The importance of works.

[Xian Pugilist]

You are saved by Grace, through faith, not works so no man can boast.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
If you have faith, you will have works.
[sup]18 [/sup]But someone [sup][q][/sup]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”...
[sup]21 [/sup]Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? [sup]22 [/sup]You see that faith was working with his works, and [sup][s][/sup]as a result of the works, faith was [sup][t][/sup]perfected
THEREFORE:
If you have no works, you have no faith.
[sup]24 [/sup]You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. [sup]25 [/sup]In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? [sup]26 [/sup]For just as the body without the sp
irit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
If you have no faith, you can't have Grace because Grace comes through faith.

If you have no Grace, tell me again how you were saved?

Because you are saved for the intent and purpose of doing those works.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Rom 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

It's through WORKS you are made mature in Him, not through theology.
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Works don't save you, but your salvation is invalid without them. So, you should strive to find your calling, what sort of instrument are you and work at doing that and doing it better.

The two people God used in the Bible that come to mind who didn't know they were being used were Pharaoh and Judas Iscariot.

 

[rand]

John 6:29 this is the works of God; that you believe in the one He has sent (Jesus). What was the work of Abraham that stemed from his faith? Willingness to offer his son? Do you realize that that happened almost 40 years after God credited his faith as righteousness? What can we say about Abraham's faith up until that point? He had no faith because there was no work? Of course not. God said abraham was righteous so he was righteous.

We really don't know how long Rahab knew about all that God had done for the Hebrews until the time she lied. Most of those things God did was many years before the came upon Rahab. However long it was, it caused in her heart a faith in God. Rahab did not help the Jews so that she could do a work of justification, she was not trying to get a point in her favor. She was simply acting on what she knew to be true. Which is what everybody does. You will behave like the person you think you are. You will act out your beliefs, whether they be true or not.

If a woman believes she is trash (because of the way she has been treated her whole life) she will act like she's trash. If she believes she has favor with the Almighty God, and that He loves her enough to die for her, and if she knows in her heart that she has a special place in His heart, she will act like it.

I believe the Church pays way too much attention to the works and not enough to the faith. Paying attention to the works causes us to accuse, judge and condemn (that's Satan's job) when we should be lifting up, comforting, telling them they are the righteousness of God in Christ (that's the Holy Spirit's job).

Your works may justify your faith, or they may justify you before man, but they will never be enough to justify you before the Father. I don't care how good you think you are at keeping the law of Moses, your sinfullness is far greater. None of us have any hope except in Christ. I used to even have so much faith in my faith. I have a lot of faith, so much that even Christians think I'm nuts. But then I realized, it's not my faith that saves me, It's Jesus that saves me. It's not my goodness that saves me, it's Jesus. It's not my obedience, but His. It's not my works, but His.

I know I am a friend of God. I know I am a cherished child of the Most High. I know He loves me, and I know I have real value to Him, regardless of how I act. I know who I am in Christ, and I know He loves them the same as He loves me, but it's easy to tell when someone doesn't know how much He cherishes them. How? By the way they act. And like Paul's reply to the Corinthians who were neck deep in sin, I just want to tell them 'don't you know who you are in Christ?'

 

[Xian Pugilist]

Rand, (is that your name or one you use after Mr. al'Thor?

You totally missed the point.
There was nothing that anyone said that would even remotely imply that works save you. :|

As for the Church teaches works to much, PAUL the APOSTLE DUDE?, taught that was the purpose of the Church. He even said theology is less important than works.

Paul was discussing that Works won't save you.
James was teaching that Works prove your faith. NOT that you can do works and call it faith making it so, but that if you have faith, there will be works. Therefore, if you claim faith, and have NO works, you are counting on a lie for salvation.

Abraham's faith was proven by his works. It doesn't matter WHEN he was said to have had faith, James' point and Paul's in a place or two, is that Abraham's actions substantiated his faith.

In other words, you can SAY you have faith all you want, you can proclaim it, have communion 3x a day, make an altar call a week, be baptized each month, what the heck ever, but that doesn't mean you have it. It's there or it's not. IF IT IS THERE, then there will be works. If Abraham claimed he had faith, but wouldn't trust his son to God and go up the mountain, Abraham would not beh the example of faith in the Bible that he is now.

It's pretty simple.

YOu can say you KNOW what you are all day long. It is up to HIM to decide and you won't know if you are right or not until you face Him. If it's important for you to have people believe your claim that you are a friend of God, cherished, all the other cliches, then you have an insecurity you should be worried about because someone that had actual faith wouldn't.

God uses everyone in some way or another. Two people He used that were crucial to our faith, and weren't trying to be HIS tools were Judas Iscariot and Pharaoh. YOu should thank God every day for their lives and their actions. Judas wasn't trying to be God's instrument, neither was pharoah, but God used them anyway.
You are saved to be God's tool. You are saved to do His works. You didn't accept Grace if you refuse to do what He saved you to do.

You are like the knight that took the money, armor, and horse and fled the country.

John 6:29 this is the works of God; that you believe in the one He has sent (Jesus). What was the work of Abraham that stemed from his faith? Willingness to offer his son? Do you realize that that happened almost 40 years after God credited his faith as righteousness? What can we say about Abraham's faith up until that point? He had no faith because there was no work? Of course not. God said abraham was righteous so he was righteous.

We really don't know how long Rahab knew about all that God had done for the Hebrews until the time she lied. Most of those things God did was many years before the came upon Rahab. However long it was, it caused in her heart a faith in God. Rahab did not help the Jews so that she could do a work of justification, she was not trying to get a point in her favor. She was simply acting on what she knew to be true. Which is what everybody does. You will behave like the person you think you are. You will act out your beliefs, whether they be true or not.

If a woman believes she is trash (because of the way she has been treated her whole life) she will act like she's trash. If she believes she has favor with the Almighty God, and that He loves her enough to die for her, and if she knows in her heart that she has a special place in His heart, she will act like it.

I believe the Church pays way too much attention to the works and not enough to the faith. Paying attention to the works causes us to accuse, judge and condemn (that's Satan's job) when we should be lifting up, comforting, telling them they are the righteousness of God in Christ (that's the Holy Spirit's job).

Your works may justify your faith, or they may justify you before man, but they will never be enough to justify you before the Father. I don't care how good you think you are at keeping the law of Moses, your sinfullness is far greater. None of us have any hope except in Christ. I used to even have so much faith in my faith. I have a lot of faith, so much that even Christians think I'm nuts. But then I realized, it's not my faith that saves me, It's Jesus that saves me. It's not my goodness that saves me, it's Jesus. It's not my obedience, but His. It's not my works, but His.

I know I am a friend of God. I know I am a cherished child of the Most High. I know He loves me, and I know I have real value to Him, regardless of how I act. I know who I am in Christ, and I know He loves them the same as He loves me, but it's easy to tell when someone doesn't know how much He cherishes them. How? By the way they act. And like Paul's reply to the Corinthians who were neck deep in sin, I just want to tell them 'don't you know who you are in Christ?'

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Faith and belief get us to Heaven.

Once there rewards are handed out for good works .

Minimum works will produce minimum rewards

But you are still in heaven.

For this reason we should view good works as beneficial , although they are not compulsory for salvation.

Keep up the good works.

 

[Sabitarian]

Xian,
Good words sir.
arnie,
There is no place for any of us in the home of God where time does not exist, as we are never outside of time. Please read the entire book using a concordance and interlinary and you will understand why God views a 1,000 years as a day and a day as a thousand years.

 

[rand]

YEs, Rand is my name. I don't know Mr. al'Thor.
Yes, If you have faith, you will have works. Period. It's true. You can't help it. it's just your new nature. That's who you are once you are His. I am not saying that works are not important. THey are very important. But only the works of GOd can save you: to believe in the one that He has sent. You can have works that you may not even realize you're doing. If you believe that your works makes God love you more or bless you more or in anyother way owes you anything, I disagree completly.

The problem is that we sometimes get so caught up in doing our works that we tend to get off track. By that I mean, neglecting our family, or doing the works for man to see (the only reward we'll get), and sometimes we get prideful of our works. When these happen, I believe works are more of a hindrance.

Even people who don't believe in God have good works. So, it's crazy in my opinion to think that the more works a person has, makes him a better Christian. Jesus didn't come to make bad people good, He came to make dead people live.

I know who I am in Christ, and I live like it now, much more than I did before when I though He was judging me by my performance. Now, I know He's not judging me at all, He's loving me. You can know more than anyone else about the Bible and you can know a lot about God and still not know Him personally. His love is deep. Very Deep!

I couldn't care less what anybody thinks of my works, what a person feels about me does not change the real me. It does not mean I am what they think I am or what they say I am. And my whole premise is that when we focus on works, we tend to end up getting judgmental and pridful, or condemned and guilty, and neither of these is from the Holy Spirit. I also believe that while we are doing these works, we get in the way of the Father doing His work in us.

All I'm saying is, be careful about 'works' and chase after righteousness instead: His righteousness, not your own. Build your faith and you will have works. But just because you have works does not mean you have faith. It may look good to man, but God knows the reason behind the works. So work on the reason behind the works (faith) and the works will come. Too many in the church think that by doing the works they will have or build faith or prove they have faith. But, that's backwards.

 

[epostle1]

I am in agreement with Xian's OP.

Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16,21; 3:2,5,10; Eph. 2:8-9 - many Protestants err in their understanding of what Paul means by "works of the law” in his teaching on justification. Paul’s teaching that we are not justified by “works of the law” refer to the law of Moses or to any legal system that makes God our debtor. They do not refer to good works done in grace with faith in Christ. This makes sense when we remember that Paul's mission was to teach that salvation was also for the Gentiles who were not subject to the "works of the law." Here is the proof:

James 2:24 – compare the verse “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” to
Gal. 2:16 – “a man is not justified by works of the law,” and
Rom. 3:20,28 – “no human being will be justified in His sight by works of the law.”

James 2:24 appears to be inconsistent with Gal. 2:16 and Rom. 3:20,28 until one realizes that the Word of God cannot contradict itself. This means that the “works” in James 2:24 are different from the “works of the law in Gal. 2:16 and Rom. 3:20,28. James is referring to “good works” (e.g.,clothing the naked; giving food to the poor) and Paul is referring to the “Mosaic law” (which included both the legal, moral and ceremonial law) or any works which oblige God to give us payment. Here is more proof:

Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16 - Paul's phrase for "works of the law" in the Greek is "ergon nomou" which means the Mosaic law or Torah and refers to the teachings (legal, moral) and works (ceremonial) that gave the Jews the knowledge of sin, but not an escape from sin. We have further proof of this from the Dead Sea Scrolls which provide the Hebrew equivalent ("hrvt ysm") meaning "deeds of the law," or Mosaic law.

James in James 2 does not use "ergon nomou." He uses "ergois agathois." Therefore, Paul’s "works of the law" and James' "works" are entirely different types of works. Again, they could never contradict each other because the Scriptures are the inspired word of God.

 

[Axehead]

I am in agreement with Xian's OP.

Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16,21; 3:2,5,10; Eph. 2:8-9 - many Protestants err in their understanding of what Paul means by "works of the law” in his teaching on justification. Paul’s teaching that we are not justified by “works of the law” refer to the law of Moses or to any legal system that makes God our debtor. They do not refer to good works done in grace with faith in Christ. This makes sense when we remember that Paul's mission was to teach that salvation was also for the Gentiles who were not subject to the "works of the law."

I do agree with that, Kepha.


Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works 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 a man is justified, and not by faith only.

At first glance this verse seems directly opposed to Romans 3:28; "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."


However, we realize that Paul is speaking of legal works that precede salvation, and they cannot be made a ground and basis for salvation.


James is always thinking of works produced by one trusting and obeying Christ—being born again ... a necessary consequence and outworking of REAL faith.


Abraham's faith made him willing to offer his son on the altar.


Rahab's faith, as we read in the next verse, made her willing to hide the spies—forsaking her own land and people.


"Ye see then how ..." James is saying, as it were, "Does not this illustration of Abraham's faith producing works prove to you that a man is justified by works and not by faith only?"


He is appealing to man's own reasoning powers.


Declared righteous
Young's Literal Translation of this verse: "Ye see then, that out of works is a man declared righteous, and not out of faith only." You will notice it says "declared righteous," not "made righteous." A man is righteous in God's sight when he trusts in and obeys the Lord, and is born again. God does not need to see the fruit of faith to know there is faith (like the thief on the cross), but we do and you do too! That is why the Scriptures tell us the following:


2Co_13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?


We cannot declare one righteous until we see the fruit of his faith. (Just like you declare Abraham is righteous. You see the fruit of his faith). We can only tell one is a Christian by what he does. So James is not contradicting Paul, but complementing him.


Paul is fearful of dead works without a living faith.

James is fearful of a dead faith that produces no good works.


If no works are produced, faith is a mere dead thing, good for nothing. One who produces no good works proves he has not received the Lord Jesus and obeyed Him, and should not be declared righteous by man.


This is the position of some today who assent mentally to certain doctrinal creeds, but manifest no spiritual life or fruit from a New Heart.

Axehead

 

[rand]

I guess I just don't understand the confusion. everyone knows that a person acts (works) the way they believe. This is not only for a faith in God, otherwise why would so many people who don't believe in God do wonderful acts of kindness to total strangers. because they believe in helping their fellow man, and they are acting on it, just like James said they would do.

What James says in Chapter 2 is that you will act (work) according to the way you believe. Maybe not always, but predominately. If you believe that pretty much everybody is good, and needs help once in a while. Then when some stranger asks you for help, once in a while at least you will help them. If you believe that everyone is out to get you, and take advantage of you, and cheat you, and do you harm, then when a stranger ask for help, you will reject.

And remember, James was talking to the Jews who knew the law, but faith was a new concept for them. They were not taught to believe, the were taught to do. They were taught to believe in doing. Do you know the only two people Jesus said had great faith were both Gentiles (who were not under the law--it was easier for them to believe)?

The demons believe in God yet they don't have the works that accompany that faith. Why not? Because they believe they can defeat Him, and their works justifies that faith.

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

arnie,
There is no place for any of us in the home of God where time does not exist, as we are never outside of time. Please read the entire book using a concordance and interlinary and you will understand why God views a 1,000 years as a day and a day as a thousand years.

HUH ??? What does this have to do with anything here ? Are you on the wrong thread ?

 

[Xian Pugilist]

YEs, Rand is my name. I don't know Mr. al'Thor.

Rand al'Thor is the messianic central character of one of the most prolific Fantasy series in history. Really fun reads.

Yes, If you have faith, you will have works. Period. It's true. You can't help it. it's just your new nature. That's who you are once you are His. I am not saying that works are not important. THey are very important. But only the works of GOd can save you: to believe in the one that He has sent. You can have works that you may not even realize you're doing. If you believe that your works makes God love you more or bless you more or in anyother way owes you anything, I disagree completly.

The problem is that we sometimes get so caught up in doing our works that we tend to get off track. By that I mean, neglecting our family, or doing the works for man to see (the only reward we'll get), and sometimes we get prideful of our works. When these happen, I believe works are more of a hindrance.

The problem I see is people knee jerk so far the other way AWAY from works, that people refuse their importance. In a phrase, they make you as...........

completely mature Spiritually as Jesus the Christ was. Or so scripture says.
To deny the works is to deny knowledge of Christ, growth in love, and Spiritual Unity in the church. That's what it says, not me.

Even people who don't believe in God have good works. So, it's crazy in my opinion to think that the more works a person has, makes him a better Christian. Jesus didn't come to make bad people good, He came to make dead people live.

I know who I am in Christ, and I live like it now, much more than I did before when I though He was judging me by my performance. Now, I know He's not judging me at all, He's loving me. You can know more than anyone else about the Bible and you can know a lot about God and still not know Him personally. His love is deep. Very Deep!

I couldn't care less what anybody thinks of my works, what a person feels about me does not change the real me. It does not mean I am what they think I am or what they say I am. And my whole premise is that when we focus on works, we tend to end up getting judgmental and pridful, or condemned and guilty, and neither of these is from the Holy Spirit. I also believe that while we are doing these works, we get in the way of the Father doing His work in us.

All I'm saying is, be careful about 'works' and chase after righteousness instead: His righteousness, not your own. Build your faith and you will have works. But just because you have works does not mean you have faith. It may look good to man, but God knows the reason behind the works. So work on the reason behind the works (faith) and the works will come. Too many in the church think that by doing the works they will have or build faith or prove they have faith. But, that's backwards.

I agree about the non caring. But to present WORKS in such a way that people do not seek to find their calling, for they were saved TO DO THOSE WORKS, is to leave them bereft of growth.

So teaching works, even if it's wrong, would trump teaching avoiding works. Cause according to scripture even if the theology is wrong, they will get growth and thus correction from HIM through the works.

We also agree that they won't save you, but as above, if you were taught works saved you (which they don't) and did the works HE WOULD CORRECT IT, in spite of the teaching, and you'd be His. IF you are taught works are not going to save you, and you avoid doing the works, you refuse to become His instrument of righteousness and you were never saved in the first place, you were sold a lie.

Those that have been lied to are part of whom I'm called to reach.

I guess I just don't understand the confusion. everyone knows that a person acts (works) the way they believe. This is not only for a faith in God, otherwise why would so many people who don't believe in God do wonderful acts of kindness to total strangers. because they believe in helping their fellow man, and they are acting on it, just like James said they would do.

What James says in Chapter 2 is that you will act (work) according to the way you believe. Maybe not always, but predominately. If you believe that pretty much everybody is good, and needs help once in a while. Then when some stranger asks you for help, once in a while at least you will help them. If you believe that everyone is out to get you, and take advantage of you, and cheat you, and do you harm, then when a stranger ask for help, you will reject.

And remember, James was talking to the Jews who knew the law, but faith was a new concept for them. They were not taught to believe, the were taught to do. They were taught to believe in doing. Do you know the only two people Jesus said had great faith were both Gentiles (who were not under the law--it was easier for them to believe)?

The demons believe in God yet they don't have the works that accompany that faith. Why not? Because they believe they can defeat Him, and their works justifies that faith.

part of the problem that causes the disconnect in these verses is that the Western Church, from the reformation, has put an emphasis on teaching ourselves scripture. Which, is against scripture, causes pride, causes divisions and splits. So we get a bunch of people trying to show they know, rather than a bunch of people trying to learn. So, people tend to make issues of philosophy, rather than how you live your life.

That's why people are more likely to declare your faith by what you say on works, rather than how they manifest in your life.

I don't' think Rome is THE Church as Kepha would, but they get it more right than we do on this one.

HUH ??? What does this have to do with anything here ? Are you on the wrong thread ?

Well, I explain God outside of time too. And few will spend a synapse thinking about it. BUT after we get our arms around as much of it as we can, his post made perfectly appropriately placed sense to me as any of these have.

 

[Strat]

The way some describe salvation its like a a free loan,you are so happy to have it you make the payments anyway.

 

[epostle1]

Salvation is a free gift, not a free ticket...but that's off topic. I would like to set the record straight on something that really annoys me.

CATHOLICISM DOES NOT TEACH SALVATION BY WORKS APART FROM THE GRACE OF CHRIST.

Sadly, the myth of "works salvation" against Catholics is perpetuated by "ministers" on you tube, in every forum, in bible colleges, and comes from the mouth of almost every non-Catholic I've encountered. The fact is, this heresy, known as Pelagianism was condemned by the Church at the Council of Orange 1000 years before the first Protestant came into being.

Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30 - the faith we have must be a repentant faith, not just an intellectual faith that believes in God. Repentance is not just a thought process (faith), but an act (work) by which we ask God for His mercy and forgiveness.​

Psalm 51:17 – this means we need a “broken and contrite heart,” not just an intellectual assent of faith. Faith in God is only the beginning.​

John 3:36; Rom. 1:5, 6:17; 15:18; 16:26; 2 Cor. 9:13; 1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 1:11; 1 Peter 2:7-8; Heb. 5:9; cf. Rev. 3:10; Ex. 19:5 – this faith must also be an “obedient faith” and a “work of faith.” Obedience means persevering in good works to the end.​

2 Cor. 10:15 – this faith must also increase as a result of our obedience, as Paul hopes for in this verse. Obedience is achieved not by faith alone, but by doing good works.​

2 Cor. 13:5 – Paul also admonishes us to examine ourselves, to see whether we are holding to our faith. This examination of conscience is a pious Catholic practice. Our faith, which is a gift from God, must be nurtured. Faith is not a one-time event that God bestows upon us.​

Gal. 5:6 – thus, the faith that justifies us is “faith working through love,” not faith alone. This is one of the best summaries of Catholic teaching. Faith and love (manifested by works) are always connected. Faith (a process of thought) and love (an action) are never separated in the Scriptures.​

Cf. Eph. 3:17; 1 Thess. 3:6,12-13; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 John 3:23; Rev. 2:4-5,19. Further, all faith (initial and perfected) are gratuitous gifts from God, and not earned or merited by any human action. God effects everything, both the willing and the achievement. But God also requires human action, which is necessary to perfect our faith.​

James 1:22-25 - it's the "doers" who are justified, not the hearers. Justification is based on what we do, which means “works.” Notice that there is nothing about “false faith.” The hearers may have faith, but they need to accompany their faith by works, or they will not be justified. See also Rom. 2:13.​

James 2:17,26 - James clearly teaches that faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. Works are a cause, not just an effect, of our justification because good works achieve and increase our justification before God. Scripture never says anything about “saving faith.” Protestants cannot show us from the Scriptures that “works” qualify the “faith” into saving faith. Instead, here and elsewhere, the Scriptures teach that justification is achieved only when “faith and works” act together. Scripture puts no qualifier on faith. Scripture also never says that faith “leads to works.” Faith is faith and works are works (James 2:18). They are distinct (mind and action), and yet must act together in order to receive God’s unmerited gift of justification.​

source​

 

[rand]

Hi Kepha31,

I stand on the premis that mixing the law (covenant) and grace (covenant) is like mixing new wine in an old wineskin and it leads to confusion and causes a person to take offense (which the BIble says will happen a lot in these last days).

To make my point regarding your post: You said faith is faith and works are works. They are distinct and yet must act together in order to receive God's unmerited gift of justification. So is what you're saying that by a person's works and their faith acting together they deserve God's unmerited gift. That would make it a wage, not a gift.

Further, faith does not save a person. Grace saves a person and that grace is a free gift to anyone who believes it. By grace thru faith. Works are how a person in the old covenant was jutified and it never worked out for anyone.. In this new and better covenant we are saved by grace and that is working out so well. Mixing the two covenants gives you all the benifits of being saved but gives you the disadvantages of living under the law. and there are many.

 

[neophyte]

Grace: What It Is and What It Does
that there are two kinds of grace, sanctifying and actual. That may be all you recall. The names being so similar, you might have the impression sanctifying grace is nearly identical to actual grace. Not so. Sanctifying grace stays in the soul. It’s what makes the soul holy; it gives the soul supernatural life. More ...

 

[Axehead]

There are different kinds of works. There are the works of the flesh (works of self-righteousness) and the Holy Spirit authored works that we walk in as a result of abiding in Christ and bringing our will into unity and harmony with His will.

Matt 23:3, 5 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Christ in us, seeks expression in and through us or else we are quenching the Spirit.

There is the work of Christ in us which produces fruit and this fruit will manifest. It cannot be hidden. Christ is our light and will shine through us unless we are hiding it (quenching the Spirit) under a "bushel".

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth

Just as the Father ordained that Jesus should walk in "works" specifically authored by the Father, we are to seek God's will and walk in the works that He has chosen for us.

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Axehead

 

[neophyte]

There are different kinds of works. There are the works of the flesh (works of self-righteousness) and the Holy Spirit authored works that we walk in as a result of abiding in Christ and bringing our will into unity and harmony with His will.

Matt 23:3, 5 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Christ in us, seeks expression in and through us or else we are quenching the Spirit.

There is the work of Christ in us which produces fruit and this fruit will manifest. It cannot be hidden. Christ is our light and will shine through us unless we are hiding it (quenching the Spirit) under a "bushel".

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth

Just as the Father ordained that Jesus should walk in "works" specifically authored by the Father, we are to seek God's will and walk in the works that He has chosen for us.

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Axehead

God’s Will Is Our Work
in their misunderstanding of the term “good work.” For example, a Protestant might say, “The good thief was saved, yet he ... and the obligation to do good work. Healed and empowered by God through the sacraments, we do good work when we do what God would have us do. Good work is nothing other than obedience to the will of God. Put ...

 

[Rex]

It's to bad that some here have posted relevant information but its laced with poison "conditions".

I tell you walk, live life, take advantage of every opportunity. Be ever conscious of the gift you have received.
For one man goes and learns a trade yet never takes up his hammer, he is an empty vessel, full of pride and knowledge
A master craftsman practices his trade, training his hands and muscles to fashion gold and silver worthy of kings. This man is full of joy and rest in peace.

 

[Axehead]

And there is the "rub". What some are telling others God's will for THEIR life IS!

 

[neophyte]

Back to the topic " The importance of works"

The Catholic Church has never taught such a doctrine [ of "works righteosness " that through good works one can earn salvatiion ] and, in fact, has constantly condemned the notion that men can earn or merit salvation. Catholic soteriology (salvation theology) is rooted in apostolic Tradition and Scripture and says that it is only by God's grace--completely unmerited by works--that one is saved.
The Church teaches that it's God's grace from beginning to end which justifies, sanctifies, and saves us. As Paul explains in Philippians 2:13, "God is the one, who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work."
Notice that Paul's words presuppose that the faithful Christian is not just desiring to be righteous, but is actively working toward it. This is the second half of the justification equation, and Protestants either miss or ignore it.
James 2:17 reminds us that "faith of itself, if it does not have work, is dead." In verse 24 James says, "See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." And later: "For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (2:26).
The Council of Trent harmonizes the necessity of grace and works: "If anyone says that man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or by the teaching of the Law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be anathema" (Session 6; can. 1).
The Council fathers continued by saying, "If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema" (Session 6: can. 9).
By the way, "let him be anathema" means "let him be excommunicated," not "let him be cursed to hell." The phrase was used in conciliar documents in a technical, theological sense, not in the same sense as the word "anathema" is found in Scripture. Don't let "Bible Christians" throw you for a loop on this one.
So, far from teaching a doctrine of "works righteousness" (that would be Pelagianism, which was condemned at the Council of Carthage in A.D. 418), the Catholic Church teaches the true, biblical doctrine of justification.