Works of Law vs Works of Faith
Proper use of words will help us understand the Word of God. How do we do that?
Hermeneutics says that if there is a misunderstanding of a word, then search the scriptures for answers.
Salvation is received and maintained by being obedient to God's word. So as we read the
scriptures below, replace the word works with obedience. I will help by showing that beside each one,
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God:
There is no doubt that salvation is by grace through faith. We can accept this just as it is
written.
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works(obedience), is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works(obedience): shew me thy faith
without thy works(obedience), and I will shew thee my faith by my works(obedience).
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works(obedience) is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works(obedience), when he had offered
Isaac his son upon the altar?
Indeed we are saved by grace, but it is by being obedient that it is made perfect. Obedience
is the works of those serving Jesus. So again, let us subsitute the word obedience for works.
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works(obedience), and by works(obedience)
was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works(obedience) a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works(obedience), when she had
received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works(obedience) is dead
also.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Doing the will of our Father requires obedience.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an
house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.
Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God,
and doeth his will, him he heareth.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
2Co 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the
obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the
coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do
works(obedience) meet for repentance.
The above show the works(obedience) of faith.
Other times when law is used in the new testament it will not be used alone but it will state the
works of law.
Now let us look at the works of law. Again we will replaces works with obedience.
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works(obedience)? Nay: but
by the law of faith.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law
of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works(obedience)
of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works(obedience) of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works(obedience) of the law: for by the works(obedience) of the
law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before
whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works(obedience) of the
law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth
he it by the works(obedience) of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works(obedience) of the law are under the curse: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the
law to do them.
The works(obedience) of the law has been done away with, we live under the works(obedience) of faith.
When Jesus states that we must do something, it is not the for our works(obedience) of the law
but for our works(obedience) of faith that we do it.
Proper use of words will help us understand the Word of God. How do we do that?
Hermeneutics says that if there is a misunderstanding of a word, then search the scriptures for answers.
Salvation is received and maintained by being obedient to God's word. So as we read the
scriptures below, replace the word works with obedience. I will help by showing that beside each one,
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God:
There is no doubt that salvation is by grace through faith. We can accept this just as it is
written.
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works(obedience), is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works(obedience): shew me thy faith
without thy works(obedience), and I will shew thee my faith by my works(obedience).
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works(obedience) is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works(obedience), when he had offered
Isaac his son upon the altar?
Indeed we are saved by grace, but it is by being obedient that it is made perfect. Obedience
is the works of those serving Jesus. So again, let us subsitute the word obedience for works.
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works(obedience), and by works(obedience)
was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works(obedience) a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works(obedience), when she had
received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works(obedience) is dead
also.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Doing the will of our Father requires obedience.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an
house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.
Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God,
and doeth his will, him he heareth.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
2Co 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the
obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the
coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do
works(obedience) meet for repentance.
The above show the works(obedience) of faith.
Other times when law is used in the new testament it will not be used alone but it will state the
works of law.
Now let us look at the works of law. Again we will replaces works with obedience.
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works(obedience)? Nay: but
by the law of faith.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law
of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works(obedience)
of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works(obedience) of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works(obedience) of the law: for by the works(obedience) of the
law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before
whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works(obedience) of the
law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth
he it by the works(obedience) of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works(obedience) of the law are under the curse: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the
law to do them.
The works(obedience) of the law has been done away with, we live under the works(obedience) of faith.
When Jesus states that we must do something, it is not the for our works(obedience) of the law
but for our works(obedience) of faith that we do it.