We discussed our coming convention next year - 2015. Also we agreed to have a Prayer Fellowship with all the Pastors of the network this coming October 31, 2014 to be held in one of the Churches that belonged to our network - in Luna Norte, Makilala, North Cotabato.
Today we also have our Ministerial meeting in our town and we have discussed the coming Sport's Fest this coming October 29-30, 2014. We have many activities this coming month - October 15 is our Mini Concert Crusade in our Barangay, then October 18, we will have a "Break Through Seminar."
Salvation By Faith Alone In Christ Alone
Originally written by Pastor Alberto Rendon
James 2:14-17 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” KJV
The issue in these verses seems that faith plus good works will result salvation. These are the verses that many believe that salvation is not received by faith alone. If we have not understand the Biblical doctrine of salvation, these verses will convince us that faith alone cannot receive salvation.
This is the problem of many Christians today and we cannot solve this problem unless we see the point of Apostle James here.
The point of the Apostle James here is who really have real faith; it means a genuine faith or faith from the heart/saving faith. Here, we need to be careful in our interpretation of the Bible. If James meant that salvation is earned by faith plus works, he will contradict all other Epistles especially Apostle Paul who wrote that Faith alone can earn salvation.
If James was led by the Holy Spirit he does not mean that salvation is earned by faith and works. The issue here is, that Apostle James was looking for a real faith –a living faith that bears fruits of good works, because he knew that real faith will have works.
We can understand in the context because he considered that faith without works is dead, but it does not mean that salvation is received by faith and good works. What he meant to say here is that dead faith cannot save, because at first he said.
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?”
He pointed out that, that dead faith cannot really receive salvation. He added “Can such faith save him?” (James 2:14) NIV.
James was looking a genuine faith and by works genuine faith is proven. It is clear what he said that faith which is not genuine cannot receive salvation. He was looking a genuine faith that is alive and the result of that faith is salvation and good works.
Faith in God is not the same as Faith in Jesus Christ
The other point James meant to say here is Faith in God cannot really save anyone. It is not faith in God that can save us. He said in verse 19 of the same chapter, that the demons believe there is a God. In other words the demons believe in God, but it has no good works accompany of that faith.
James here is telling that there are two kinds of faith, the dead faith – without works like of the demons and the real Faith /a living faith – that produces good works.
But what we see here is faith in God cannot and will not save even if it produces good works, if we believe that there is a God who created the universe that is good, but it is not the basis of our salvation.
Salvation is received by believing that God by His grace He saved us. It is not believing in God alone, but believing of what He has done for us through Jesus Christ, that He died, buried and rose again. The object of faith for our salvation is not that we believe that God is existing, God is powerful, He created the universe, but by what He has done for our salvation (Titus 3:4-7).
But of course, we must believe in God first or else we will not believe of what He has done for our salvation. Obviously you can also believe in God but you will not believe of what He has done for us. In fact other religions believe in God but do not believe of what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.
If believing in God can save us, Jesus Christ would not be born and died for our salvation, no need, because before Christ only foolish do not believe in God. The Jews before Christ were very devoted in believing in God, the other religious people were also very devoted in God.
Why Jesus Should Have Come To Save Us?
Because Faith in God is not the basis of our salvation. The works of faith which is based on believing in God is not the same works of faith which is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ for our salvation. The Muslims, Judaism, and other religions believe in God but their works are not the same of the one who believed in Jesus Christ as Savior. In other words James was looking the works of a genuine believer as proofs of the real faith on what God has done for our salvation.
In the time of James he saw and heard many people who called them selves Christians or believers but has no proofs of works.
He questioned and rebuked those who professed they are believers of Christ but no proofs of works. We do not say that faith is enough and no more. Faith should have works. Professed faith without proofs of good works is not real faith. I am talking faith on the finished work of God through Jesus Christ for our salvation. James was looking that kind of works of faith that based of what God has done for our salvation.
James was not looking the works of faith in God. In fact, during his time he saw many religious Jewish people who have many good works produced by their faith in God and that kind of faith is still genuine faith, it still produces good works, but it is faith in God only that doesn't receive salvation because it is not faith on what Jesus did for salvation. Many groups of Christians today have this kind of faith.
We should also produce the works of our faith in God according to the New Testament pattern, not just the works of our faith on the finished work of God for our salvation. We do not meant that we will not believe in God and no need of good works of believing in God according to the New Testament pattern, they are also important but they are not required for our salvation. If works are required for salvation after you believe, the question that is very difficult to answer and I am sure only few can answer correctly.
The question is, HOW MANY WORKS SHOULD WE DO TO RECEIVE SALVATION? No one can point out and take Bible verses to give a number of works we should do in order to be saved. If we say ten good works or seven that means after we have faith we have to complete all of them in order to get saved, and then if we have completed the nine or six and we die, still we are not saved. Some say it is two, faith and baptism. It is also the same, that before someone is baptized then he died still he is not saved.
There is no number of rules to follow in the New Testament to produce good works in order to get saved but only faith, genuine faith. If there is a number of a rule to do to get saved, no one can be saved. Because James also said that if we commit one of the other rules we broke all.
James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
If God basis our salvation by faith and good works it would mean that salvation has different levels. Those who did many good works will receive the best salvation and those who only did few, not good salvation. The Bible does not teach that way.
That is why salvation is received by genuine faith alone because of the grace of God.
I believe genuine faith is not alone, to the extent it produces good works, but salvation does not depend on the good works but on the faith alone. I put it on this way, Faith plus Salvation equals Good works not Faith plus Good works equals Salvation. There are problems if salvation is the result of faith plus good works as we have seen above and there is one more.
Salvation is a Free Gift from God
We believe salvation is a free gift from God, totally free, and this cannot be paid and no one can pay salvation. If salvation is the result of Faith plus Good works, salvation cannot be considered free gift, but a reward earned by faith and good works.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:9 of The Living Bible Translation is more clearer; it says, “Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it.”
James was not saying, produce works of your faith so you will be saved, but simply “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do...” He pointed out who has the genuine faith that is proven by works. Nowhere in the Bible found a command to work for our salvation. We are only we told to work out our own salvation?
Phil. 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Here we see that many people mistranslated this verse. They add for to your own salvation. Nowhere found here to work out for your salvation but work out your own salvation or work out your salvation. To better understand what it means in this verse.
We have already received salvation, but we are to work out or continue to show the proofs of good works. Logically, you cannot work out of a thing you do not have or else we have to say work out FOR IT. Paul did not say work out FOR YOUR OWN SALVATION but work out YOUR OWN SALVATION.
Salvation Is Already Given And Can Be Received By Faith
The problem is many people do not understand about salvation in general. They think that salvation is earned by good works because we will receive salvation after we die, not now. The truth is salvation is received at the point of faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
What Salvation we received at the point of genuine Faith? The Bible is very clear that salvation is at the point of faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For 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.” KJV
The Bible says for by grace are ye saved through faith, this means God saved us by His grace, He did it through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was writing to the believers in the church at Ephesus that they are already saved, PAST TENSE, they had already received salvation. What salvation they received? Let us look at the person who is not a believer of Christ. In opposite, they have not received salvation, they are still in the bondage of sin and they are under the wrath of God.
John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” KJV
The unbeliever or the one who do not believe the Son (Jesus Christ) two things are in his life; shall not see life (eternal life) and the wrath of God abides on him. In other words he is not saved from the wrath of God or the penalty of sin. The opposite is the believer is SAVED from the wrath of God.
Therefore, Apostle Paul said “For by grace are ye SAVED through faith… not of yourselves …not of works, lest any man should boast.”
What salvation we received? Salvation from the wrath of God, we are saved because we believed. Saved from what? From the wrath of God.
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Here we see that we are saved (Past Tense) from the PENALTY OF SIN. Another Salvation we are going take is we are saved (Past Tense / Present Tense) from THE POWER OF SIN and the next is to be saved (Future Tense) from the PRESENCE OF SIN.
I will continue to post the other tenses of salvation in the future, please stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment