Faith plus nothing - or, "Picking a fight on a Sunday"

Well, not a fight, exactly, but rather a re-visitation of ("to"?) a topic some friends and I were discussing on New Year's Day. I didn't post anything about it here - it was all on the e-mail list - but it's been bugging me for the past couple of months.

Anyway, we basically refought the Reformation, and one of my buddies pulled out a verse to use as support of "faith PLUS works." Philippians 2:12b -

...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

Thing is, my mind wasn't in the right place when we were discussing this, because I forgot about that old saw "Text, without context, is pretext." After all, Philippians 2:13 continues

...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. [emph. mine]

Certainly, I will agree that works of Christian faith are important -after all, God has prepared good works for us to do from before the foundations of the earth:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

But our works cannot save us, for they are all tainted by sin. Only the works that we do through faith in Christ, in worship of and obedience to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, are considered worthy offerings to God. And, as I said, those works have nothing to do with gaining our salvation - they only display the proof of it to an unbelieving world.

Salvation is of God alone, through faith alone, in the finished and perfect work of Christ alone.

God has taken dead men (yeah, yeah, and women and children, too), and He has made us alive in Christ. He has taken us  out of the kingdom of sin and darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. It is He who has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, and He who will complete that work.

Yes, as children of the Most High, our lives are to reflect and display the glory and perfection of our Father. We are to take up our cross and follow Him as diligent and faithful disciples. We are to be witnesses to His power and forgiveness. We are called to proclaim His grace and mercy through how we live our lives...

But that is the outworking of the salvation He has given us, and the natural consequence of His power and will working through us. It is not anything we are doing of ourselves to gain or retain the gift of lovingkindness by which He has given us life.

Therefore, because it is God who works in us and through us, and because salvation is of God alone... Therefore we can proclaim, "To God alone be the glory!"

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

So, that's my little Sunday Smackdown. Go check out the linked verses - and their context - and give praise to God Most High for His wonderful, awesome love and kindness to dead sinners!

Comments

[Angrywhiteman]

1.

I have found it a useless endeavor to argue with people who twist scripture to their purposes. If they want to be stupid, let them be stupid.

2 Peter 3:16

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest , as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
KJV

NT:4761

NT:4761
streblo/w
strebloo (streb-lo'-o); from a derivative of NT:4762; to wrench, i.e. (specifically) to torture (by the rack), but only figuratively, to pervert:

KJV - wrest.

1 Tim 6:20-21

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings , and oppositions of science falsely so called:

21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
KJV

2 Tim 2:15-17

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings : for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
KJV

[Kat]

2.

Well, true... But then, it's good that I get this sort of Scriptural exercise, because we all need to be ready to "give a reason for our faith" and to "earnestly contend for the faith."

Believe me, I have been in more than a few fruitless discussions, but I must remember that I must speak the truth without flinching, in love and grace. Should God choose to bring someone into His kingdom through some of my words, then that is for His glory, and I would be humbly grateful.

That said, I am frequently astonished at some peoples' lack of knowledge of Scripture and their consequent foolishness!

[Angrywhiteman]

3.

True enough, we are all endowed with different gifts, and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a debate and an argument. I hope you wowed them.

[Kat]

4.

I would have characterized it more as a debate - and it ended mostly in a draw due to the fact that none of us wanted to destroy friendships. However, I held my own, which is a definite improvement from previous debates!

I am thankful that God has given me a love for theology and doctrine, and I am blessed that He has helped me remember so much of what I've read and studied. Am I the equivalent of a seminary graduate? heck, no! But by His grace, I am more informed than most Christians I meet.

Many have asked me if I'm planning to go to seminary and becoming a pastor (uh, no! It's not a biblical calling for women), or perhaps a teacher. Teaching pulls at me, but right now I have a lot of learning still to do, and I'm really petrified because I know that pride is a sin I am unfortunately dogged by...

[Angrywhiteman]

5.

Pride as used in the bible is not satisfaction in a job well done, by and large pride in the bible is putting oneself above GOD, and man.

We're all sinners, and if only those who know it all taught, there would be no teachers. Perhaps you teach on your website and are unaware of it.

My basic gift is seed planting, and I have come to understand that once the seed is planted, I have no control over it. Christ can sprout it, and grow it, I can't.

The link below will show you every instance of the word pride in the KJV, cross referenced to Strong's concordance. The program is fairly intuitive and free online, a good supplement to other bible study tools. Enjoy

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=pride&t=KJV&sstr=1

[Kat]

6.

Well, the learning I need is more about really walking with Him and obeying Him. There are a few areas in my life that I'm wrestling with. One thing I'm looking for, locally, is some godly men and women who can help guide me and keep me accountable. Close Christian friendship is not something I've had in the past few years.

I definitely need someone who can speak into my personal life, someone who knows me and who knows my faults. At the moment, although I am in a church, I feel like I'm doing the "Lone Ranger Christian" shtick, and I know that's not good for me!

Thanks for the link; the BLB is an excellent web resource for Bible study!

[Angrywhiteman]

7.

You always have a friend to guide you;

John 15:14-21

14 Ye are my friends , if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends ; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Regarding some one who can speak into your personal life; ask the person in the mirror, she knows you quite well.

The Lone Ranger part, when we have Christ in our lives, are we ever alone?

Remember; Biblical illiteracy is rampant in this age, even among professing Christians for;

Jer 4:22

22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
KJV

Amos 8:11

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
KJV

[Kat]

8.

Indeed that is true - but nevertheless, we are still called to fellowship and to help each other follow Christ. After all, we are most blind to our own sins, and it's very easy - for me, at least - to excuse them.

While I know that God and His Word are sufficient, He knows that sometimes we need the here-and-now, arms-around-you of physical people. After all, why else would He have put is in the church family? ;-)

Maybe I'm stereotyping (wouldn't be a surprise), but I do feel the acute need for a "Pauline" in my life, and perhaps that's because, as a woman, relationships and emotional connections are so important to me. I have spoken to some people as a kind of a "Pauline," myself - but I don't have someone (someone physical, that is) who can provide a check and balance in my daily life.

In a perfect world, that person would be, primarily, my husband. However, since he's not Christian, he has little interest in discussing biblical application (which isn't surprising, of course).

So, I need to keep studying, keep looking, and keep praying... Yes?

;-)

And I do appreciate your input; it's very helpful and encouraging!