Exactly. IMHO, both are necessary.
To me, Faith is the operative portion from God.... but the balance of OUR accountability is reflected to my mind in the statement “Faith without works is dead.” God makes His promise that our Faith is necessary for salvation... and that we must also have works as well.
If we have Faith, salvation IS granted. Works will not earn it, but works WILL serve as our ratification of His glory and magnificence. When we have genuine Faith, we actually WANT to perform works in His name. It is a condition of heart and oneness with Him. It is also true that sometimes those works, - especially unpleasant ones - while they don’t EARN salvation, nevertheless, the performing of them requires a certain discipline and setting of self aside. LOL! Maybe that is why we are called “disciples” if we are truly seeking to follow Him! Sometimes it ain’t easy!
I respect the debates about various interpretations which people place on these various Biblical scriptures.
I have my beliefs, and I adhere to them. They feed me, and I feel close to the Lord; I know and trust that I am saved. I also know that as I apply the scriptures in my life to the best of my ability I have error. I know that each of us is pretty much in the same boat.
I have the belief that the Lord reaches us through many means. As long as a soul is truly searching and placing their hand into Our Lord’s hand, then each shall be shown by Him what is the path each as a disciple individually must adhere to. He is our Shepherd. He WILL reveal the Truth to all as each one seeks and becomes open each day to His Higher Truth. Because of our density, sometimes we have quite a task to remove the impediments from entering into His Higher understanding. “Let that mind be in you which also is in Christ Jesus.”
Blessings to all here in our common search - for we are one in the Body of God and His Christ! Our Father is so magnificent and he truly IS the Father of us all, we who love Him! We ARE brothers and sisters in our Lord.
God Bless you abundantly!
texokie
If both are necessary Christ didn’t need to die. If our works mattered to our salvation then we could keep the law. If we can keep the law, Christ died in vain. (Galations 2:21)
Works are PROOF of our trust, not required for Salvation.
Both are good, one is necessary.
If you are willing to set a price for something(works) then it is not free. Jesus made it abundantly clear that Grace is a free Gift of God. He also made it clear that works are a good thing.
When you’re in love with someone, you eagerly want to do for them, be with them, read their love letters, etc. For a Christian, it is the same. If we love the Lord, really love him and aren’t just being religious, we will love to do what He asks of us, trust Him when things don’t go the way we wish they would; we love to be in his presence and read his words.