JMJ,
The same old argument that our deeds as Christians justifies doesn't make any sense. Our good deeds didn't justify to start with, and our good deeds as Christians doesn't justify us either. Though we were created for good works, they are only evidence of our faith, even then, God only knows the heart and whether the motivation behind our deeds was good. These works are part of the sanctification process, not the justification process. I don't buy your Romans Catholicism. I rejected in our earlier, private, conversation, and I reject it now in our public conversation. - Davies
I wish the whole truth about salvation was not so
hard for people to understand and I am saddened that it will be only a
few people who will inherit eternal life compared to the many people who will be condemned to hell; and some of these will go to hell because of their
lack of knowledge about the necessity of obeying God's commandments and so they are not diligent in
keeping His commandments. I am posting on your thread because there are some people on this forum and perhaps even viewing this thread who are not blinded by prejudice and who are seeking to find the whole truth,
no matter what it costs them when they find it.
There are two parts to justification. The first part: None of our own good works or works of the law of Moses could ever redeem us from Adam's sin. Only Jesus could and did redeem us from Adam's sin. No persons could ever enter into heaven after they died because of Adam's sin. That is why Lazarus was in
Abraham's bosom with Abraham and not in heaven with God after they died. Abraham's bosom was a part of Hades, the abode of the dead. Jesus also justifies/forgives us from all of the personal sins we have on our souls at the time of our baptisms. I was washed, sanctified, and justified when I was baptized. I was made holy/sanctified and justified by my baptism.
The second part: Now, I must remain holy/sanctified and justified until I die if I want to enter into eternal life.
1 Corinthians 6:8-11 (NKJV)
8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
If Christians return to their former sinfulness, they will not inherit eternal life.
So, once we have been redeemed/justified from both Adam's sin and forgiven all of our own personal sins at the time of our baptism, we must continue our justification through obedience to God's commandments and
maintaining good works until we die. If we continue our j
ustification until we die, we are approved to enter into eternal life. If we do not continue our justification until we die, we are not approved to enter into eternal life.
Why does Paul give his brother Timothy this warning
if good works do not matter for salvation?
1 Timothy 4:16 NIV
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Why did Paul instruct Timothy that women will be saved through the suffering of childbearing if they also continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety
if suffering and good works did not count for justification and salvation?
1 Timothy 2:14-15 (NIV)
14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Why does Paul instruct Timothy that a Christian believer who does not provide for his relatives has denied the Christian faith and so he is now
worse off than a person who has never believed
if good works and obedience are not necessary for salvation?
Timothy 5:8 (NIV)
8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Born again Christians who deny the faith of Jesus by their evil works do not inherit eternal life.
Titus 1:16 NKJV
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
It is
your prerogative to believe whatever you wish, and it is your prerogative to reject whatever is not pleasing to your
ears.
Both faith and righteous/good works are necessary in order to be approved to enter into eternal life. The
sheep who did good works inherited eternal life, but the
goats who did not do good works did not inherit eternal life.
We are all judged according to our works.
I want to be sure that I will be numbered among the sheep/elect.
1 Peter 1:17 NKJV
And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
I will continue to fear hell while I am on earth and so I will take care to obey God because hell fire is the everlasting consequence for all persons who participate in evil deeds/works.
John 5:28-29 (NKJV)
28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
This is why Paul exhorts his flock:
Philippians 2:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Faith plus good works is what
approves a person to enter into eternal life.
2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
James 1:12 NKJV
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.