
Originally Posted by
redhorse1L
Oh no, nituyok nasad ta. Ako nalang i-summarize para sayon sabton akong gusto ipasabot.
Again, we are saved by the Grace of God. And is available to all who accept the grace.
True, we cannot be saved just because of our own works. Dili na pwede tigumon nimo ka-pila ka niadto sa outreach programs, then mao na imong justification for your salvation.
That is why, faith is needed for us to receive the graces, and dili lang kay faith nga naa ra sa utok. It should be a living faith.
It's like this, you ask God for graces para dili na ka maka-panaut sa imong isigka-tawo. With humility in prayer, you accepted God's grace. But is it enough? If wala na mo mag-tagad atong tawhana, then dapat mo-approach ka niya to reconcile (that is an example of good works). Dili hipocrito nga beso2x, pero tinuod-anay jud nga forgiveness and forgetting the past. Or treat him/her to dinner.
That's what a living faith is.
When James exhorts the early Christians concerning faith and works he means our faith in view of justification before men. James Chapter 2 was addressed to the already saved people, naluwas na daan because of faith, wala ni niya gi address sa mga luwasonon pa or unbeliever. He never contradicts what apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
When a sinner put his faith in the works of Christ at the Cross he is saved and justified before God. But is he justified before men? Nahimo na ba siyang matarong atubangan sa mga taw? Not yet, he still has to show his faith through works. Why? Because people does not see a saved persons heart. This is why James rebuke the early Christians who profess that they are saved but their salvation is not evident in their lives. Mao ni gipasabot ni James when he says not by faith alone but also of works. A saved person also has to be justified before men as a testimony of his salvation. James scolded the early Christian for being so idle in doing good works when they are already saved.
The result of a truly saved person is always good work. Why because according to the Bible "2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Naay change of mind, change of hearts and spirit. Does good works follow automatically right after you become saved? Pwede naa dayon, pwede dili dayon mo manifest, why? Because naay stages, a new Christian is still considered a babe in Christ. He has to be fed with spiritual milk first, until mo mature na siya. 1 Peter 2: 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.
When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: Acts 16:30-31 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household. Faith or Believed lang ang giingon ni Paul.
If salvation is faith plus good works, we would be frustrated, because we will never measure up to God's standard. You can follow the 9 out of 10 commandments, still ma error ka sa usa, consider gihapon na nga failed/did not pass God's standard of holiness/missing the mark/fallen short of God's glory.
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Verses below that our salvation or justification before God should only be by faith and apart from good works:
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."
Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"
Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith."
Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
Gal.3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."
Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith."
Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9Not by works, lest any man should boast."
Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."