Saved - By Faith Or By Works?(2)

Good works to be saved or good works as a normal result of your salvation? Read on!Now, we are in Jerusalem in king’s David palace. Meditating upon his terrible sin in front of God, David starts writing one of his wonderful Psalms: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." What king David says here is that a man is blessed when Lord does not count against him the transgressions and the sins."

On David’s time, everyone who sinned had to take a lamb to the priest who was scarifying the animal and the blood was covering man’s sin – the lamb died in the man’s place because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness". Believing God, that man who gave the lamb to be sacrificed had his sin covered. (so it was about faith again). David knew the price for sin God demanded, and declares that the man who does not need to make that sacrifice is blessed. Paul explains:" David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works". How is this possible? The same answer - by faith.

Are there any changes in the New Testament? Absolutely not. Everyone who believes in Jesus has the sins forgiven: "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin… there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus … For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."

In Galatia Paul was confronted with the same problem. There were persons who came in churches saing: "you are saved by faith and observing the law - you need both, law and faith to be saved". In a letter addressed to Galatians churches, Paul is merciless with believers: " You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you:

Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing - if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham".

And when he speaks about those people that created this controversy, he is much more severe: "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!"

If you still believe that you can be saved by your good works, let me ask you a question: which good work that you can do, may determine God to say:" for this work I will aloud you to enter in my kingdom"? What good work has the same value as Jesus sacrifice? Think well. God’s point of view about works is written in Isaiah 64:6: "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags". Do you still believe that Jesus sacrifice is not enough and you have to add some good works to complete His ministry? His sacrifice was perfect: "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" (Hebrews 10:14).

A very controversial text which determined Luther to write his, now famous, comment: "St. James Epistle is really an epistle of straw compared to St. Paul's letters, for it lacks this evangelical character" …and it "contradicts Paul by teaching justification by works".

So, let’s see James 2: 14-17: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead". Well, it’s a contradiction in God’s Word? Or this epistle should it not be included the canon? None of these. The good answer is: we are saved by that kind of faith accompanied (confirmed, authenticated) by action.

We are justified by faith but only by a true faith, a faith proved to be true if it is followed by good works. We are not doing good works to be saved, we are doing good works because we were saved by an authentic faith in Jesus.

Put your trust in Jesus Alone, in His work because it’s efficient and sufficient. That’s the only way to heaven: faith in Jesus accompanied by action.
By Claudia Miclaus