Trying to be saved through religion

[H. Richard]

So you can simply sit on your hands and do nothing???? No wonder you hate the epistle of James.

So you think those that place their belief, faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus' work on the cross are doing nothing?

Why do you think your works will save you when the scriptures plainly say they won't? It is obvious to me that you think works of religion will save you. That a person must save themselves by what they do. Do you really think God owes you salvation because of what you do?

You really should read what Jesus said about the pharisee and the tax collector and see will one you identify with.

 

[justbyfaith]

Trusting in the finished work of the Cross will have the effect of making one into a new creature in Christ:

2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

A new creature in Christ is inclined towards doing the good works that the Lord has prepared beforehand for him to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

But the works don't save him (Ephesians 2:8-9) or bring about the change within that amounts to salvation.

This regeneration and renewal is accomplished "not by works of righteousness which we have done." (Titus 3:5)

 

[Giuliano]

So you think those that place their belief, faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus' work on the cross are doing nothing?

There are some who do not see the Love of Jesus on that cross. Some people can think only of themselves and how they can escape punishment for their sins. Some people don't want to change. They want to keep sinning; they don't care about loving other people. They have no clue about Jesus did on the cross. If they knew, they would know the power of Love and they would earnestly crave to be like him.

Why do you think your works will save you when the scriptures plainly say they won't? It is obvious to me that you think works of religion will save you. That a person must save themselves by what they do. Do you really think God owes you salvation because of what you do?

You really should read what Jesus said about the pharisee and the tax collector and see will one you identify with.

Works aren't going to save anyone; but the person who thinks he can offend against his neighbor and keep offending has no clue about Jesus or why he died on the cross. He has not been changed into a new creature.

Good works are valuable by themselves. If we love others, we enjoy them; but they also give us a clue about where we stand spiritually. Have we fooled ourselves into thinking we've become new creatures while there is no evidence of it? People can delude themselves the way the Pharisee did. The tax collector realized he was a sinner. It is up to each of us to see where we need to be changed, so we don't fall into the trap of spiritual arrogance.

Jesus died in vain for us if we remain unloving.

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

 

[H. Richard]

There are some who do not see the Love of Jesus on that cross. Some people can think only of themselves and how they can escape punishment for their sins. Some people don't want to change. They want to keep sinning; they don't care about loving other people. They have no clue about Jesus did on the cross. If they knew, they would know the power of Love and they would earnestly crave to be like him.

Works aren't going to save anyone; but the person who thinks he can offend against his neighbor and keep offending has no clue about Jesus or why he died on the cross. He has not been changed into a new creature.

Good works are valuable by themselves. If we love others, we enjoy them; but they also give us a clue about where we stand spiritually. Have we fooled ourselves into thinking we've become new creatures while there is no evidence of it? People can delude themselves the way the Pharisee did. The tax collector realized he was a sinner. It is up to each of us to see where we need to be changed, so we don't fall into the trap of spiritual arrogance.

Jesus died in vain for us if we remain unloving.

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

A very religious reply.

Matt 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign (Mark 8:11-13; Luke 12:54-56) 16 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red';
3 and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.
NKJV

Mark 8:11-12
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
NKJV

 

[justbyfaith]

A very religious reply.

I don't see it as religious at all.

But even if it were, in James it is written that there is such a thing as pure and undefiled religion. And this is a matter of doctrinal truth.

 

[Giuliano]

A very religious reply.

Matt 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign (Mark 8:11-13; Luke 12:54-56) 16 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red';
3 and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.
NKJV

Mark 8:11-12
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
NKJV

Those are sad passages, aren't they? Messiah was standing before them and they asked for a sign? Could they not sense the good?

 

[Giuliano]

I don't see it as religious at all.

But even if it were, in James it is written that there is such a thing as pure and undefiled religion. And this is a matter of doctrinal truth.

A wonderful passage since it tells us that pure and undefiled religion involves love.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 

[justbyfaith]

Those are sad passages, aren't they? Messiah was standing before them and they asked for a sign? Could they not sense the good?

Indeed.