Faith Alone or Faith Plus Works? (John12:37-42) Pt 2

[prestonmiller]

This is the best sermon I’ve ever heard on this topic and these scriptures. I have personally struggled with this for years.

[airmaxxkidd]

Powerful teaching as you point out and as the Bible points outs multiple times salvation is simple and we often judge others deeds along with evaluate actions instead of focusing on our walk with Christ

[Apex_wolf]

Truth about real follower Christ they will have a changed heart your works will follow good fruits. As Jesus said you will know them by their fruits it's simple

[ndfuncion]

Philippians 2:12 King James Version (KJV)
***12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and ...“work out” means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." We do this by actively pursuing obedience in the process of attitude Christians are to have in pursuing this goal—a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness...Faith alone is not enough...good works should be the fruit of your faith..without good works your faith is a FAKE FAITH!

[gloryman]

Thanks for tackling this subject brother. It is and continues to be a thorn in the flesh for many believers. However, I am going to have to disagree with your attempt to reconcile the problem between James and Paul by centering around the word "sozo.' James states very clearly that a man is "justified" by works. Justification is the center of his writing, not the saving of his physical life. In another place James says that if a man keeps all the law and breaks one of them, he is broken them all. Got to keep it ALL to be "justified" before God. A "soul's" death doesn't mean to die physically. When a person is "justified" by faith in Christ, he has the salvation of the soul at that time. When the bible talks about the human body, it means the human body. Soul and body are two different things. But there is another problem that takes it deeper: election and predestination. The scripture teaches that before we were even born we were CHOSEN in Christ. We did not choose Him but He chose us. We are "elected" to faith. This is the bedrock of our security in Christ. We are new creations! CHOSEN before the foundation of the world! The real core of the issue of the canon of scripture. James was initially rejected from the letters that were considered inspired for other reasons besides the emphasis on grace plus works. 1. James doesn't tell us who he is. and 2. It is written not to the church, but to the twelve tribes. Maybe it is that the canon has become a "sacred cow." We have placed the canon of scripture above the scripture itself. Luther was no slouch when it came to the original languages of the bible and I will stand with him on the authority of James letter. He saw clearly that the issue was "justification" by faith alone and not "justification" by works. God bless!