Deeds Works Salvation

Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT). When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, He said: "They do all their deeds to be noticed by men" (Mt. 23:5). Back in the days of Pharisees, they thought they were rewarded by God for doing the deeds that were required of them from God. Jesus rebuked them and told them that God looks in the heart, not what they did. You might want to read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are books about "wisdom". Proverbs 15:24The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave. Ecclesiastes 2:21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. Of course, don't forget James in the New Testament: James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. In Galatians 6:3 says "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." And in James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." In Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Confession itself is deceiving because the Bible clearly teaches that our heart is the source that looks at more than our mouth. Confession is more of an outward expression to seperate self from unbelievers. Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 2 Corinthians 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Christians speaking, even quoting Scriptures, may not be practicing their faith (in their spiritual walk). Faith will express itself in faith deeds not just words alone. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Is our Christian practice consistent with Jesus Christ? We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. The question becomes when a person say: "I am a believer in Christ" and practice what God calls it sin is where God will meet this person in the core, in the heart. This is where God determines a person's salvation. The key is: Does Christ rule your heart or does sin rule your heart? A person with Christ in the heart will still sin but we are reminded by the Word of God that God looks into our hearts for our spiritual obedience rather than perfection (Deeds). We will never be perfect as long as we live in our bodies. Our source is in the core which is the heart. Do we really obey God from our hearts? Do we make every efforts to obey God from our hearts? Or, do we really obey our sin without even trying to obey God? Are we saved by Grace or by Works of deeds?

Pride

Pride is a constant temptation, especially where God has graciously blessed a man's ministry. Pride can lead him to think, Look what I've accomplished. It is sinful self-gratification. Besides all those things, there's always a multitude of general temptations that beset a spiritual leader. That's why we have to "put on the whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:11). Satan is unrelenting in his attempts to cause Christians to sin, and the prominence and influence of a spiritual leader makes him a prime target for the enemy's attacks. In light of all those temptations, what elder could remain sinless? We all fail. Somewhere in the spiritual battle we're going to feel like giving up, or we'll become indifferent or prideful. Perhaps we'll say unkind words to someone. There are so many areas in which a leader can fall, and we are far from perfect. The qualifications for spiritual leaders are very high, but they're not so high that everyone is disqualified. By His grace God can make us what He wants us to be. Our task is to faithfully pursue His standards.

John MacArthur

Quotes for the day

Pride leads to the "I can do it myself" approach. We think we're capable of anything. We don't need God, counselors, prayer partners, or friends. Truth be told, we've got too much pride to ask for help, so we struggle along and alone. David Jeremiah Yes, we want people to see us with approval when we are displaying that Jesus is infinitely valuable to us, but we dare not make the opinion of others the measure of our faithfulness. They may be blind and resistant to truth. Then the reproach we bear is no sign of our unfaithfulness or lack of love. John Piper God requires elders to be men of integrity, wisdom, dignity, and virtue. But even though the standards are very high, God doesn't require perfection. If He did, no one would be qualified to lead the church because we all fail. John MacArthur

Christian's Character and Witnessing

God wants us to be busy rejoicing in the gracious prospect of all opportunities of God's will. Providential of God leads us to what we call "coincidences" in their lives which perhaps God will make sure that His wills will be done at His right time and place. God blesses us with LOVE and the blessings of love flows through us to others. Without Christ, we are nothing. Along with love and under the control of the Holy Spirit, the power of love and Holy Spirit flows through us. The only way the spiritual gifts are going to operate is love. Love is the key. God is love. He gave us two commandments. We are to love God and others. With the Holy Spirit and love, I will walk in the Spirit, Christ produces the fruit. How do we witness others to Christ? Many have accepted Christ by watching Christians more than talking. In 1 Corinthians 13:5 says "Love does not act unbecomingly"; which means a Christian should demonstrate godly love and have real credibility. Your credibility is evangelism. 2 Timothy 4:4-6 (NKJV) "and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Salvation, Grace, Conditional and Unconditional.

Salvation is free through Grace (undeserve kindness) of God and His unconditional love. Becoming a disciple, following Jesus Christ requires personal cost, giving up your selfish "me" and become like Christ. Love is NOT conditional however discipleship is conditional. Jesus might have grieved over His Cost of Discipleship requirements, but He never ran after them to try to win them with rosy promises. Christians all around us are trying every shortcut they can think of, to get "something for nothing" in the kingdom of God. Although God's grace has been given freely to humans who do not deserve it, the grace of God and point out that Jesus commanded us to take up our cross and follow Him. Our minds are so much set on things earthly and so little on things above. To grow in Christ as God desires demands on our submission to Him. Someone may try to give someone "credit" for getting the blessings from God when they think they have done it from the works of faith (measure of faith). In reality, the blessings are from God, the Holy Spirit-and using that person as an instrument to do God's will and plan. Obviously, there is no real sense in which we are able to do spiritual work of any kind without the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, our faith and our works are NOTHING. Through the Holy Spirit, God's grace gave us the strength.