John 3:16. There are no “works”.
This is a good article. Thanks for it. One thing I want to add: N.T Wright is the sort of Protestant who upholds the heresy of the NPP movement, emphasizes unity with Roman Catholics and the like, and thus is a “Protestant” who doesn’t protest anything other than what Protestants believe.
Nice.
Good work.
Thanks.
Ping
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How about trying to get inside the New Testament writers’ minds. They were Hebrews, not hellenistic theorists. A Hebrew would not contemplate a faith that was simply a matter of assent. Their thought patterns were holistic. To “believe” would mean to put one’s entire weight on the object of belief, as evidenced by the corresponding verbal and physical manifestations.
Poor Paul, he was trying to put hebraic thoughts into hellenistic categories, and the western world thought by this that he really did mean to break the gospel into tiny pieces.
Works should stem from faith.
Faith should stem from Grace.
Grace is God's to extend. I have no control over that.
I can be thankful that he extends that Grace to me, and I have the decision to accept, or refuse, that Grace.
ping-a-ling-a-ling
Baptist ping
Good article.
It is, however, incorrect to assert that “under the law works were a requirement for salvation”.
Salvation was always by faith, through grace. The law always served to bring knowledge of sin and the need for repentance.
Also, many Protestants who believe in salvation by grace alone, acknowledge that grace is not merely “unmerited favor”. God’s grace is transformative.
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
It was God’s grace working in Paul that caused him to labor more abundantly than the other apostles.
Lastly, the Gospel summary given here is incomplete: “In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 the Gospel is defined simply as Jesus dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again.” Close but not quite.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures...
Notice that this passage reveals that the Gospel includes that Christ’s death and resurrection were the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. This is an essential element of the Gospel. So, instead of merely 3 elements (substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Christ), the fulfillment of scripture is essential. But there is more.
1 Corinthians 15:5-8
and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
In addition to the first four elements of the Gospel message, it is also essential that Christ was seen by many witnesses AFTER He was raised from the dead. This is a requirement for an apostle. All apostles saw the resurrected Christ and were personally taught by Him. The New Testament is, among other things, a record of those who were witnesses of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. The Gospel message is not simply a made up fairy tale. It is an actual historical record with more evidence than any other event in history.
So there are actually 5 elements of the Gospel message. But there is still more. The Gospel is more than just information. It has power and authority. And comes with commands. And the first 2 commands are inseparable from the Gospel itself. The two commands are to repent and believe.
Acts 17:30
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.
Luke 24:46-48
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”
A careful study of the Gospel message, including the Great Commission, and actual sermons to unbelievers recorded in the book of Acts, demonstrate that all of these elements are present. This is the sevenfold Gospel.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
What about that one??? You don't get saved until you endure to the end...
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Faith is no where mentioned regarding the sheep and goats...The sheep get the kingdom due to good works...
And how about the rich guy who 'couldn't get in' because he wouldn't sell everything he had and give it away???
Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
How do you reconcile these scriptures and many others that you didn't reference??? Just ignore them???
I love this quote from Scofield as it confirms very well what God's word teaches us:
"A prince, while he is a little child, is presumably as willful and as ignorant as other little children. Sometimes he may be very obedient and teachable and affectionate, and then he is happy and approved. At other times he may be unruly, self-willed, and disobedient, and then he is unhappy, and perhaps is chastised—but he is just as much a prince on the one day as on the other. It may be hoped that, as time goes on, he will learn to bring himself into willing and affectionate subjection to every right way, and then he will be more princely, but not more really a prince. He was born a prince" (C.I.Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth).
He then gave a direct answer...
John 6:28-29Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
1. You start with faith in Jesus Christ
2. If you have faith in Jesus Christ, you will follow His commandments.
3. His commandments include doing His works.
4. As you do His works your faith grows.
5. Enduring to the end means, the end of your life.
6. Jesus will judge you based on your works, which is indicator of your faith.
7. Works do not save you. Jesus Christ saves you. But in order for Him to grant salvation you have to prove where your faith lies.
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by
works was faith made perfect?
8. Matt 25:32-46 is direct and explicit. How can anyone deny this? Ask yourself this, based on Matt 25, are the righteous separated from the wicked based on what they believed or what they did? Or... didn’t do?
9. I can’t recall any place in scripture where any prophet or the Lord ever says He will judge you for your belief. They all only say you will be judged by your works.
Works = faith = belief.
The problem is, you don’t know what you’re supposed to do. So you kind of throw your hands up. You have no prophets to teach you and God hasn’t spoken directly to any of your churches in 2000 years.
You could seek out the two prophets John saw in vision in Rev 11. They could teach you I guess.
Just remember this warning:
Matt 7
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Jesus said multiple times that in reality, among the believers and religionist, only a few would actually be saved. Probably because the vast majority went around claiming they didn’t have to do anything for their salvation...
**Salvation is received by grace through faith alone (John 6:28-29, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:5, Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:21).**
Well, aside from the fact that the epistles were written to people that were already born again (that’s the context), we live in physical bodies. One cannot have faith without moving a muscle.
An example: the man with the palsy
“.....they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Luke 5:19,20
another example:
After hearing the centurion’s testimony from messengers he had sent to Jesus: “When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel.” Luke 7:9
another example:
After the sinner woman wept over, wiped, and annointed the feet of Jesus, “..he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven........And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace.” Luke 7:48,50
to be continued......
if your "faith" allows you to live like that, then its not "faith"...
If you say you're a Christian, then you must LIVE IT..
and that means "works"...
of course you can have people that do the outward "works" just to look good....
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