The Sheep and Goat judgement

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H. Richard

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It breaks my heart when I hear many sermons in the Christian religion miss-using the scriptures in order to make a point. Case in point, “The Sheep and Goat Judgment”.
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They use this scripture to indicate that we are to help others as a basis for our salvation. Under the Law of Moses the Jews were to love others as they loved themselves. It was a Law. Under grace the works of the Law were fulfilled when Jesus shed His blood on the cross to pay for our sins. If, under grace, we are to keep any of the Law of Moses for “salvation” then grace is no longer grace.
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Then what do we make out of these scriptures? What was the intended purpose? It is my opinion that Jesus is talking about the fulfillment of the Covenant (promise) made to Abraham that God would bless those that bless him and curse those that curse him. Since Abraham was the beginning of the Jewish race this means that God would bless those who bless the Jews and curse those that curse the Jews.
*
When Jesus returns to set up His 1,000 year Jewish kingdom on this earth there will be both Jews and Gentles that have made it through the 7 years of God’s wrath. How will Jesus determine which of those in the Nations (Gentiles) will go into that 1,000 year kingdom? -- It is at that time that God’s promise to Abraham will be honored by letting those Gentiles who helped (blessed) the Jews receive the promise God made to Abraham. There is no other reason given in the story for their blessing except that they helped the Jews (Jesus’ brothers were Jews).
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Now if anyone wants to insist that we are under a law that we must help others as a basis for our salvation then they are saying a person is saved by their works and their works of loving others is a basis for a place in Heaven and not just faith in Jesus’ work on the cross alone. --- No one can have it both ways. It is either by faith in Jesus’ work on the cross or by the works of man. A person can’t be married to one and play around with another. In this case that is spiritual adultery. In my opinion miss-using the scriptures to make social moral points will send many to hell.
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Richard
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The Sheep and Goat Judgement
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Matt 25:31-37 NKJV
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
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It was determined by God, “from the foundation of the world” that those who helped the Jews would inherit a place in the wonderful 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ. -- As for us, today under grace, our salvation is totally based on our faith that Jesus’ shed blood has (past tense) paid for all our sins and we are given salvation based on our believing it. -- The only sin that condemns us under grace is the sin of unbelief --- Not believing that Jesus’ shed blood has already paid for our salvation.
 
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VictoryinJesus

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They use this scripture to indicate that we are to help others as a basis for our salvation. Under the Law of Moses the Jews were to love others as they loved themselves. It was a Law.

So we are not to love others? And it is okay if I love me first, God and others second? I’m so confused. What is the fruit of the Spirit then? What is Matthew 22:37-39 speaking of? “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” —Seems like a person healed completely; turned to God with heart, soul, and mind. As legion was of a “sound mind”.

“[38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Romans 3:23-24
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Paul, The same writer (inspired by the Holy Spirit) who wrote: 1 Corinthians 13:3 [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Are not these only possible after faith? Faith, then Charity. Charity (love) being the presence of Christ in a new life.
 

Jay Ross

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Has anybody considered that it is our good works that truly scream out at the top of their respective voices, that the person involved in Good Works, is bearing much good fruit confirming that he truly has received His Salvation free of cost from Christ.

Does not Isaiah 58 gives God's insight as to what He desires of us. Is not the parable of the Sheep and the Goats just a reflection of how well the Saints of God has put this chapter from Isaiah into practice. Those that do put it into practice are the blessed of My Father, and they will inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world while those who did not really put it into practice ended up being told to depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
 

H. Richard

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So we are not to love others? And it is okay if I love me first, God and others second? I’m so confused. What is the fruit of the Spirit then? What is Matthew 22:37-39 speaking of? “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” —Seems like a person healed completely; turned to God with heart, soul, and mind. As legion was of a “sound mind”.

“[38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Romans 3:23-24
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Paul, The same writer (inspired by the Holy Spirit) who wrote: 1 Corinthians 13:3 [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
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Your question: Are not these only possible after faith? Faith, then Charity. Charity (love) being the presence of Christ in a new life.

My answer if what you do is to make yourself self righteous by telling others how they can be changed to be like you it is wrong and not of God and it is not a good work.

By the way I never said this, you did; "So we are not to love others? And it is okay if I love me first, God and others second? I’m so confused.

What is the fruit of the Spirit then? Tell me, did Paul do any good works. He never claimed to do them so I suppose you can say he is telling everyone that he likes to sin. GIVE ME A BREAK.

So if I say Jesus paid for all my sins you say I am saying I must love to sin. Amazing!!!

If I am on this forum to show others my faith in what Jesus did for me on the cross so that others can see it, to the religious I am not trying to be like Christ I am telling them to sin like crazy. GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Jesus will reward the children of God for what they do to bare fruit of other children of God. Telling others that they have to stop sinning in the flesh will not bring anyone to Christ. All it does is show them that they have to earn salvation by what they do, not by faith in what He has already done. They do not show the salvation that God has purchased for them.
 

VictoryinJesus

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Tell me, did Paul do any good works.

Yes he did do good works. They are all over the pages. Paul mourned, He grieved, he labored for others to obtain. The works were love. Nobody is talking sinless perfection. But after faith, should there not be change? You assume if someone says there has been change, then tgeir faith is in works and not in Christ.
 

VictoryinJesus

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Jesus will reward the children of God for what they do to bare fruit of other children of God.

To bare children...love is required.

1 Corinthians 4:12-15
[12] And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: [13] Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. [14] I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you . [15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Don’t tell me Paul had no works. To “intreat” those that despise and use you are works and Paul certainly did this.
 

VictoryinJesus

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They do not show the salvation that God has purchased for them

Acts of love:
Genesis 22:9-10
[9] And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. [10] And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Luke 7:37-38
[37] And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, [38] And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Romans 9:3
[3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

1 Corinthians 9:20-23
[20] And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. [22] To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men , that I might by all means save some. [23] And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you .

2 Timothy 4:6-7
[6] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. [7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

John 3:16-17
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

“They do not show the salvation that God has purchased for them.” Then why are we here? Why did Abel suffer Cain? Why did the prophets suffer? Why did Paul, Peter, John, Timothy, Stephen, countless others... and the Son of God suffer? What is on display if it is not the salvation and mercy and love and long-suffering and patience of God...a people chosen of God???
 

Harvest 1874

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The trouble here is that many fail to rightly divide the word of God into its proper times and seasons, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats does not apply the Gospel age, but to the next age following the establishment of the Mediatorial reign. This is clearly implied in the opening verse, viz.

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” Matt 25:31

The Savior has not yet appeared in his glory, and the promise is that "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye [the Church, the sheep of the present Age] also appear with him in glory." (Col 3:4) In a word, the overcoming "sheep" of the Gospel Age will be associated with the Great Shepherd in his work of dealing with the world of mankind during his reign. Then all mankind will be on judgment or trial, to be tested with a view to proving who will develop the sheep-like disposition (i.e. who will compose the Lord’s “other sheep”), and who will develop the goat-like disposition.”

“The Scriptures indicate to us that by and by the knowledge of the Lord shall be so complete, so as to fill the earth, and during that time the word faith will have practically lost its present meaning, knowledge taking the place of what is now termed faith.

In that time knowledge and works will be what the Lord will require of mankind. All the avenues of knowledge will be open to the human family, the knowledge of the glory of God will fill the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep, and with that knowledge obedience will be required --obedience to the extent of ability, and increasing ability will be the reward of every effort until, at the close of the Millennial age, all who will may actually have attained full perfection of human nature that was lost in Eden. That will be the age of works, as we read in Rev 20:12. The whole world will stand on trial for life eternal, and their judgment will be in harmony with the principles already enunciated in the Word of God, and the decision will be "according to their works"--NOT according to their faith, as it is with us in this Gospel age.”

For a more thorough examination of this subject see the “Parable of the Sheep and the Goats” on our blog post.
 

Nancy

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It breaks my heart when I hear many sermons in the Christian religion miss-using the scriptures in order to make a point. Case in point, “The Sheep and Goat Judgment”.
*
They use this scripture to indicate that we are to help others as a basis for our salvation. Under the Law of Moses the Jews were to love others as they loved themselves. It was a Law. Under grace the works of the Law were fulfilled when Jesus shed His blood on the cross to pay for our sins. If, under grace, we are to keep any of the Law of Moses for “salvation” then grace is no longer grace.
*
Then what do we make out of these scriptures? What was the intended purpose? It is my opinion that Jesus is talking about the fulfillment of the Covenant (promise) made to Abraham that God would bless those that bless him and curse those that curse him. Since Abraham was the beginning of the Jewish race this means that God would bless those who bless the Jews and curse those that curse the Jews.
*
When Jesus returns to set up His 1,000 year Jewish kingdom on this earth there will be both Jews and Gentles that have made it through the 7 years of God’s wrath. How will Jesus determine which of those in the Nations (Gentiles) will go into that 1,000 year kingdom? -- It is at that time that God’s promise to Abraham will be honored by letting those Gentiles who helped (blessed) the Jews receive the promise God made to Abraham. There is no other reason given in the story for their blessing except that they helped the Jews (Jesus’ brothers were Jews).
*
Now if anyone wants to insist that we are under a law that we must help others as a basis for our salvation then they are saying a person is saved by their works and their works of loving others is a basis for a place in Heaven and not just faith in Jesus’ work on the cross alone. --- No one can have it both ways. It is either by faith in Jesus’ work on the cross or by the works of man. A person can’t be married to one and play around with another. In this case that is spiritual adultery. In my opinion miss-using the scriptures to make social moral points will send many to hell.
*
Richard
*
The Sheep and Goat Judgement
*
Matt 25:31-37 NKJV
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
*
It was determined by God, “from the foundation of the world” that those who helped the Jews would inherit a place in the wonderful 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ. -- As for us, today under grace, our salvation is totally based on our faith that Jesus’ shed blood has (past tense) paid for all our sins and we are given salvation based on our believing it. -- The only sin that condemns us under grace is the sin of unbelief --- Not believing that Jesus’ shed blood has already paid for our salvation.

Awesome post!
 

H. Richard

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Acts of love:
Genesis 22:9-10
[9] And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. [10] And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Luke 7:37-38
[37] And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, [38] And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Romans 9:3
[3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

1 Corinthians 9:20-23
[20] And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. [22] To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men , that I might by all means save some. [23] And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you .

2 Timothy 4:6-7
[6] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. [7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

John 3:16-17
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

“They do not show the salvation that God has purchased for them.” Then why are we here? Why did Abel suffer Cain? Why did the prophets suffer? Why did Paul, Peter, John, Timothy, Stephen, countless others... and the Son of God suffer? What is on display if it is not the salvation and mercy and love and long-suffering and patience of God...a people chosen of God???
***

All of these suffered for the gospel. They suffered because of their faith in God. My message is that faith in God's work on the cross is the only thing that saves in this age of grace. Because I teach this I am taken to task for saying that salvation is the work of God, not man.

I am old and like Paul I have fought the good fight of teaching that God loved man so much He gave His only Son to pay the price of the sins of men.

To the religious I must show my faith by my works. What I see is that the religious have been putting out this "being like Christ" so much that men think they CAN be like Christ by saying they are sinless in the flesh. Everyone on this, and any forum, who tells others that they must stop sinning in order to be saved are hypocrites because they sin in the flesh too.

But the religious get on forums talking about how others must stop sinning in order to be saved and it is an attempt to show they don't sin any longer because they can stop sinning in the flesh. The tragic event I posted was real and it shows the devastation the so called sinless Christian can do to the lost. But as anyone can see by one of the replies the religious person does not want this to be known. They love their religion that teaches that man must stop sinning because it allows them to make others see their sinless perfection.

As for me, I am a man that is living in a body of sinful flesh just as all people are. I do not trust in my flesh to save me by its works. I trust in the work Of God on the cross. That is all I claim and because of God's promise in the gospel of grace it is all I need. And if others teach otherwise they are sinning the sin of unbelief, unbelief in the work and power of the cross.

Heb 10:28-29
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
NKJV
 
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Jay Ross

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Saying and believing that we are saved by the blood of Christ is one thing, demonstrating that we actually believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ, is something else.

The argument seems to be about how we are going about demonstrating our faith in Christ as our saviour. Whether or not we are able to seems to be what the discussion is all about.

Does God look at our "good" works to see if we do really believe in Him?

Revelation 20 seems to point towards this fact when it says: -

Revelation 20: 11 - 12: - 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.​

The story of the two sons who were asked to do a task by their father is very telling. The son who said that he would do the task but did not, confirmed his lack of respect for his father, whereas the son who said that he would not, confirmed his respect for his father, by actually doing as he was asked. Our words are not always enough to show the intent of our respective hearts.
 

Enoch111

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The trouble here is that many fail to rightly divide the word of God into its proper times and seasons, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats does not apply the Gospel age, but to the next age following the establishment of the Mediatorial reign.
Exactly. It has nothing to do with the Church Age. In any event good works are essential for all Christians, and they are part and parcel of sanctification. Indeed anyone claiming to be a Christian and failing to do any good works would need to examine himself or herself. That is what the epistle of James reveals.
 

Harvest 1874

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Saying and believing that we are saved by the blood of Christ is one thing, demonstrating that we actually believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ, is something else.

The argument seems to be about how we are going about demonstrating our faith in Christ as our saviour. Whether or not we are able to seems to be what the discussion is all about.

Does God look at our "good" works to see if we do really believe in Him?

Revelation 20 seems to point towards this fact when it says: -

Revelation 20: 11 - 12: - 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.​

The story of the two sons who were asked to do a task by their father is very telling. The son who said that he would do the task but did not, confirmed his lack of respect for his father, whereas the son who said that he would not, confirmed his respect for his father, by actually doing as he was asked. Our words are not always enough to show the intent of our respective hearts.

The verse you quote from Revelation does not apply at the present time, nevertheless we agree, faith without works is dead.
 

Jay Ross

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The verse you quote from Revelation does not apply at the present time, nevertheless we agree, faith without works is dead.

But we will die before the time of the GWT judgement, so I must disagree with your above statement because verse Reve 20:12 is applicable to the risen dead, which means that this verse is applicable to me at this present time. Cannot get around that fact.
 
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H. Richard

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Saying and believing that we are saved by the blood of Christ is one thing, demonstrating that we actually believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ, is something else.

The argument seems to be about how we are going about demonstrating our faith in Christ as our saviour. Whether or not we are able to seems to be what the discussion is all about.

Does God look at our "good" works to see if we do really believe in Him?.

***
You are wrong. God know those who trust in Him just as He knew the faith of Abraham. He knew it before Abraham did any works.

YOU SAID; "demonstrating that we actually believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ, is something else.

I suppose it is for you but the children of God do not have to demonstrate anything to God. He already knows where they have placed their faith.
Since you believe you must show your faith by your works then you have no faith in the one that shed His blood to pay for the sins of the whole world. If you must demonstrate your faith by your works then you have no faith in Jesus' works, just faith in your own works.

The religious always run to the book of James to say faith without works is dead. A book that was written to the Jews who were under the Law of Moses. James was right for those under the Law of Moses because if a Jew did not do the works of the Law of Moses then they had no faith in their Law, but it is not for those under grace. They quote Jame's remarks about faith and never quote the frist Verse in the Book which says it was written to the Jews. They want to bring it over into the grace gospel when it does not apply.
 
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Enoch111

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The religious always run to the book of James to say faith without works is dead. A book that was written to the Jews who were under the Law of Moses.
1. Actually it is not *the religious* but all Christians who go to the book of James for practical Christian advice. It is a part of Scripture -- the Word of God -- therefore all Christians must read it and practice what it says.

2. There is a fallacy floating around today that James was not written for all Christians but to Jews "under the Law of Moses". That is completely false. While it is true that he addresses Hebrew Christians, he calls himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ which means that a Christian is writing to all Christians. Why would he address unsaved Jews when they do not even believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?

3. James is not the only apostle or NT writer who says that Christians must be "careful to maintain good works". This is a fundamental Bible teaching throughout Scripture, and indeed faith without works is dead (non-existent).

4. Good works do not save anyone but they are the EVIDENCE of salvation. As far as the unsaved world is concerned "talk is cheap".
 

Nancy

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You are wrong. God know those who trust in Him just as He knew the faith of Abraham. He knew it before Abraham did any works.

YOU SAID; "demonstrating that we actually believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ, is something else.

I suppose it is for you but the children of God do not have to demonstrate anything to God. He already knows where they have placed their faith.
Since you believe you must show your faith by your works then you have no faith in the one that shed His blood to pay for the sins of the whole world. If you must demonstrate your faith by your works then you have no faith in Jesus' works, just faith in your own works.

The religious always run to the book of James to say faith without works is dead. A book that was written to the Jews who were under the Law of Moses. James was right for those under the Law of Moses because if a Jew did not do the works of the Law of Moses then they had no faith in their Law, but it is not for those under grace. They quote Jame's remarks about faith and never quote the frist Verse in the Book which says it was written to the Jews. They want to bring it over into the grace gospel when it does not apply.
Audience is key to allot of the N.T. Good post. :)
 

H. Richard

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1. Actually it is not *the religious* but all Christians who go to the book of James for practical Christian advice. It is a part of Scripture -- the Word of God -- therefore all Christians must read it and practice what it says.

2. There is a fallacy floating around today that James was not written for all Christians but to Jews "under the Law of Moses". That is completely false. While it is true that he addresses Hebrew Christians, he calls himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ which means that a Christian is writing to all Christians. Why would he address unsaved Jews when they do not even believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?

3. James is not the only apostle or NT writer who says that Christians must be "careful to maintain good works". This is a fundamental Bible teaching throughout Scripture, and indeed faith without works is dead (non-existent).

4. Good works do not save anyone but they are the EVIDENCE of salvation. As far as the unsaved world is concerned "talk is cheap".

***
Why is it that the religious have to have EVIDENCE. Seeing works of the flesh is not evidence of anything but works of the flesh.

I think the scriptures say that the Jews seek a sign and the Gentile seek wisdom.
1 Cor 1:21-24
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
NKJV

It depends on the purpose of the good works. If they are to show your righteousness then that is wrong because no man is righteous in their flesh.

But if you wish to go around broadcasting your righteousness go to it but it will not convince me of it because the scriptures tell us that no man is righteous in his flesh (GAL. 3:3). How can a hypocrite convince others that they are sinful and they are not when it is a fact that no man is sinless.

Okay, so you do not sin in the flesh. I got it. Just show how you don't sin in the flesh and others will see Christ in you. Sorry, I don't see Christ in you. I see that you are trying to lay a burden on others that you do not carry yourself because you THINK you keep from sinning.
 

Nancy

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1. Actually it is not *the religious* but all Christians who go to the book of James for practical Christian advice. It is a part of Scripture -- the Word of God -- therefore all Christians must read it and practice what it says.

2. There is a fallacy floating around today that James was not written for all Christians but to Jews "under the Law of Moses". That is completely false. While it is true that he addresses Hebrew Christians, he calls himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ which means that a Christian is writing to all Christians. Why would he address unsaved Jews when they do not even believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?

3. James is not the only apostle or NT writer who says that Christians must be "careful to maintain good works". This is a fundamental Bible teaching throughout Scripture, and indeed faith without works is dead (non-existent).

4. Good works do not save anyone but they are the EVIDENCE of salvation. As far as the unsaved world is concerned "talk is cheap".

Indeed...he was speaking to Hebrew Christians.
"Good works do not save anyone but they are the EVIDENCE of salvation." And let's not forget:
2 Timothy 3:16-17

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Good post Enoch.
 
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