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10 Responses to “What is the relationship between faith and works in Christianity?”

1. David says:

   January 31, 2010 at 8:49 am

   For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God–not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
2. thundercatt9 says:

   January 31, 2010 at 9:14 am

   Some see a difference between Paul (salvation is by faith alone) and James (salvation is by faith plus works). In reality, Paul and James did not disagree at all.

   James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26). James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works, but rather that a person who is truly justified by faith will have good works in his life. If a person claims to be a believer, but has no good works in his life – then he likely does not have genuine faith in Christ (James 2:14, 17, 20, 26).

   Paul says the same thing in his writings. The good fruit believers should have in their lives is listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Immediately after telling us that we are saved by faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9), Paul informs us that we were created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). They approach the same subject from different perspectives. Paul simply emphasized that justification is by faith alone while James put emphasis on the fact that faith in Christ produces good works.
3. Scott says:

   January 31, 2010 at 9:56 am

   Its crap be a good person (not stupid) & pray to God (directly). Dont listen to the crap the churches tell you.
4. dieseldogpuppy says:

   January 31, 2010 at 10:29 am

   God gives you the faith that you can do certain things, go through certain trials…If you don’t physically do or go through these things than you didn’t accomplise the trials that you needed to go through,, so faith without trials is no good,,, and trials without faith is not a good thing. You have to have them both,
5. yesmar says:

   January 31, 2010 at 11:01 am

   Faith and works are two separate subjects. While faith can be ‘belief’, the faith of Christ, the saving faith, is a gift from him and not something we can work up on our own. Works, doing ‘good deeds’, is also something that anyone can accomplish, whether they are religious or not. Doing good is not dependent on belief of any deity, it is just good morals. Jesus himself is a moral person and likes to do ‘good works’. Therefore, the relationship between the two, in Christianity, is this: When one has faith in Christ, when one lets Christ live in them, to lead their life, Christ will naturally want to do his good works through them also. His love for us is not dependent on the works. The salvation he offers is free, it is not dependent on ‘doing’ anything. When that relationship is established between Christ and a believer, a believer that also wants to do ‘good things’, just like Jesus enjoys doing ‘ good things’, you have a faith that is alive and exhibits ‘works’. Hope that helps, thanks for asking.
6. gloria says:

   January 31, 2010 at 11:55 am

   I don’t think I could put that any better than thundercatt just did. But I would only add that James “faith without works is dead” is often taken out of context and if there was a choice between only faith and only works its not works that will save you. If you can do nothing at all you can still have faith and be saved.

   John 3:16
   16″For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
7. Allegory says:

   January 31, 2010 at 12:18 pm

   the law is not of faith: Gal 3; rather law is a fall: Gal 5;
   so begin “faith”–>hope–>charity with grace: 1Cor 13,
   add things to faith, and top it off with charity: 2Pet 1:5.

   faith (grace) is what pleases God: Heb 11
   law (sacrifice) is what doesn’t please God: Heb 10

   faith (grace) without works (mercy–>peace) is dead: James,
   kinda like Noah, 8 souls saved, are dead due to grace + law;
   for as Jude 5 reminds: grace + law is as saved + destroyed.
8. Angels of the Apocalypse says:

   January 31, 2010 at 12:25 pm

   The big controversy is between the teachings of Jesus and St. Paul’s letters. Jesus commands us to believe in His teaching to enter into life. Many Christians use St. Paul’s letters to lead people away from believing in Jesus’ teachings to obey if we wish to enter into life.

   When Jesus is asked, What must I do to share in everlasting life, Jesus answers, “If you wish to enter into life, obey the commandments (MAT 19:16). http://apocalypseangel.com/5a.html In John 5:27, Jesus tells us He will judge our afterlife based on our actions in life. In Romans 2:4, even St. Paul teaches us that we will be judged according to our actions. Other parts of St. Paul seem to directly oppose what Jesus taught and what St. Paul teaches in Romans 2:4. In John 12:44 Jesus defines faith and belief in Him as doing as He commands you to do for eternal life.

   The way people go to heaven is through the blood of Jesus. The reason people go to heaven is because they love God and love for God is accomplished through free from the will of God obedience to the will of God.

   St. Paul does teach us to love God through obeying the Commandments to go to heaven through Jesus as Roman’s 2:4 teaches. There are many other verses from St. Paul that can get very confusing. St. Peter warns us that there will be Christians will falling to damnation over St. Paul’s writings.

   NAB 2PE 3:14 Preparation for the Coming.
   Consider that our Lord’s patience is directed toward salvation. Paul, our beloved brother, wrote you this in the spirit of wisdom that is his, dealing with these matters as he does in all his letters. There are certain pbuttages in them hard to understand. The ignorant and the unstable distort them (just as they do the rest of Scripture) to their own ruin. You are forewarned, beloved brothers. Be on your guard lest you be led astray by the error of the wicked, and forfeit the security you enjoy.

   Never Ever throw out the teachings of Jesus Christ for what you may think St. Paul is saying. Heed the warnings of St. Peter. There can be confusion emanating from St. Paul’s writings. St. Peter makes it an apocalyptic issue “Preparation for the Coming”. Be sure to be doing and teaching what Jesus commanded when Jesus arrives in His Second Coming.

   St. Paul’s Faith Alone vs. Jesus Teaching to Obey, for Salvation Through Jesus
   http://apocalypseangel.com/8a.html

   NAB MAT 19:16
   “Teacher, what good must I do to possess everlasting life?” He answered, “Why do you question me about what is good? There is One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied “You shall not kill”; ‘You shall not commit adultery’; ‘You shall not steal’; ‘You shall not bear false witness’; ‘Honor your father and mother’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

   NAB JOH 5:27
   “The Father has given over to him power to pbutt judgment because he is Son of Man; no need for you to be surprised at this, for an hour is coming in which all those in their tombs shall hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done right shall rise to live; the evildoers shall rise to be damned.”

   NAB JOH 12:44
   Jesus proclaimed aloud: “Whoever puts faith in me believes not so much in me as in him who sent me; and whoever looks on me is seeing him who sent me. I have come to the world as its light, to keep anyone who believes in me from remaining in the dark. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I am not the one to condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words already has his judge, namely, the word I have spoken it is that which will condemn him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own; no, the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to speak. Since I know that his commandment means eternal life, whatever I say is spoken just as he instructed me.”

   NAB JAM 2:14
   My brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it? Such faith has no power to save one, has it? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day, and you say to them, “Good-bye and good luck! Keep warm and well fed,” but do not meet their bodily needs, what good is that? so it is with the faith that does nothing in practice. It is thoroughly lifeless.
   To such a person one might say, You have faith and I have works is that it? Show me your faith without works, and I will show you the faith that underlies my works! Do you believe that God is one? you are quite right. The demons believe that, and shudder.

   NAB ROM 2:4
   Do you not know that God’s kindness is an invitation to you to repent? In spite of this, your hard and impenitent heart is storing up retribution for that day of wrath when the just judgment of God will be revealed, when he will repay every man for what he has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing right; wrath and fur
9. How in the Moment Works | says:

   January 31, 2010 at 11:31 pm

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