Monday: Saving Faith
Read James 2:18. What is the main point James is making? How do we show our faith by our works?
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
James uses a common rhetorical technique whereby a potential objector comes forward. In this case, the objector tries to drive a wedge between faith and works by suggesting that as long as a person has one or the other, he or she is fine. But the whole point James is trying to make is that Christians cannot hope to be saved by faith if there are no corresponding works: Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works
(vs. 18, NKJV).
The key point is that not just any faith will save. Genuine faith, saving faith, is characterized by good works. Likewise, works are only good works if they spring from faith. Faith and works are inseparable. Like two sides of a coin, one cannot exist without the other. Also like a coin, one side is the head and the other the tail. Faith comes first and then leads the way to corresponding works.
Consider Paul’s attitude toward works in Ephesians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 1 Timothy 5:25, and Titus 2:14. Why are good works so important?
Paul was not against good works per se. He was against works as a means of salvation (see Gal. 2:16). In fact, Paul said that those who rely on works of the law to be saved are under a curse, because no one who tries to be saved by keeping the law actually succeeds in keeping it (Gal. 3:10). Obedience is possible only through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If man cannot, by any of his good works, merit salvation, then it must be wholly of grace, received by man as a sinner because he receives and believes in Jesus. It is wholly a free gift. Justification by faith is placed beyond controversy. And all this controversy is ended, as soon as the matter is settled that the merits of fallen man in his good works can never procure eternal life for him.
-Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, p. 20.
Why should the great news that we cannot work our way to heaven motivate us, out of a love for God, to do all the good works that we can?
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this is still a challenge to most of the christians
Yes, it is hard to admit helplessness. That admission really cuts at pride, and most all of us have at least some pride.
It is good to understand that, good works alone can not bring salvation to us. Let our good works be in faith of Jesus Christ.
It also reminds me that there are people out there or even in the church with good works and probably they lack the FAITH. Like the Doctor wiithout judging him, the outlook was good enough to show the good works but he had no faith probably till the end.
On the otherhand therefore, we can't have good works without faith, lets seek the true faith first and leave the works to the holly spirit to persuade in our hearts
REGARDING THE COMMENT BY BROTHER/SISTER SWEYA ON "MONDAY - SAVING FAITH"
My dear brother or sister, Our salvation is not based on "good works plus faith" - NO, NO - this is a spurious Gospel and it is not of Christ - it is not based on Scripture. Scripture says that "all our works are filthy rags" and that our "good works" do not contribute to our salvation. Our salvation is all of Christ and it is our FAITH in HIM - our total surrender of our lives to HIM - that produces the "good works" that will be demonstrated in our lives. This is what Scripture calls "SANCTIFICATION" - FOR EVEN THE GOOD WORKS THAT WE PRODUCE WHEN WE ARE TOTALLY CONNECTED TO HIM - COMES FROM GOD.
PLEASE STUDY THE WORD OF GOD FOR YOUR SELF AND SEEK ELUMINATION AND UNDERSTANDING AS YOU STUDY FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Christian Love,
FAITH.
Yes, SAVING FAITH - truly, we are saved by what Jesus has done on the cross of calvary - but just knowing it will not save us. It is our faith in what He has done that saves us. and when our faith in His death saved us - it is our part to do his will - helping those in need, and etc..., doing what the church requires as tithing, etc.
or in short, we are saved by our faith in Jesus & what He has done - and our saving shows out by what we produce (good works).
Human beings are incapable of anything good without God.
Works is the fruit of Faith.
Good works are NATURALLY produced by genuine faith. When someone truly believes in a cause, that belief will change the way that person lives. I believe in Jesus and pray that I am able to portray Jesus through my actions.
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus,the fruit of that saving faith is exhibited by works
Allison
you are right on point
Ellen White, writing in "Faith and Works", page 47 states the following:
"God's promises are all made upon conditions. If we do His will, if we walk in truth, then we may asks what we will, and it shall be done unto us. While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient, God will hear our petitions; but He will not bless us in disobedience. If we choose to disobey His commandments, we may cry, "Faith, faith, only have faith, " and the response will come back from the sure Word of God, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20). Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal.
In order to have the benefits of God's grace we must do our part; we must faithfully work and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. We are workers together with God. You are not to sit in indolence, waiting for some great occasion, in order to do a great work for the Master. You are not to neglect the duty that lies directly in your pathway, but you are to improve the little opportunities that open around you..."
To me, works are a natural product of Faith. Just like a butterfly coming forth from a cocoon. The process of faith working in your life will naturally case good works to come forth. When one is so filled with GRATITUDE for the grace he's been given, he should naturally want to share it. I'm not saying that the person will be a door-to-door witness but share that love of Christ with those he comes in contact and sees an opportunity.
Why should the great news that we cannot work our way to heaven motivate us, out of a love for God, to do all the good works that we can?
Gratitude that rejoices in the understanding of what Christ has done for us singularly will inspire us to bring others to Christ.
I think that sometimes we forget what this Christian walk is all about. Are these things we put on and take off like a garment?
When I spend time with Him, whether studying His life or stepping out in faith as i endeavor to do His bidding, I am changed. Bit by bit, day by day, the old me is taken over by that new heart He has promised us. My old nature fades as He does something with me and for me, and I find myself thinking and doing things that were impossible before. Those changes take place when I step out of my comfort zone, where I really have to put myself in His hands to do His will.
My behavior is different because I am different. I am different because I am changed by spending time with Him.. The more time I spend with Him the more different I am.
Salvation isn't some future event. It is here and now. And it is only by beholding Him and allowing Him to change us.
If I don't have time to spend with Him then it ain't gonna happen.
Them's the facts, folks.
I love the comments Sis White made in Faith and Works, page 95,96'
"While we are to be in harmony with God's law, we are not saved by the works of the law, yet we cannot be saved without obedience. The law is the standard by which character is measured. But we cannot possibly keep the commandments of God without the regenerating grace of Christ. Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sin. He does not save us by law, neither will He save us in disobedience to law."
Eileen
The statement from the lesson, "Likewise, works are only good works if they spring from faith. Faith and works are inseparable. Like two sides of a coin, one cannot exist without the other. Also like a coin, one side is the head and the other the tail. Faith comes first and then leads the way to corresponding works." could use some clarification.
Does it mean non-Christians cannot do good works? Does God bless the works of non-believers? Does the Lord have anything to do with the works of those who do not profess faith in Christ?
Hi Hugh.
I think that every one created in the image and likeness of God possesses the ability to do deeds of love. The Good Samaritan was not a Christian. Nevertheless, he had compassion on the man who fell among thieves. I do not know if he acted out of faith in Jesus, but Jesus acknowledged his deed of kindness as an example of how a Christian should act in similar situations. For sure, God must have moved up the heart of the Samaritan, who responded in ways unlike the priest and the Levite, for him to have done this wonderful deed. What else could have been his motivation. The wounded man was a Jew.
faith goes with believe. people believe in God but they failed to have faith in him(God) we need to combine this together faith & believe
Jesus came to save us from sin.
--"who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (Titus 2:14)
James gives us some practical counsel that it is by this saving faith that sin can be overcome and the power of addictions be broken.
An aggressive faith could have saved that doctor in Saturday's story, from his addictions. And aggressive faith can liberate us from the sins that so easily beset us as well.
Sometimes it seems we think of salvation in merely theological terms, whereas salvation is Jesus' provisions to set us free from the enslavement of sin and from soul and body destroying addictions.
Jesus said: “Have faith in God, for verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain [engrained sin and/or addiction], Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea [out of your life]; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.” (Mark 11:22-23)
First believe (have faith) that God will remove this sin from you.
Second -- speak! Did you notice the above text talks about speaking three times? "say unto the mountain"-- "what we say shall come to pass" -- "have what we say".
Meet the "mountain" (temptation) with spoken words from scripture, claim God's promises and speak out to thank Him, fully believing it will become reality in your life. Be like the persistent widow, in Jesus parable who kept speaking, till her request was fulfilled.
Remember God's promises to us, and the releasing from sins and from enslaving addictions is God's will for us -- that's why Jesus died for us!
It reminds me of Pastor Coon and the ABC's of prayer:
Matthew 7:7 gives the 'A' of prayer. "Ask and it shall be given you." Mark 11:24 gives the 'B' of prayer. "Believe...." Believe that you have received the answer!
The 'C' is to claim the promise for which we have asked, and which we have told Him we believe. Claim it, talk like it is a reality in your life and return thanks that you have received it.
Even if you fall, keep claiming his promise as yours, believe He is changing you, and keep thanking Him for that reality.
This is the secret to overcome sin, and also to overcome our fears and other hindrances in the Christian life.
Active, persistent faith and connection with God.
"He [God] desires to see men and women reaching the highest standard; and when by faith they lay hold of the power of Christ, when they plead His unfailing promises, and claim them as their own, when with an importunity that will not be denied they seek for the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be made complete in Him. AA 530
Many people, after decades of faithful belief, are confused by James's statements. But James actually wrote them to a specific situation, and from that we should derive a principle: true faith is that which promotes justice and mercy toward the oppressed, the lesser, the looked-over, the downcast, the isolated, the inferior, the neglected and outcast. It is not just that believers should show faith by keeping the commandments--that is not enough. The goal of faith is not simply the keeping of rules, but the opening of our hearts to others. Love, not the Law, calls us the forgive and care and do many things not required by Law.
Jesus said the Law is Love - love God and love others.
Can someone define for me what good works mean?We are recreated in Jesus Christ to do good works.Can someone who does not profess faith in Jesus do the same works?
I love the Lord. Injustice causes me to do everything in my power to help. For instance, someone is without food, clothing or shelter. There must be a way to fill this need. God will guide me to find a way to fill this need. This is faith with good works to me.
Good works are those which I can say are for the betterment of other people's lives or those actions which aliviate suffering and bring hope to the one who is the recipient of them. These "good works" are brought about by the inward working if God's Holy Spirit only. So in essence we cannot have good works outside the providences of the Holy Spirit, it is not possible. So if one doesnt believe in Jesus or live by Jesus' biddings, nomatter how good it looks in our eyes, in the eyes of heaven it is filthy, for the Spirit of God worketh not with that individual.
One who does the works of saving faith shouldnt expect to be praised of the good work they have done. by beholding Christ we would be able to do works of faith, we pray earnestly for change of character but we will never have character change until we are in his vineyard working, and in his vineyard is where we can learn and do the works of faith.
If Christ lives in us we are able because he is the one doing. i can do all things through Christ which strengthenes me,so working for our salvation is not hard work for as long as we let Christ live in us, if we work on our own without him then salvation is "impossibility"!
I think the biggest deterrent to us realizing that our works and our faith is useless, is our failure to deeply comprehend that we are truly sinners. When we go through the motions of being a Christian, without having had that gut wrenching epiphany that we are fallen beings, our tendency is to do everything and make everything right, thinking that it is the right thing to do. God is constantly pursuing us because He is a good God. And He brings us to that place where we realize without Him we are constantly sinning. Only through His grace and righteousness, can we truly be cleansed and become vessels of good works.
Rina,
I think you have used words that aptly describe a lack in us because we often don't feel and think, "a gut wrenching epiphany that we are fallen beings".
This year I feel it more than ever, and wrong doing and selfish thought has an effect of making me sad and leading me to not desire selfish ways.
Few events in my life have ever made me angry. The times I thought I was justified in being angry, after the fact, there was no reason. Recently, I was angry with my mom, which has been extremely rare. If I had known that after I hung up the phone, she was going to suffer greatly for a few weeks with a heart attack, then a broken femur and surgery, and then die, I would not have let myself be angry.
I have to live with the memories that some of the things I said to her made her unhappy. What happened with my mom, makes me see life differently. Making my mother cry, whom I loved deeply, will always be remembered. I was able to tell her I was sorry and ask her forgiveness, but that experience continues to teach me that "gut wrenching epiphany that we are fallen beings".
Jane, I am so sorry about your Mom. But praise God He allowed for you to clear things up with her and in doing so, also taught you this very important lesson. We are such stubborn beings but we serve a persevering Lord!
We are not saved by our own works but we can only be saved when we allow God by the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us in performing works that are pleasing to Him. Remember how David pleaded with God in psalm 139:23, 24. And if we take a look at Genesis 26:4,5 as God was reminding Isaac of all the blessings that were to come because Abraham "obeyed God's voice, kept His commandments, His statures, and His Laws".
Jesus said :"I am the vine and your are the branches....and without me, you can do nothing"(John 15:5).It means that we need to totally surrender our wills and our ways, allowing Him to lead us to the path of righteousness. Have a wonderful Sabbath!