Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Is faith without works dead…?

I've always felt that Salvation only comes from God's grace but God's grace is earned, not simply applied to everyone regardless. Otherwise there'd be no requirement to turn from sin either.

What could we possibly do to "earn" grace? Works glorifies the Lord, not us.

What could we possibly do to "earn" grace? Works glorifies the Lord, not us.

Alright....who's going to hell this time?

The Catholics?

Agreed.
James is basically saying it means nothing to say you believe. Anybody can claim to be a Christian. What matters is how it affects your life and the lives of others. I don't think anyone can be "saved" unless that salvation created some kind of change. You can't be saved without works, at least in the sense of willingness and decision to do what's right even when you don't have to. You can however do lots of things in God's name without ever being saved. Faith without works may be dead but works without faith in the true God may be deadly.

For decades, I struggled to know what it meant to believe in Jesus. I certainly believed the content of the Bible, but I knew that something was not right in me.

Then I read this passage that shook me to my core.

Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV‬‬
And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.

These demons believed in Jesus. They recognized Him as the Son of God. They even knew of His future to torment them and recognized that time had not yet come.

But they are demons. They are hell-bound. What is wrong with their belief? Their belief is limited to their intellect, but does not extend to their actions.

Demons followed Lucifer into rebellion and were cast out of heaven.

Lucifer and the angels that followed him thought that they could make themselves like God, to be at His level, rather than recognizing their place subordinate to God.

Fallen Lucifer, taking the form of a serpent, successfully tempted Eve into sin, telling her that she could be like God and make her own decisions of what was right and wrong.

Lucifer’s pride caused him to seek to be equal to God. Eve’s pride caused her to seek the same. Each human instinctively seeks the same - I certainly did.

This is why we must surrender control of our lives to God.

Like the demons, I had intellectual belief.

Salvation requires more than head knowledge.

The longest journey is from the head to the heart.

I fought God until I was age 50. I tried to earn my salvation by my works. But I could not maintain obedience. I followed this flawed method of trying and failing until I gave up at age 47 and accepted that I would never be saved. I could not do what it took to be saved.

I was pretty stupid. I arrogantly and consciously thought I was smarter than God. I thought I could make up my own criteria to be saved. I had placed myself above His word.

And then at age 50, I read this passage which changed my life.

Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

That described me perfectly - I was foolishly trying to earn my salvation by my works.

At age 10, I had been moved by the spirit and was baptized. I begun by the spirit.

I then tried to complete my salvation by my works - for 40 years.

But in reality, I refused to give up self control. I did what I wanted - I was a slave to sin and could not break free. Yes, I was quite the hypocrite, playing the church game every Sunday - look good, smell good. I refused to admit that I could not save myself. I refused to admit that I needed Jesus’ sacrifice for my salvation. I was extremely proud - I didn’t need anyone else’s help; not even Jesus’s help.

Galatians 3:2-3 opened my eyes. Dumbfounded and finally humbled (somewhat 😃), I accepted Jesus as my Savior and in that moment I was saved.

After that, obedience and the desire to serve Him (works) came easily. Not to say I am perfect; I can still sin. But now, I go running to God for forgiveness when I sin, knowing that I will be graciously accepted. I no longer hide in shame when I sin. I am no longer separated from God.

His yoke truly is much easier and lighter than what I tried for 40 failed years.

Dirtfarmer;
Good morning to you sir, I trust that you and those you care for are well today.

Indeed, it's "us Pharisees" far too often.

Definitely in my case it is.

Thanks for that thought.

All the best.

Dwayne

True faith will produce works. Simple as that.

BC20cal,

Take read from 1 Corinthians 5. The whole chapter. You will learn you are required to judge those in the church. God will judge those outside the church.

We are Saved by Grace,

It is easier to speak with God in wild places...

I have always believed this to be true...

Wild places involve physical labor (even pain) to build, visit and/or worship.

The conversations a man has with his God happen in these places... better than the internet... IMHO

Keep in mind that "works" can be as simple as doing nothing beyond praying. Think of someone who's totally bedridden.

While there is some utility to the internet, allowing a BC redneck to converse with interesting folks who live in far flung regions as an example, the negative aspect of it for me is the constant distractions which do not help me to concentrate, much less meditate.

Dwayne