of Grace or works?

I'm confused as to the answer you are seeking. Do works merit salvation? No. Grace is a free gift of God, and it's nicely packaged. But we have to open God's gifts of graces and let them be applied as Christ intends them.

God bless,

Grant

 

Naaman's cleansing may have been conditioned upon him dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times. He may have been healed, but he wasn't saved. Sometimes my healing may be conditioned upon whether I take a medicine or not, but that has nothing to do with my salvation. Salvation is always unconditional. God never put any conditions on salvation. We are saved by God's grace ALONE, without any conditions attached, including baptism.

"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."

You either believe that verse or you don't. Baptism is a work. Salvation is a gift. By grace I am saved by accepting God's gift of salvation through faith. There are no works such as baptism that could ever add or condition that salvation. To do so would take away from the grace of God, and do spite to the Spirit of God.
DHK

 

It sure is...

"...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying..." Titus 3:5-8

Fortunately for us it God's work, not ours. I did nothing at my baptism and recieved precious blessings for all my "hard work".

(Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Eph. 5:26, Rom. 6:3, I Cor. 6:11, Jn. 3:3-5.)

 

I think you're confusing merit and responsibility.

Naaman was healed as an act of grace. He did not merit it. Howefer to receive that grace he had a responsibility to fulfill. The grace was unconditional. God had decided to grant it without being coerced or bribed or prompted in any way. God's choice to be gracious was unconditional. But in order to receive that grace, naman had a responsibility to fulfill.

This exactly parallel to what is taught by salvation by grace being unconditional. God's choice to save is unconditional, a free choice that does not take into account anything in us, but is purely about His character.

Unconditional never meant that we have no responsibility.

In short, I don't think it is fair to say that people have taught what you say. I think it likely that you have misunderstood.

 

Do you consider believing in the gospel(the say the Holy Scriptures define it), "work"?

 

Jesus in John 6 refers to believing as a work, but it is clear there that he is speaking metphorically, and not in the terms that Paul is .

 

FOR ALL THOSE WHO SAY WORKS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SALVATION.

"Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons, For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty
and you didn't give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me." Then they will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you? And he will answer, I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. And they will go away into eternal punishment. Matthew 25.

Everything the Lord listed are considered works. It does not seem that Jesus said there are exceptions to the rule.

 

Everything?? Jesus in Mat.6 speaks of fasting. If you don't fast does that mean you won't go to heaven. In the same chapter He speaks of giving alms. If you don't give alms does that mean you won't go to heaven. He also speaks of getting angry with your brother as the sin of murder. If you get angry with your brother (or neighbor) will you then go to Hell? Must you keep every command that Jesus said in order to go to Heaven?
DHK

 

hrhema,

I don't believe anyone claims that works have no place in salvation. They certainly do. But those works do not merit you salvation. Works are done subsequent to regeneration as the fruit of true repentance.

 

John 3:36: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

Now look at Matt 25:31-46 with the above in mind. To the right (believers) Jesus talks only of their good deeds as if they have never sinned.

everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Acts 10:43

The other group (unbelievers) only their failures are brought up.

Hebrews 11:6 says: "Without faith it is impossible to please God."

Our works do not save us. Only our faith in Jesus can.

 

Chrift writes:
""Our works do not save us. Only our faith in Jesus can.""

Thank you Chrift!! Somethings are better said simple.

Our works could never justify us to a perfect, Holy God. That should be easy to see. The works we perform, as said above, are the result of our salvation, in fact, they are the "proof" of our salvation. Do we need to prove our salvation to God? Of course not, so the "proof" is not for God it is for others. We are justified before others by our "works". This makes sense in light of the fact that God has known our Heart since the begining of time and we can't "prove" anything to God. If we are saved, "works" will happen or our faith is dead. A careful reading of James, with the above thought in mind will prove what I said. Our light is to shine before others so they will see our good works and give glory to God. Our works are a witness to others and an assurance to ourselves but never a means by which God, who knows everything, would or will judge us.

Saved by Grace,
Brian

To All: Happy New Year!! May the Lord reign supreme in our hearts this coming year.

 

Number one I was talking about just that particular scripture. So going off like that was off the wall.

Was Jesus talking to unbelievers? I don't think so because this goes right along with the scripture where he says these individuals will do all these mighty things in his name but he will tell them he never knew them.

Why did Jesus say anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God. Isn't plowing works? Did he not say that person is not fit for Heaven.

also in Luke Jesus said that the door to Heaven is narrow. Work hard to get in, because many will try to get in. This sounds like works to me.

 

Faith leads to grace, and grace leads to works. It's often been noted that protestantism, in an effort to separate themselves from roman catholicicm, has dowmplayed works to the point where many feel that works are of insignificant importance.

 

Are you as holy as God is holy?
If works are necessary to salvation, your works must bring you to the place where your holiness matches the holiness of God, for an unholy person can never stand before a holy God. That is why Peter said:

1Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
DHK

 

And this is rightly dividing the Word of Truth??
DHK

 

Romans 6:3,4 is purely symbolic, and nothing more. It teaches the believer the meaning of baptism--that he is dead to his old life of sin, and that he is raised again to a new life in Christ.

Thus baptism is a work. Man does it. Man receives it. I have never seen God come down and baptize anyone. It is a work of man.

Eph.2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

You either believe these verses or you don't. Apparenty you don't.
DHK