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Imagine having a rich uncle who comes up to you one day and says, “I have really good news for you. I know you need a family car badly, so I bought you a really nice one!” Your jaw drops at the good news. But before you can thank him, he says, “It’s all yours...BUT you have to pay me monthly installments of $1,000 for it.”
Suddenly, what started out as “good news” doesn’t turn out to be good news after all. Why? Because it contains a big “BUT!” The “gift” isn’t genuine because it has a condition attached to it.
Sadly, this is how some people understand the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been told, “Yes, you are saved by God’s grace, BUT from now on, you have to make sure that you come to church, read your Bible, pray, serve, dress holy...to keep your salvation.” Like the car, salvation is not really a free gift—you have to merit it with “installments” of good works.
Beloved, good works are important, but they can’t save you. The only thing that can save you is the blood of Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus and His finished work, you were saved for all eternity, with no strings attached because grace is not grace if your works have any part to play in it (Romans 11:6)! That’s why the gospel of God’s grace is truly GOOD NEWS! And it is knowing and believing this that produces godly fruits of faith and righteousness in your life!
Yesterday - I taught about the ministry that Christ did while on the earth from Matthew 9:35 - 10:8.
The text mentions the people being distressed and dispirited... suggesting that the religious leaders were a big part of their condition. Jesus did not put burdens on the people, and met their needs - which was a big reason why He was followed by large crowds for a period of time. I agree with that with regards to unbelievers.
BUT....
There are good habits that followers of Christ should do regularly. The Bible does recommend regular church attendance and prayer, etc. I am not suggesting that these are necessary for salvation - but where is the dividing line? You can't control how people regard suggestions to enhance one's walk with Christ. With one person, it may be a burden. With someone else, it is accepted advice.
Imagine having a rich uncle who comes up to you one day and says, “I have really good news for you. I know you need a family car badly, so I bought you a really nice one!” Your jaw drops at the good news. But before you can thank him, he says, “It’s all yours...BUT you have to pay me monthly installments of $1,000 for it.”
Suddenly, what started out as “good news” doesn’t turn out to be good news after all. Why? Because it contains a big “BUT!” The “gift” isn’t genuine because it has a condition attached to it.
Sadly, this is how some people understand the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been told, “Yes, you are saved by God’s grace, BUT from now on, you have to make sure that you come to church, read your Bible, pray, serve, dress holy...to keep your salvation.” Like the car, salvation is not really a free gift—you have to merit it with “installments” of good works.
Beloved, good works are important, but they can’t save you. The only thing that can save you is the blood of Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus and His finished work, you were saved for all eternity, with no strings attached because grace is not grace if your works have any part to play in it (Romans 11:6)! That’s why the gospel of God’s grace is truly GOOD NEWS! And it is knowing and believing this that produces godly fruits of faith and righteousness in your life!
You are right when you say that SOME people believe this.
The main reason that Jesus Christ was crucified was because His liberal views angered the conservative religious leaders. He despised the people who lived by a lot of rules. HIS belief was to treat everyone like you would expect others to treat you. This involves one on one contact - and NOT you have to do this and you have to do that.
Believe in Jesus Christ. Pray to Him. Treat others with respect - and then let God worry about whether He considers you worthy of going to Heaven.
Doing the will of God is what gets one into the kingdom of heaven but let us remember that it is by ones word's that one is saved as Jesus stated and He stated to remain in His word. So it is by His word one is saved and His word is the word of God which is life ,spirit and truth.
One can follow Paul who did not remain in Jesus' word or one can follow Jesus and the prophets and God's word.
"Not everyone who cries to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven but only those who do the will of my heavenly Father."
"By your words you'll be justified and by your words you'll be condemned."
""I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. Yet you are cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. I am the vine and you are the branches.Abide in me as I do in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine neither can you unless you abide in me. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing. Any branch that does not bear good shall be cut down and thrown in the fire. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you may ask what you will and it shall be done for you.My Father is glorified in your bearing much fruit and becoming my disciple."
Imagine having a rich uncle who comes up to you one day and says, “I have really good news for you. I know you need a family car badly, so I bought you a really nice one!” Your jaw drops at the good news. But before you can thank him, he says, “It’s all yours...BUT you have to pay me monthly installments of $1,000 for it.”
Suddenly, what started out as “good news” doesn’t turn out to be good news after all. Why? Because it contains a big “BUT!” The “gift” isn’t genuine because it has a condition attached to it.
Sadly, this is how some people understand the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been told, “Yes, you are saved by God’s grace, BUT from now on, you have to make sure that you come to church, read your Bible, pray, serve, dress holy...to keep your salvation.” Like the car, salvation is not really a free gift—you have to merit it with “installments” of good works.
Beloved, good works are important, but they can’t save you. The only thing that can save you is the blood of Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus and His finished work, you were saved for all eternity, with no strings attached because grace is not grace if your works have any part to play in it (Romans 11:6)! That’s why the gospel of God’s grace is truly GOOD NEWS! And it is knowing and believing this that produces godly fruits of faith and righteousness in your life!
Amen, Elmer ! I totally agree !
I've always believed that the things, I just really don't like using those words "works," "deeds" in expressing my life in the Lord because when we begin to live the promise of a new creation in Christ we are given the natural fruit that will come into our lives when our hearts have been quicken to believe and walk in faith the good news of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His nature is now in our lives to live it out to the world everyday !!
That joy of His presence becomes so much a part of our lives not because of what we do, but because of Him . You see all the time it is His love who is touching and working in our lives so that the world through us will receive His works, love naturally, at least it should be without the thought of should or shouldn't I be doing such and such because I am saved ! No, absolutely not even so !
It's like when I'm struggling with something, emotion, attitude I pray to the Lord, I don't know how to be, Lord ! And it is latter on that I realize without knowing at the time that His nature took control and gave me the way to be in what ever it was that I was struggling with.
That is what I saying about the things we do, don't save us but it is His nature in us that saves us, that the things (works, deeds) we are doing are and becoming a natural way of life for us that begin to blossom out to others without realizing that they are, do you understand what I'm saying ? Am I miss understanding what you are saying ?
Paul was a Pharisee. He thought like a Pharisee so he did not know that the words Jesus gave to His followers were what cleaned them. He never bothered to acquire those words and use them. Jesus sent his followers as He was sent same words and glory. The book of John states that is what Jesus did. Paul did not do so. I know it is hard to accept. I found it difficult as well but once I let go and followed Jesus and the prophets it became clear because Jesus revealed himself to me for doing so. That is He revealed the truth, the word of God as He said He would.
"If you continue in my word you are truly my disciple then you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."
Imagine having a rich uncle who comes up to you one day and says, “I have really good news for you. I know you need a family car badly, so I bought you a really nice one!” Your jaw drops at the good news. But before you can thank him, he says, “It’s all yours...BUT you have to pay me monthly installments of $1,000 for it.”
Suddenly, what started out as “good news” doesn’t turn out to be good news after all. Why? Because it contains a big “BUT!” The “gift” isn’t genuine because it has a condition attached to it.
Sadly, this is how some people understand the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been told, “Yes, you are saved by God’s grace, BUT from now on, you have to make sure that you come to church, read your Bible, pray, serve, dress holy...to keep your salvation.” Like the car, salvation is not really a free gift—you have to merit it with “installments” of good works.
Beloved, good works are important, but they can’t save you. The only thing that can save you is the blood of Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus and His finished work, you were saved for all eternity, with no strings attached because grace is not grace if your works have any part to play in it (Romans 11:6)! That’s why the gospel of God’s grace is truly GOOD NEWS! And it is knowing and believing this that produces godly fruits of faith and righteousness in your life!
No, your good works can't "save" you, and you can be "saved" without them -- as long as your definition of "saved" means avoiding eternal damnation. Personally, I'm not interested in settling for "saved." I believe that Jesus Christ's Atonement will justify me in God's eyes, but it will not sanctify me. Sanctification, unlike justification, requires that I not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.
Imagine having a rich uncle who comes up to you one day and says, “I have really good news for you. I know you need a family car badly, so I bought you a really nice one!” Your jaw drops at the good news. But before you can thank him, he says, “It’s all yours...BUT you have to pay me monthly installments of $1,000 for it.”
Suddenly, what started out as “good news” doesn’t turn out to be good news after all. Why? Because it contains a big “BUT!” The “gift” isn’t genuine because it has a condition attached to it.
Sadly, this is how some people understand the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been told, “Yes, you are saved by God’s grace, BUT from now on, you have to make sure that you come to church, read your Bible, pray, serve, dress holy...to keep your salvation.” Like the car, salvation is not really a free gift—you have to merit it with “installments” of good works.
Beloved, good works are important, but they can’t save you. The only thing that can save you is the blood of Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus and His finished work, you were saved for all eternity, with no strings attached because grace is not grace if your works have any part to play in it (Romans 11:6)! That’s why the gospel of God’s grace is truly GOOD NEWS! And it is knowing and believing this that produces godly fruits of faith and righteousness in your life!
Correct. Luckily there are very few people who will claim that you will lose your salvation if don't dress holy. So few, that I have never met one.
The good news is the word of God. That is why the son of man was sent, to spread the good news of the kingdom of God, the word of God.
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