Can faith alone save me? Can good works save me? If I have faith in Jesus, do I need to do good works to be saved?
66What or Who is this grace of God? - Christ is the grace of God
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly, righteously and godly, in this present world,
Tit 2:13 looking for the blessed hope, and the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Tit 2:14 who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a special people, zealous of good works.
What is this "salvation by grace through faith"?
Some people think that this "salvation by grace through faith" is the salvation from hell which means paradise or heaven -- this analysis is WRONG and OUT OF CONTEXT. If you read the verses before verse 8, the context of the verses is about being made alive those who were dead in trespasses and sins
Eph 2:5 (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved),
Eph 2:1 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins,
This phrase "saved through faith" is NOT salvation that you think it is. It is just salvation from your sins. Read the context of the verses from Eph 2:1 to Eph 2: 9, you will understand that you are saved from your SINS through FAITH and NOT of yourselves, NOT of your WORKS. You are saved from your sins meaning that you are FORGIVEN and that this FORGIVENESS is the GIFT OF GOD mentioned on Eph 2:8 and not the gift that you think it is.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Do NOT be mistaken about the "gift of God" on Eph 2:8. Many people say that this gift is the real salvation itself and that you can be saved ONLY through faith and NOT by your works. These mistaken people think that they are SAVED because they have faith in Jesus Christ and need NOT to do good works because they think that "not by works" as mentioned on Eph 2:9, this is ENTIRELY WRONG.
Dead faith
Jas 2:14 My brothers, what profit is it if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 and if one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it?
Jas 2:17 Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.
faith and deeds worked together
Jas 2:20 Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?
Jas 2:21 Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him.
Jas 2:22 Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did.
Jas 2:23 This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, "Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him." That's how Abraham became God's friend.
Jas 2:24 You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.
Jas 2:25 For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
Jas 2:26 Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything is just as dead!
If you can be saved by faith ALONE, why does Peter say "ADD to your faith..."?
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 and with knowledge self-control, and with self-control, patience, and with patience, godliness,
2Pe 1:7 and with godliness, brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness, love.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 For he in whom these things are not present is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purged from his sins in the past.
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We are saved (forgiven of sins and made righteous before God) by faith (the gift of God) in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are not saved by our works. Consider the thief on the cross next to Jesus. He believed that Jesus was the son of God and Jesus said "today you will be with me in paradise". He had no opportunity for "good works".
If you believe that we can "earn" our salvation through our "filthy rags" of works, then you take away from the "Work" of our savior on the cross. You are saying that what Jesus did is not enough to save us and we must do more. The whole point of the cross is that WE CAN'T DO IT! THAT'S WHY HE CAME AND DIED!
However if we are saved, then we will have good works. True faith in Christ will lead to good works. We will be known by our fruits. It's His grace that drives us to live sanctified lives. It's not our sanctified lives that leads us to his grace. While we were enemies with God He died for us.
eternaltreasures Hub Author 13 months ago
The reason why the thief was saved was that he had no opportunity to do good works or even be baptized in the first place. His situation is special, because he is crucified and about to be killed by the Romans. If you are NOT crucified, you are a normal person under normal circumstances, your FAITH ALONE WILL NOT SAVE YOU. Your faith should be accompanied by good works as a result of your faith...
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, (Philippians 2:12)
and remember that
DEAD FAITH DOES NOT WORK
Jas 2:14 My brothers, what profit is it if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 and if one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it?
Jas 2:17 Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.