“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone<\/em>” (James 2:17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
One of the most misunderstood teachings of the Bible is grace through faith. People have often cited Ephesians 2:8-9, excluding verse 10. The text is used to prove that man cannot work his way into heaven. Inasmuch as it is true that man cannot work his way into heaven, the extreme has produced the erroneous concept that man cannot, in any way, contribute to his own salvation. But such reasoning ignores what the Bible says elsewhere: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling<\/em>” (Philippians 2:12). In light of this passage, if the question were asked, “Can a man work out his own salvation?” What would be the answer?<\/p>\n
Also, take into consideration Peter’s charge to the Jews who were assembled on the day of Pentecost. “Save yourselves from this untoward generation<\/em>” (Acts 2:40). This passage suggests that there is indeed a contribution one can and ought to make to his salvation. In the context of Acts 2, Peter had preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After concluding his sermon with the charge that those gathered were responsible for the death of Jesus, Peter was asked by the heart-pricked crowd, “What shall we do?<\/em>” (Acts 2:37). They received a legitimate reply.<\/p>\n
Many today would have told them, “There is nothing you can do; Jesus has done it all, Just accept what Jesus has done and ask him into your heart.” The first observation about such an answer is that works are involved. They are told there is nothing <\/b>they can do. Then they are told to do something: accept and ask. These are works. Anything that a person does is a work. The second observation is that the answer is nothing like what Peter told them to do. Peter did not tell them there is nothing you can do, He told them to repent and to be baptized. To reject baptism is to reject repentance and vice versa.<\/p>\n
The question, then, is not whether a person should do works, but rather what works a person should do. In Romans, Paul addresses the Jewish belief that the works of the Law would bring salvation. In Ephesians Paul is dealing with the idea that man can be saved by works of his own devising, “For by grace ye are saved<\/em> (On the part of God salvation is by grace) through faith<\/em> (on the part of man salvation is through faith),” (Ephesians 2:8). God gives man the capacity to believe, reveals to him the things to believe, and gives ample testimony to produce the necessary faith. Man is not saved through the works of his own devising or choosing. One must do the works of God (John 6:28-29; Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14). One is saved in doing the works of God. He is not saved by the merits of the work but by proving his faith by doing the things commanded by God.<\/p>\n
God has commanded that a person believe (have faith) (Hebrews 11:6). God has commanded that a person repent (Acts 17:30). God commands that a person confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10). God commands that a person be baptized unto salvation (Mark 16:16). Jesus said, “Why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?<\/em>” (Luke 6:46). Jesus also said that a person will get to heaven if he does the will of God (Matthew 7:21).<\/p>\n
The Bible does not teach that there is nothing a person should do or can do, but totally the opposite. He can do what God instructs him to do. In doing so, he will have no reason to boast, for he has done that which was his duty to do (Luke 17:10). All glory will go to God. No one can earn his salvation. But when he works the works of God, he exercises faith in doing what God has commanded, in hopes of attaining the promise. Remember! “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone<\/em>” (James 2:17).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Charles Spence via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 2, June 1995 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17). One of the most misunderstood teachings of the Bible is grace through faith. People have often cited Ephesians 2:8-9, excluding verse 10. The text is used to prove that man…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[47,55],"class_list":["post-95979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-salvation","tag-works"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31874,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-support-conscientious-objection\/","url_meta":{"origin":95979,"position":0},"title":"Do you support conscientious objection?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Do you or your church support selective conscientious objection and conscientious objection? 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Answer: We were taught to pray, \"Give us this day our daily bread\" (Matthew 6:11), but God still commands us\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61889,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-book-of-my-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":95979,"position":4},"title":"The Book of My Life","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Job 19:23-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Each week the paper publishes its list of top selling books \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes the books are biographies, fictional stories, or fiction placed in historical settings. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They hope that others will also purchase the books, if for no other reason than curiosity. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many author\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6988,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-there-passages-that-refer-to-the-lords-supper\/","url_meta":{"origin":95979,"position":5},"title":"Are there passages that refer to THE Lord’s Supper?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We have been studying the Lord's supper issues and one of our main concerns is about a second offering in which only a few partake, for the reasons you listed in your article (not doing it together). 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