More Than Web Site Hits

GOOD WORKS

gotta have em!

[Heb 10:24] and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and GOOD WORKS,

[Titus 2:14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are ZEALOUS FOR GOOD DEEDS.

[Acts 26:20] but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and PERFORM DEEDS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE.

Definition of WORK:

In physics and mechanics, the transfer of energy by a force acting to displace a body. Work is equal to the product of the force and the distance through which it produces movement. Thus when a 5-lb force pulls a body 10 ft, it does 50 foot-pounds of work.

The works of a person must be considered in total: any and all physical processes within the body, as well as actions outside the body - including thinking and speaking. All actions are works. Opening your mouth to pray - is an action - a good work. If confessing out loud "Jesus is Lord" is a condition of salvation, good works ARE necessary for salvation. If baptism is necessary for salvation, good works ARE necessary for salvation. It is a work, to form words and speak, or jump into a pool of water.

[Romans 10:9] For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

[John 3:5] Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Thinking is an action, because it requires a functioning brain to occur (synaptic nerves, blood, oxygen - many actions). A mute quadriplegic could not confess anything out loud, so his confession of faith would be entirely mental - by thought. Lord please forgive my evil thoughts!!

Hygiene, NOT being good:

The WORKS Paul talks about as unnecessary for salvation are the rules of HYGIENE: Circumcision, diet, animal sacrifice, washing, cleansing lepers, disinfecting mildewed houses (lev 14) - rules in Jewish Law that have to do with the flesh and things OUTSIDE of the body - NOT GOOD WORKS!! If you get this wrong, you end up throwing out the very words of Jesus: love one another as I have loved you - john 15:12.

[1Cor 7:19.3] For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

[Mat 23:25, 26] "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the OUTSIDE of the cup and of the plate (outside of the BODY) , but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the INSIDE of the cup and of the plate (the heart), that the outside also may be clean.

Fast food restaurant:

..faith is NOT a fast food restaurant...drive up...say a prayer...have some water thrown in your face...vaula!...saved - allelujah!...faith is NOT a one night stand...once is NOT enough...In john 3:16 - "believe in" means - COMMIT TO - as in MARRIAGE...salvation is a life long commitment to Jesus Christ...if you turn away half way there...or start following a different course along the way...you will not cross the finish line...

Judgment day, all are invited - no excuses:

[2Cor 5:10.8] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good (award) or evil (hell or purgatory - Luke 12:45-48,Heb 12:5-7,Zech 13:9,1 Cor 3:15), according to what he has done in the body (of Christ).

Be worthy or be erased:

[Rev 3:4-5] Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are WORTHY. He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not BLOT HIS NAME OUT of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

The hand of God:

..we cannot force ourselves out of His hand...and nothing in creation can take us out of His hand...BUT - and this is a big BUT...according to the book of Revelations, if we live in a manner unworthy of His name, if we are found getting drunk and beating people (Luke 12:45-46)...He (in His sovereign right as King of Kings) can blot our name out of the book of life (Rev 3:5), and put us with the unfaithful (Luke 12:46)...

Dangers of Faith Alone:

Faith alone ignores the words of Christ:
I have talked with many well intentioned fundamentalists. The sum total of their teachings puts everything in the context of Paul's writings - NOT THE WORDS OF JESUS!! By context, they eliminate the entirety of the gospels, saying they are the LAW. But how could you say you truly have faith in Christ, if contextually and intellectually you ignore the very words of our Savior??
Faith alone, when viewed in this manner, pushes one away from Christ, rather than towards Him. Because in order to make "faith alone" work, you have to ignore the words of Jesus (Acts 5:32, Mat 19:16-17, Mark 13:13)!! How can one truly be saved if they purposely distance themselves from the words of Jesus??
[Acts 5:32] We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who OBEY HIM."
So the TRUE GOSPEL is:
OBEY Christ and you shall be saved, if you endure to the end!
Faith alone encourages idolatry:
When faith alone is preached, people do their works for themselves or for money. They do nothing for the glory of God, but rather for themselves. This is idolatry. True faith in God is manifested in good works (eph 2:10). Jesus rebuked the fig tree when He came to it and it had NO FRUIT, Grace = love one another = GOOD WORKS...(gal 5:22,23) When works are preached integral with faith, the person does ALL for the glory of God, nothing for himself - NO IDOLATRY.
Faith that is concurrent with good works is faithfulness. At the same time - one! Faith and works are 2 sides of the same coin - it is the life of a TRUE CHRISTIAN. Faith without works is dead (james 2:17). And works without faith is idolatry (romans 14:23). A coin is worthless - if one side is blank. Not separate - for when they are preached separate, they are out of context.
[1Chr 10:13.9] So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance,
Faith alone makes churches filled with hypocrites:
If you make it an effort and emphasize faith alone for salvation, then people forget Jesus words about love and forgiving others (luke 6:37, john 15:12, 14:15, 1 john 4:20). Faith alone is out of context when it is preached in a way which eliminates the necessity of love in all things (1 cor 13:4-8). They forget, it is love which covers all sins (1 peter 4:8, prov 10:12), it is love which keeps no record of wrongs. And love is NOT love unless you give it away. Love is an empty mental exercise if it is not practiced (mat 25:14-30). Faith without love is nothing (1 cor 13:2), faith without works is dead (james 2:17).
God is love (1 john 4:8), so how could you be saved without Him??
Faith alone is the doctrine of demons (james 2:19).

Participating in Infinity:

The brilliance of Jesus can be seen in this realization: you can participate in the infinite, un-conditional love that is God - simply by being kind and forgiving one and other.

God is infinite love. Love without boundaries - limits. And according to 1 Cor 13:5 …love keeps no record of wrongs.

Holding to the pattern of mystery, the condition for un-conditional love is to forgive - practice un-conditional love. By practicing forgiveness, you genuinely participate in the infinite goodness of God.

As you read the following passages, you must realize, your salvation depends on having a forgiving attitude:

[Mark 2:10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,

[John 14:15] "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

[John 15:12] "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

[Mark 11:25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

[Luke 6:36,37] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

[Mat 6:14,15] For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If you make it a practice to forgive, to hold nothing against anyone, you will find it harder to sin against others. The reason for this is: most sins a vengeance based - based on bitterness for some hurt you suffered in the past. So if your heart is empty of bitterness and guilt, there is no longer any motivation to do evil.