Title: Faith and Works
Description: Faith alone, works alone, or both? Huh?
aussieintn - August 10, 2003 05:04 AM (GMT)
James doesn't seem to agree that "salvation by grace through faith" is enough:
| QUOTE (James 2:14-20 NLT) |
14 Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, 16 and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well"--but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all--it is dead and useless.
18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." I say, "I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds."
19 Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! 20 Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? |
This issue has bothered me for a long time. Every time I see someone cutting someone off or otherwise driving in an aggressive and inconsiderate way when they have that Jesus-fish emblem on their car, it bothers me. My friends and I used to always joke that cars with that emblem are best avoided because somehow people who choose it tend to be "fishy" drivers.
When I was involved in a local church and we started talking about how we could be more effective as witnesses in our community, I would say that the key thing is to be demonstrably different to the community around us. Why would a person be interested in us if we are exactly the same in our lifestyle and behavior as that person's existing group of friends - if the only thing that sets us apart is a little church attendance and maybe an occasional Bible study?
Jesus himself seemed to expect that the Christian community would be clearly different from the community around it:
| QUOTE (John 13:34-35 NLT) |
| 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." |
Obviously this isn't the namby-pamby "love" that only exists in our "hearts" (medical scientists have opened up people's hearts and there is no evidence of love in there! ;) ). Jesus was talking about love that will "prove to the world that you are my disciples." Some might say this only requires love for those in our restrictive little Christian group, but would that be any different from any other group of friends or like-minded people? How would that prove anything or show Christians to be different at all? If you do a search for the word "enemies" in the Old Testament, what you are likely to find is something like this:
| QUOTE (Old Testament) |
| But God will smash the heads of his enemies (Psalms 68:21); In your unfailing love, cut off all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. (Psalm 143:12) |
But if you search the New Testament, you find this:
| QUOTE (New Testament) |
| "You have heard that the law of Moses says, `Love your neighbor' [Lev 19:18.] and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" (Matthew 5:43,44); "Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked." (Luke 6:35) |
What do you think? Do Christians need to be easily recognized by their behavior? Are they (or you, if you are a Christian) known for their (your) caring concern for others? Would non-Christians be more convinced or interested if Christians were more easily distinguishable by their caring attitude and good works?
aussieintn - August 12, 2003 03:11 AM (GMT)
smartman - August 12, 2003 04:17 PM (GMT)
An interesting point about the bit on loving only those in the "Christian group". That reminds me of when Jesus said, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" (Matthew 5:46) As far as faith and works goes, I think some confusion is caused here by the "minimalist" approach to salvation, ie. salvation as fire insurance. The question should not be "How can I be saved?" but, "How can I be most saved?" Salvation isn't only salvation from hell, it's salvation from sin and the consequences thereof.
Guardian - August 13, 2003 01:57 AM (GMT)
I think it's pretty simple.
You know that an unsaved person is going to hell. If you love them, you will want them to go to Heaven. So if you don't do anything to save them, you don't love them. If you don't love them then you don't know Jesus or The Father, because they love them and if you knew Jesus and The Father you would want to do what The Father wanted.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
aussieintn - August 13, 2003 05:18 AM (GMT)
smartman - August 14, 2003 12:30 AM (GMT)
As it is written in 1 John, "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother." Could it be made any clearer?
Guardian - August 14, 2003 02:35 AM (GMT)
Note the but God at the start of Psalm 143:12
And the real issue is that we are suppose to leave the judgement and punishment up to God, not do it ourselves.
| QUOTE |
Romans 12
19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Deuteronomy 32
35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them." |
smartman - August 29, 2003 10:19 PM (GMT)
I must say though, I don't like the translation the James quote was taken from. Too obvious a theological agenda.
