Saved By Faith
...or works?There are those who claim that man
is saved by faith. They base their claims
on the words of Paul: 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. (Ephesians
2:8-9) 15
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth
in him, and he in God. (1 John 415) With
this some people are satisfied, kneel before the church, and proclaim their
faith in Jesus as their personal savior. Filled with joy in their so easily
gained salvation, they press on in life, making few, if any, changes in the way
they live. Will their kneeling before their congregated peers and the
confession of their tongue (and perhaps heart) really save these people? And why
do I write "perhaps" heart? Let's see what Apostle James said: 18 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. 19 Thou believest that there is one
God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is
dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had
offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with
his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the
harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them
out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also. (James 2:Verse 18-26)
It would be clear that it didn't
save them from sin! If sin was their life before their day of accepting Jesus
as their savior, and sin is their life after, it would appear that no salvation has taken place at all, particularly
if the 'saved' individual claim that the sins committed after their salvation
is no sin, since it has been taken away by Jesus, due to the saved person
having accepted Jesus as his/her own savior. Jesus did not come to save us in
our sins! If
we want to be saved we must truly attempt to live the kind of life that Jesus
commanded us to live. His commandments would be obsolete if we were not meant
to obey them. Merely confessing Jesus
as ones savior is not enough: 21 Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity.( Matthew 7:21-23) Jesus came to save us from our sins! No unclean
thing can enter into the 1 BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given
himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it
not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which
are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Ephesians 5:1-7) 22 And I
saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it,
and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the
light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for
there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour
of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh
a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:22-27) So what is the
alternative? What we can do is to learn about the Master, to love,
believe in, and obey him, and to serve our fellow men. We must plead with Jesus
to forgive our sins, knowing that this was the very purpose of his sacrifice.
We must seek out men who have the right to baptize, who will bury our old and
sinful self in a watery grave, and raise us up to a new life in Jesus Christ.
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