Are We Justified By Faith Or Works Or Both?

Roman Catholics & the Eastern Orthodox church believe that works are a part of justification.
The Eastern Orthodox church says that justification is by faith & works.
Roman Catholics believe same.
Both have a false gospel.
The Bible says that those who teach a false gospel are to be cursed (Galatians 1:9).
This is serious.

Here are just a couple of the sources where the EOC & Roman Catholics get it wrong:

Eastern Orthodox
Decree 13

We believe a man to be not simply justified through faith alone, but through faith which works through love, that is to say, through faith and works.  But [the idea] that faith can fulfill the function of a hand that lays hold on the righteousness which is in Christ, and can then apply it unto us for salvation, we know to be far from all Orthodoxy.  For faith so understood would be possible in all, and so none could miss salvation, which is obviously false.  But on the contrary, we rather believe that it is not the correlative of faith, but the faith which is in us, justifies through works, with Christ.  But we regard works not as witnesses certifying our calling, but as being fruits in themselves, through which faith becomes efficacious, and as in themselves meriting, through the Divine promises {cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10} that each of the Faithful may receive what is done through his own body, whether it be good or bad.

Roman Catholics
Council of Trent, Canons on Justification

CANON XXIV.-If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.

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Many Roman Catholics cite James 2:24 as their authority for their view - regardless that the Bible has so many passages and individual verses that show that their understanding of that passage is incorrect. The overwhelming evidence of justification by faith alone could make a head swim by finding them all.

I realize that it can be confusing as to what James meant, because at first, it may seem to contradict so many other portions of Scripture.

I have been reading through the book Holiness by J.C. Ryle, and something he said really stood out to me.

"We are frequently told that a man is "justified by faith, without the works of the law," by Paul.  But not once are we told that we are "sanctified by faith, without the deeds of the law."  On the contrary, we are expressly told by James, that the faith whereby we are visibly and demonstratively justified before man, is a faith which "if it has not works is dead, being alone." (James 2:17.)  I may be told, in reply, that no one of course means to disparage "works" as an essential part of a holy life. It would be well, however, to make this more plain than many seem to make it in these days."  - J.C. Ryle

James 2:24 is in a context that is demonstrating that a living faith will produce works that prove to men that our faith is a real faith and not a said faith.
That particular verse in James is speaking of a different kind of justification that is before man & not the being declared righteous by faith kind of justification before God.
Many many verses make it clear that we cannot be justified before God by our works.
Romans 4, Romans 5:1, Ephesian 2:8-10, & Romans 3:28 are examples.
Plus, Galatians warns against those who were trying to add the works of the law back in.
.  
Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?  Galatians 3:3 NASB

Works are the fruit of a living faith, but they don't make the faith efficacious.
Faith is a gift of God - not of works.
Forgiveness of sins is not a result of our works either.
Unlike what the EOC teaches, works are witnesses to a living faith & have to do with sanctification.
Works can't add a thing to what Christ did on the cross...not physical baptism, church, or communion, etc.
Works are evidence of a life being transformed by the Holy Spirit.
We don't keep ourselves saved or help make ourselves declared righteous by works.
Justification and sanctification go together, but they are also distinct.
A true Christian is given the desire to obey Christ and to fight against sinful desires.

"The only righteousness in which we can appear before God is the righteousness of another — even the perfect righteousness of our Substitute and Representative, Jesus Christ the Lord.
His work, and not our work — is our only title to Heaven.
This is a truth which we should be ready to die to maintain."
- J.C. Ryle

"Justification is the reckoning and counting a man to be righteous for the sake of another, even Jesus Christ the Lord.
Sanctification is the actual making a man inwardly righteous, though it may be in a very feeble degree."   - J.C. Ryle

Justification is the act of God for us and is not easily discerned by others.
Sanctification is the work of God within us and cannot be hidden in its outward manifestation from the eyes of men.   - J.C. Ryle

J.C. Ryle quotes are from:
https://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/holiness1.htm
https://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/holiness3.htm

Added Food For Thought For Christians: 
Created For Good Works - Voice of Reason Podcast

Wages Earned Or A Free Gift?

Many people in the world today believe that salvation is by grace, but then they think that their own works somehow keep them saved or helps in the saving of them.
They take certain passages of Scripture to support their views, but they ignore Ephesians 2:8-9 & Romans 3 and many other passages which refute their understanding.

Today I was reading Romans 6, and the more I read the more sola fide jumped out at me.
It's been 500 years since the commonly accepted beginning of the Reformation (although it really started before that).
Much like the Judaizers and Pharisees, the Roman Catholic Church put burdens and rules on people that were not found in Scripture.

Today, Romans 3:23 really struck me in a different way than usual.
I thought about how it relates to the rest of what I've been reading, and I also related it to the conversations I've had online.
The difference between what they hold to and what the Bible says is striking.  
So is the difference between how the unbeliever and believer receives their eternal outcome.

Death is earned by the unbeliever.  All of us are slaves being born into sin, but we also earn death as sinners ourselves...all of us.
We are all born that way.
There is none who seeks after God.  All sin.
God's justice and wrath against sin is justly deserved by all.
The believer does not earn eternal life at all.  It is a FREE gift.
It is not a wage of good deeds.  It is not earned at all.  It is all of grace.

So, why the confusion?  Well, a believer will serve Christ as a freed person...freed to be a slave to Christ.
This is not freedom to earn favor with God to somehow help save ourselves.
It is because God has gifted the believer with a faith that desires to obey.
It all starts with the faith and freedom given by Christ.
So, the living working faith that justifies, is not something that we can muster up to help ourselves be saved.
As said before, it is a gift of God.  The believer is born from above.
Someone who is dead in sin will not seek God apart from God's Spirit.
Even as a believer, it is God who is at work in me both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

God prepared good works for the believer to walk in,  and a Christian will be known by the fruit he or she bears through the power of the Spirit.  God uses His Word and trials to change us.
It is by His Spirit that we can obey, and it is the work of God that saves.
A living faith is demonstrated by an obedient life, but the Christian is Christ's workmanship...not our own (Ephesians 2:10).

This doesn't mean that a believer can or will achieve a sinless life here on earth, but Christ's righteousness is imputed (2 Corinthians 5:21; to the believer entirely apart from works.
We cannot add to the death of Christ (Hebrews 10:10), and we cannot add to the life He gives.
Yet, if there is no change in us when we have claimed to believe, then it may be that we are not genuine.
So, as a Christian, I'm positionally righteous, while I still must fight the good fight of faith.
I can't lose salvation, because genuine faith is a gift and work of God entirely.
Good deeds should never be an attempt to keep myself in the faith.
They should be an outworking of what God is doing in me.

It's like this....
You can't make fools gold into gold by trying to refine it.
You can wash it or paint it.  You can put it in a fancy setting to dress it up.
It will be a waste of time, but it might look good for a time.
Like doing good works to earn favor with God, if it isn't genuine faith to start with...  your good works will be a waste of time.
If you think any of it is of you, then you are wasting your time.
Only God can take a worthless stone and change it into gold.

Read more about the FREE GIFT Here.

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Romans 3:28 NASB

Spurgeon, Suffering, Solace & Soothing

"Every Man Is Born A Pharisee" ←This section of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon highlights how salvation is not by works.
 It's worth reading!      

"He takes the crown from off the head of man in all respects, and gives all glory to the grace of God." - Charles Spurgeon

Christian, Are You Suffering? - Yeah, that's me too.
This message is an encouragement for Christians who are suffering.
It's called Benefits From Suffering by Rick McLean
Links: Benefits From Suffering or Suffering - MP3 

The Role of Women in the Church   - Sometimes it seems like it is rare for people to take 1 Timothy 2 & 1 Corinthians 14 seriously when it comes to women in the church, and I lamented that fact recently on my blog.
It can be pretty discouraging what with that and other compromises in churches.
The article on No Compromise (NoCo) Radio's site linked above is an encouragement that while not all agree 100%, there are those who do desire to stand strong on Scripture on this point at least.
Little by little people seem to find ways to worm around the Scripture.


Soothing Music- Simple music with an encouraging message.

By Faith Alone Or Faith Plus Works?

Can anybody help someone else get into Heaven?

No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him—
For the redemption of his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
Psalm 47:7-8 NASB

There would be no reason for the Gospel, if a mere man (like a pope) could get people into Heaven before or after death.

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
Hebrews 9:27 NASB

So, it is the Gospel that people need to hear while on earth which is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).  


Only Jesus, fully God and fully man, was able to redeem sinful people. 

Pardon for sin can only be purchased by God, yet Jesus had to also be fully a man (Hebrews 2:17) as well as God  the Son (John 5:21) to take the sins of mankind upon Himself.

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Revelation 5:9 NASB

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; 
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
Isaiah 53:6 NASB

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;                                                    
1 Peter 3:18 NASB

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:10 NASB

Not one person can be saved without God regenerating them (Titus 3:5-6).  Faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christians are born  from above of the Spirit.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:3-8 NASB

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Titus 3:5-6 NASB

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
John 6:63

Christ's death was sufficient.

Hebrews 9 and so many other passages makes it clear that Christ died once for all.

He isn't continually being sacrificed for sin in communion.

The death for all doesn't mean everyone who ever lived on the planet, but it means that He died for all the sins of anyone who would ever believe.   

He died for all the sheep that God gave Him, as He is like a Shepherd with a flock that He tenderly cares for.  He will never lose those who are truly of His flock.

If you repent of sin that enslaves you and that will send you to the just eternal judgment in the fires of Hell, and if you turn to trust in Christ's death for your sin - then you will be a part of God's sheep saved by grace.  Genuine Christians will desire to obey Christ, but good deeds can never earn a bit of your salvation.  A true believer has died to sin, so we are now able to follow Christ.  If someone claims to have Christ, but they don't act any differently....they don't truly belong to Him.

Some may say, "I'm justified by faith and works."  

If that is you, it is a confusion of what James meant about Abraham being justified by works.  Works are the fruit of salvation.  They are not the root.  
The Spirit empowers a true Christian to be able to do good works, because He indwells the true believer.  
It was Abraham's faith (believing God) that was reckoned to him as righteousness.  
It wasn't any set of good deeds he did that helped earn him Heaven.

Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 
John 6:28-29

God passed over sins from the past of those who were looking forward to a salvation that was not yet completed on earth (Romans 3:25).
Abraham's actions only proved that his faith was genuine and alive (James 2:26). 
Please don't confuse the cart of good works with the horse of faith.

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Romans 11:6 NASB

Works are an outworking of the salvation the Christian already has, not a cause of it (Philippians 2:13). 
The only work that saves is the work God did.  The dead cannot respond without God giving life. 

Previous Post On Faith & Works

Why Christianity & Roman Catholicism Are Not The Same Thing Part 2

A Different Gospel: 

The Bible teaches salvation is by faith in Christ alone.
Roman Catholicism requires works as part of  / necessary for salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 lets us know that salvation  is by grace through faith.  Even that is not of ourselves. It is the gift of God ...not as a result of works lest any man should boast.
Christians believe we are saved unto good works but works themselves are not meritorious towards our being saved.
Remember the thief on the cross...he could not work or be baptized.

Here are some other Scripture references that show salvation is not of works: Titus 3:5-6. Galatians 2:16, (By the works of the law no man is justified) Romans 3:2-28, and Galatians 5.
Believing that we are not saved by works doesn't mean that Christians believe that we can just pray a prayer and live any way we want to afterwards.
Works only prove that the faith given by God exists in the Christian.  Works don't merit salvation or grace, but they are evidence of the reality of what God has done and not we ourselves.
The Bible says we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  The verses I'm taking from are about those who are already Christians.  God is the one who begins a good work in Christians, and He is the one who will be faithful to complete it.  The Bible doesn't tell me to work for my salvation.
(Ephesians 2:10; James 2:26; Philippians 2:12-13)



The James Controversy:

Some may think that James contradicts salvation by grace through faith (alone) and it not being of works, but it actually does not negate the other Scriptures. The Word of God never truly contradicts itself though we may struggle to comprehend at times.  Much of what I already shared really already covers this (James 2:26).
Please check out this explanation:
Does James 2 contradict Romans 4?

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Free Will vs. Predestination

 Recently I got involved in an online discussion with another woman on the the subject of free will vs. predestination.  I have edited and reordered some of my responses to share with people here.  I hope that people will understand that if you disagree that I do not hate you.  It is more for the purpose of persuasion and showing verses that support what I say.  If this seems too much like teaching and you are a man, you do not need to read further.  Also, this particular post is meant for Christians. 

Do you believe that faith is something that we do to gain salvation or that it is a gift of God given to us by His grace? 

Ephesians 2:8-10 not only points out that faith is a gift of God and not of works, but it also points out that God even prepared the good works Christians will do beforehand that we should walk in them. Even with vs. 5 of Ephesians 2 you can see that we were dead in our transgressions and God made us alive. A dead person cannot choose anything without God first making him alive.  He makes us alive and changes our will. 
 
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),    Ephesians 2:5 NASB

Here are some more verses that point out God's sovereignty and choosing:

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. John 6:37

And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father." John 6:65 (all in NASB)

The "whoever" that believe or call upon the name of the Lord are the ones that in love He predestined to be adopted. ( Ephesians 1:4-6 )  All that the Father gives to Jesus will come to Him. When we say otherwise, we are questioning God's power / sovereignty. People do choose to sin ... that is all they can do apart from God's doing ... and they are happy to do so, but God in His love and mercy chose to save some ... not on the basis of what they have done. 
 
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Romans 9:14-18 NASB
 
 Before Jacob and Esau were born God had already chosen one over the other ... before they had done good or bad.

You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  Romans 9:19-22 NASB

Here is a link that I would recommend reading through:

http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A167/gods-absolute-sovereignty