Faith or Deeds?
Ok - not sure if any BACs (Born Again Christians) read my drivel - but if they do I have a query that is based on something said by the brother of a very good friend of mine 15 years ago.
He contended that (as a BAC) only faith or grace could save someone from Damnation. I contended that faith alone is not enough. Whilst we can be justified by faith, it is not merely faith alone that we require (see Gal. 5:6). As James said
"What will it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but does not have works? Can the faith save him?" james 2:14
I wonder why the BAC movement ignores this? What is the reasoning behind salvation by faith without it being accompanied by good works?
(Thats my query. Heres my drivel)
Don't get me wrong - I am not a religious man, wish I was, but I do enjoy talking bible with BACs. So many BACs have great knowledge of the bible backed up with little independant thought or analysis (always seem to repeat whatever the pastor has told them), whereas so many Catholics have tonnes of independant thought (to teh point of heresy), backed up with little or no biblical knowledge. I find it intriguing.
Do BACs feel the need to know the bible cover to cover because the whole movement is relatively new? Are catholics, and even the orthodox christians lazy in their biblical knowledge because their respective churchs have literally been around for thousands of years? I still don't know, but I wonder....
posted by Neil at 3:47 am
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2 Comments:
You are correct that faith without works is dead, as James said. However, your emphasis on the works is misplaced. The thief on the cross had only a tacit acknowledgment of Christ's Lordship as his work, yet I (and every other Christian I know) believe that the thief who acknowledged Jesus as Lord was just as "saved" as any of us.
A person cannot be justified through works, because one could never do enough good works and uphold God's Law to deserve fellowship with Holy God. Jesus himself said that none is good, not one, except for God Himself.
Likewise, a faith without works is dead. In fact, there is no faith without works, because true faith causes Christians to DESIRE to follow Christ and serve others. In fact, I would go so far as to say that a true Christian cannot, literally, cannot refrain from serving others, loving others, loving God, and submitting themselves to God daily.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For you are saved by grace through faith; this is not of yourselves, but it is a gift of God, lest any man should boast.
Faith saves. True faith has works. Read the parable of the good fruit. A true (insert any fruit here) tree will bear that fruit. If it does not bear fruit, it is not a fruit tree, and deserves to be cast into the fire.
You are correct that many people who call themselves BAC's neglect to study their Bibles and do the work of Christ here on earth. I suggest to you that those people may mean well and actually believe they are Christians, but the Bible says they are not because they do not continue in the work of Christ in sharing the gospel, studying the Word, and following His commands. They need a reality check.
If you have any other questions, I'll check back. Thanks!
Abdiel
5:04 am
Actually I agree with you almost entirely. True faith requires you to perform good works. Christ set an example that all Christians must follow. Hence why they are CHRISTians.
I find the general state of bible study appalling in most congregations, and heavily coloured where it is good. By this I mean that, for example, Calvinists tend to interpret the bible very differently from Catholic, who in turn interpret their (slightly larger) bible differently to Orthodox Christians. Add to this different interpretations of the Greek (NT) and you end up with conflicting bibles (think NIV vs Good News).
I wish that we could all agree on what the "correct" translation is, and that everyone could agree on interpretations. However, all the time that people bring egos into the Church, their will always be conflicting views and schisms.
Anyway, thats a whole different post. One that I will apply some thought to and posbsibly post on Sunday....
Thanks for your comment - was an interesting and cogent read
7:04 am
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