; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast and take credit for his redemption
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ...by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.. if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:16, 21)

 

"The granny who had never flown in an airplane, but she had to make a trip by air. Her kids and grandkids all tried to convince her that it was safer than riding in a car. Finally, with a lot of misgivings, she got on board. When she returned safely, the family met her at the airport and asked, "How'd it go, Granny? Did the plane hold you up?" She reluctantly agreed, "Yeah." But then she added, "But I never put my full weight down on it!"

Could your faith in Jesus Christ to save you be like that? You believe in Him, but you're also keeping one foot in your good works to get you into heaven. Saving faith puts all its weight on Jesus Christ and His shed blood. It's rooted in God's grace, it rests on God's promise, it revels in God's glory, and it relies on His power. Make sure that your trust is in Christ alone." Pastor Steven J. Cole.

"We are made right with God solely on the basis of what Christ accomplished for us in His bloody death on the cross. When it comes to salvation, you ought to ask yourself this question: "Am I satisfied with what Christ did on the cross to provide my salvation?" We know that God is satisfied with the death of his Son. Are we satisfied as well, or do we feel that we must add some measure of good works or spiritual growth to assure our place in heaven? If we are trusting in Christ and Christ alone, then we can have assurance that we are truly saved. "  Dr. Ray Pritchard. 

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him"— Pastor, Theologian and Author John Piper

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied"

(Matthew 5:6 – Jesus)

Except we have been convicted of the truth of the gospel

and surrender our lives over to Jesus as Lord and Savior

we are not true Christians and followers of Jesus Christ.

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The book
of James 
talks
about

Saving faith

 

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Saving Faith
Produces Works!

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"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar,

and the truth is not in him.

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.

By this we know that we are in Him.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

 

(1 John 2:3-6)

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Have a Blessed Day!

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