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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is the full meaning of Good Works | Bible general Archive 1 | learn | 51825 | ||
Hank I read all of the passages which you listed and I understand what you are saying. In another part of this thread I asked Mommapbs the following question: "As long as I am sorry for committing this sin, it will be forgiven, again and again and again - because I am human and I am going to make the same mistakes over and over (sometimes). If the time ever comes in which, for whatever reason and whatever type, I sin and I refuse to feel remorse for committing this sin. Over and over again - will God ever refuse to grant me salvation." Now, this question ties in with one of the references you gave me to read James 2:17-18. If you continue this passage, in v.19, James notes that even demons believe Jesus is God. But in V.20, James says that faith without works is useless. My original question here was, what exactly is Good Works. I'm understanding the answer to be, just living and acting like Christ. Then, based upon James, first and foremost, I need to accept Jesus as my Savior, but I can't just continue on acting as I did before I was saved, I need to act like a Christian. And, if I don't, then I am making a mockery of my salvation and it can be lost, or possible it still wasn't mine until I made a total commitment to Jesus by committing to act like Him (or at least, try to). I need to believe in Jesus and then act as Jesus, or as James put it, I'm no different than the demons. My good works and my faith in Jesus completes my total commitment as a Christian. I apologize if I'm making this more complicated than it is, and I do greatly appreciate your help. But I am a little bit confused. Learn |
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2 | What is the full meaning of Good Works | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 51839 | ||
Learn, first of all I'd suggest getting off the spiritual roller-coaster! What I'm referring to here is the thinking that shines through in your post that salvation spins upon a never-ending wheel of sinning-remorse-repentence-forgiveness -- round and round it goes for the rest of your life. Not so! If it were, your salvation would rest upon where you happened to be on the spinning wheel when your number came up to check out of this world. If you were in the forgiveness cycle, fine. If in the sinning cycle, well, too bad. It's like playing roulette with your salvation. ..... God doesn't gamble. You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not of works, and He who is able to save you is able to keep you saved. There is no record in all of Scripture of anyone being saved twice. ...... When a sinner becomes a regenerate believer, his life is forever changed and he becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. The good works that follow regeneration are a testament to that new birth in Christ, but had nothing to do with bringing the new birth about and have nothing to do with keeping or losing his regeneration. Salvation is God's business, something He accomplishes through the shed bled of His Son on the cross. Good works are our outward response to and evidence of the inward change that Christ has effected in us ..... Faith without works is dead. You've read that in the book of James. And, of course, it's true! Saving, regenerative faith results in changed lives and good works. Dead faith, such as the demons had in your reference, or such as it is possible for human beings to have, does not change lives, brings no regeneration, produces no good works. --Hank | ||||||
3 | What is the full meaning of Good Works | Bible general Archive 1 | learn | 51854 | ||
Hank I think you may have over-simplified my question in that if we die on Tuesday will our eternity be different than if we died on Friday. Refocus the timeframe to years instead of days. If I accept Jesus when 20 years old, but by age fifty, I say "who knows if there is a God" and then act accordingly. But, nonetheless, you have been helpful to me in understanding the concept of Good Works and for that, I thank you. I would like to summarize where I am at and then we can both move on to other things. Some people make a blanket statement and say, yes I believe Jesus is my Savior. They mark the date on the calendar and then they move on.I do believe they are sincere. And no, I don't believe every Christian produces Good Works just because they are a Christian. Other people, in accepting Jesus as Savior, also seek a relationship with Jesus. And I believe that the value either person puts on Good Works, is based upon what type of relationship the person is seeking. A person seeking a more intimate relationship with Jesus will be more focused on using Jesus as a role model as to how a good Christian should live their life, and they will want to live like a Christian should - aka Good Works. If someone has truly achieved holiness with God, then their actions will reflect it. I don't know if Good Works is really needed for salvation, I think if you accept Jesus, then yes you get to go to heaven. You've met the minimum standard for getting in heaven. But I also believe that the true relationship which God seeks with us, is one of intimacy - a very close personal relationship - a oneness as Jesus prayed for in John 17:21. And I believe that God holds that relationship in higher esteem than the relationship of the person who met the minimum standard for getting into heaven. I believe that people like Moses, Abraham, the Apostles to name a few have reached that level of intimacy with God and we know how highly they are regarded by God. So, is Good Works needed - it depends on what you want. Minimum entry or intimacy with God. As I said before, I'm still learning so in six months or a year I may understand things a bit differently and hopefully more clearly. Thank you for your help. Learn |
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