Good points, Phillip. I think it has always been a problem in the evangelical movement that we focus on faith "alone" and pay less attention to scriptures like those you mentioned. I don't have the answer...just some thoughts. The issue has never been clear to me. If you consider the thief on the cross -- he died with no works at all except to do what Jesus also says is our "work" which is to "believe in the One He has sent". I suspect that the absence of works in our lives is because we are not close to God who "prepares our works for us" (or something to that effect). If we seek God above all things, and pray for the opportunities and prepare our selves to respond to them, then He will bring them to us (in a manner of speaking). In this way we are not in danger of trying to "earn" our salvation -- that was the great work that Jesus accomplished. Rather our works are fruit that we bear as a result of walking closely with God. As Paul suggested, his works were evidence of his faith. Cause-effect? Your thoughts? Regards John On 7/16/07, philip madsen <pma15027@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
A question for everybody. If you were to die in the next 60 seconds, would you go to heaven? I know I would. Jack I have to ask you then Jack, where in the Bible does it gaurrantee you that . Of what need of our call to have hope, if faith is certain. Of what need is there to have charity, if faith is certain. Of what need have you of a Judge, if you can judge yourself? And it is the works that are to be judged, not the faith as well shown in Mat 25 the judgement: 31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry......43 I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you covered me not: sick and in prison and you did not visit me. 14 What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him? 17 So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 26 For even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead. We are obliged to say often and always, "Lord have mercy...." Philip.