The Bible makes it clear that there must be a balanced relationship between our faith and our works acording to the scriptures below.
James 2:20-22
Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.
James 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?.............
Heb 6:10
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones
The Bible makes it clear that there must be a balanced relationship between our faith and our works acording to the scriptures below.
agree...
James 2:20-22
"Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. "
we must remeber that the work did not justify him. the trust of the word of God given to him connected him to the grace given freely by God. the trust/belief of God's word caused the acting out of the command of action, given by God to abraham.
James 2:14-18
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?............."
notice this is not the faith described when (most) people say faith alone justifies. also notice it says THAT faith when describing imperfect faith, or faith without works.
read more in james and you will see that faith without works is not faith. To say faith with works is not necesarry. there is no faith without works.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Good deeds justify our faith/trust/belief.
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 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.
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?(complete)
is imperfect faith, faith at all? no
so to say faith alone connects us to the grace in christ is 100% correct and we do not need to add works, for in faith is works, unless the faith is (incomplete)imperfect, wich is not faith.
If you had imperfect faith in your wife could you say you had faith in your wife? no
if you were unfaithful, could you say you were faithful?
since God purges our concious to serve him by the blood of christ, can we say that works are necesarry? rather complimentary. (heb 9:14, php 2:13)
our belief is necesarry. whosoever will, let him come freely.
Jas 2:23 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.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
to say that we are saved by faith alone would include works, but we are not saved by faith, rather the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. belief connects us to the grace and mercy of God in christ, and through christ to all and upon all that believe, working in us living faith, by the power of God through the sanctification of the spirit.
we are not accepted by God in christ because of our works. we receive it by belief because of the wonderful Love of God.
our faith might be justified before God by our works, but our works will not justify us before God.
simply by true belief. as it says in john 3:16-18, 5:24 etc...
we receive justification.
to say that good deeds are necesarry for our justification creates wonder : how many good deeds are needed? what if I haven't done enough? some might trust in the works over the gospel, etc...
Good deeds justify faith not men. God through christ by grace and mercy alone justifies mankind out love.
I agree that faith without works is wrong, for it is dead/imperfect faith. However I disagree when it is said faith alone does not save, for in faith is works. In imperfect or dead faith there is no works. and that faith cannot recieve grace. the person with that faith does not truly believe the word of God.
this is my point of veiw on the matter.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
