Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
Matthew 25:31ff
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Funny how the "faith alone" crowd do not use this as their go to. IMHO we are ALWAYS being tested. Being Christian is not formulaic. Being Christian is a way of living.
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
"Faith in Christ" is necessarily faith in who He is and He said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." His message is about a way of life based on love. Believing that Jesus is God or has the power to save from Hell really means nothing; "the demons believe also and tremble." If your "faith" has not produced a commitment to demonstrating God's love in your life it is no faith at all, it is "dead."
I look at it in this way. What did Jesus do during his time on the earth? He went around and taught about his father. He healed the sick & raised the dead. Obviously we can't heal the sick or raise the dead, but we can follow his example about spreading his message about his Father. Fogiving those who have wronged us (I have a hard time with this one). Being loving and non-judgemental. I absolutely belive that faith alone is not enough. I agree with Nateswift, you must put the work in it, just as Jesus did.
we should want to do good works. that should be done regardless of your faith. There is no formula is true. The good works we do are not to earn favor with God. it is because He has prepared those good works for us to walk in.
It is just sad when non believers do more good works than churchgoers. There is no need to go to church to have faith in God. Going to church is not considered a good vs bad works thing. it is just going church. some go to church for all the wrong reasons. others do not. either way, it should not be considered a work.
I don't go to church nor will I return to church. I am at peace with God and I no longer need church. some need it, and that is fine. they will not be able to walk in faith if they did not have church.
Have faith in Christ, and His completed work on the cross. Do good things because it is just the right thing to do.
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
This is less of a "What do I have to do" question, and more of a "personal validation of the truth of one's claimed faith." The preceding verses in James 2:14-17 both clarify this and give an example:
Jas. 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
God sees the heart. He does not 'need' our works to validate the truth of our heart or to "get his Spiritual lawn mowed." Our 'works' are the active, living evidence of true faith for our benefit. A few other examples of this necessary faith/works component include:
Mark 7:6 - ...‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.'
James 2:19-20 - 'You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!' 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
John 14:23 - Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching". ....
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
Just for reference - it's a belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ - that He came to die specifically for your sins, and His new life is now yours with Him. God will give you the inner assurance that you are His child by faith. Once you know you have that assurance, you are no longer in danger - and begin moving towards becoming His disciple.
The works that follow (going to church, sharing the Word) should occur as one grows in their faith and discipleship.
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
It just means that free gift of saving faith produces somehow (response to love & indwelling of Spirit) changes in the person so that they then respond with fruit that includes works at some point in some degree in their life. I Jn4:19 - "We love Him, because He first loved us." IJn5:13 - "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments..." The human observer might see a disobedient professing Christian and doubt whether they really are saved, but apart from verbal denial of the gospel or proclamation of a different gospel (a clear evidence of not being saved) we can only suspect who is or isn't Christian. The individual himself will have assurance of the Holy Spirit, but the outsiders can't know. (btw, "Annihilation" is not the danger, rather eternity of torment in hell.)
Does it mean you can believe in God and his son Jesus Christ,and believe he can do anything,but if you don't go to church,or do other works like sharing the Word with your fellow man,you essentially are still in danger of annihilation?
It means you must repent and do good in order to be saved.
It means belief alone is not enough.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
