Author Thread: Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
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Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
Posted : 5 Jan, 2019 08:09 PM

Galatians 3:2  This only I wish to learn from you, did you receive the Spirit out of the works of the law, or out of the message of faithfulness? 

Gal 3:3  Are you so mindless? having begun in the Spirit, are you now making yourselves perfect by the flesh? 



Paul calls these believers back to how they were saved. How did they receive the Spirit? Was it by law-works or by the faithfulness of Christ? In verse 3, he points out how senseless they are. Their spiritual lives had been started out by, or in the Spirit. Paul wants them, and us, to ask the question, why do believers turn to law-works to complete and perfect themselves.



Lest anyone think that Paul simply means the works associated with circumcision and the ceremonies and rituals, read about the tablets given to Moses here:

II Corinthians 3:7  But if the ministry of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away



That which was written on the stones was the Ten Commandments. That is associated with death, not life. We don't get saved by morality or ceremony. Nor do we grow and gain merit and favor with God by morality or ceremony. That is what Paul means in Galatians 3:3, when he writes that believers are making themselves complete or perfect by the flesh. It is flesh associated with a works mentality. Indeed, the law itself has no relationship with faith. (Galatians 3:12 and the law is not of faith)

But now we live and grow by means of the Spirit associated with faith.

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Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
Posted : 5 Jan, 2019 08:55 PM

**SALVATION IS 100% FREE WHILE ETERNAL HEAVENLY REWARDS ARE 100% EARNED**!!



**SALVATION IS 100% FREE**



Titus 3:3,4: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and **LOVE** of God our Savior appeared , He saved us, **NOT BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUS THINGS WE HAD DONE**, but because of **HIS MERCY**!!



John 1:12,13: To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, **NOR OF A HUMAN DECISION** or a husband's will but, **BORN OF GOD**!!



John 6:37,39,44,65: Jesus says, "**ALL** that the Father gives Me **WILL** come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will **NEVER** drive away... And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall **LOSE NONE** of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the Last Day.... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father who sent Me **DRAWS HIM**, and I will raise him up at the Last Day!!... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father has **ENABLED THEM**!!"



Ephesians 2:8,9: For it is by **GRACE** you have been saved, through **FAITH**—and this **NOT FROM YOURSELVES**, it is the **GIFT OF GOD**—not by works. So that no one can boast. For we are **GOD'S WORKMANSHIP**, created in Christ Jesus to do **GOOD WORKS**, which God prepared in advance for us to do!



Romans 12:3: For by the **GRACE GIVEN ME** I say to every one of you. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the **FAITH GOD HAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU**... We have different gifts, according to the **GRACE GIVEN TO EACH OF US**!!



Romans 9:15,16,18: God says, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy...Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. {But God's saints still preach God's Word to everyone}



John 15:16: Jesus says, You did not choose Me, but I **CHOSE YOU**and appointed you so that you might bear **FRUIT**--**FRUIT** that will last!!



Matthew 22:14: Jesus says, "MANY ARE INVITED**, but few are **CHOSEN**!"



Mar 13:20: Jesus says, "If the Lord had not cut short those days, no on would survive, but for the sake of the **ELECT**, whom He has **CHOSEN, He has shortened them!"

{The Lord has shortened the Great Tribulation from 3 1/2 years or 1278 days to 1260 days}



John 13:18: Jesus says, "I am not referring to all of you, I know those I have **CHOSEN**!



Ephesians 1:4-8; 11,12: In love He **PREDESTINED** us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will--to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding... In Him we were also **CHOSEN**, having been **PREDESTINED** in accordance to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be to the **PRAISE OF HIS GLORY**!!



I Thessalonians 1:4: For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has **CHOSEN YOU**, because our Gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction!



I Peter 2:9: But you are a **CHOSEN PEOPLE**, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you might declare the praise of Him who **CALLED YOU** out of darkness into His wonderful light!!



Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is **LORD** of lords and **KING** of kings and with Him will be His **CALLED** **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL** followers!! {Riding on white horses right after the Marriage Feast of the **LAMB** as per Revelation 19:7-20!}



God's Word clearly teaches that faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and eternal life are all 100 percent **FREE GIFTS OF GOD** and that the two main incentives for doing good works is being thankful to God for these amazing **FREE GIFTS** and to **EARN HEAVENLY ETERNAL REWARDS** which God has promised His chosen saints for faithful and loving service. Whereas those who believe in **SINLESS PERFECTION** believe that we have to earn our salvation and eternal life by doing **GOOD WORKS** and being **SINLESS** and that the only eternal reward is gaining eternal life by what we do; and if we commit even one small sin after we are saved we will loose our salvation and eternal life. And so man and not God becomes the Author and Finisher of our salvation.





**AND SO SALVATION IS 100 PERCENT **FREE** but **ETERNAL REWARDS** are 100 percent **EARNED**!!



Ephesians 6:8: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will **REWARD** everyone for what ever good he does!



Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, “Behold I am coming soon! My **REWARD** is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!”



Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, “The Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels and **THEN** He will **REWARD** each person according to what he has done!”



Luke 11:33,34: Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a **TREASURE** IN HEAVEN** that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your **TREASURE** is, there your **HEART** will be also!"



Luke 14:13,14: Jesus says, "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be **BLESSED**. Although they cannot repay you you will be **REPAID AT THE RESURRECTION** of the righteous!"



2 Corinthians 5:9,10: We make it our goal to please Him... for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.



1 Corinthians 3:13-15: His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his **REWARD**. If it is burned up he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.



How to Win Heavenly CROWNS:



I Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a **CROWN** that will not last; but we do it to get a **CROWN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER**! Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize!



2 John 1:8: Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be **REWARDED** fully!.



Revelation 3:11: Jesus says, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your **CROWN**!”



2 Timothy 4:7,8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the **CROWN** of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me **ON THAT DAY**—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing!



The **CROWN** of Life for those who persevere under trials and persecution:



James 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the **CROWN OF LIFE** that God has promised to those who love Him!



Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the **CROWN OF LIFE**!”



Matthew 5:11,12: Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your **REWARD** **IN HEAVEN**!”



Hebrews 10:32-36: Remember those earlier days after you had received the Light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly **REWARDED**. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you receive what He has promised!



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Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
Posted : 6 Jan, 2019 04:41 PM

Hi Montana, Good subject.

We are saved by Grace ( The power of GOD), thru faith, that is how we are preserved and made perfect. The enemy knows many people never read the Word, and He takes advantage of this.

Someone turns on the radio and hears someone teach on the law and says they were convicted so they retreat to the the law.

Mans tendency is to go back to the law, as we vacilate between faith and works.

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Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
Posted : 16 Jan, 2019 11:32 AM

We are saved by grace thru our faith in Jesus Christ. Not by works so no one can boast to another about the good he is doing or to act better or more morally superior. No one is perfect. Not one of us is so good that we could save ourselves let alone take on the sins of the world. Grace is unmerited favor. There's nothing we can do to earn it.



James 2:18 Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. I definitely agree with what James said. I don't think you can truly be born again without showing some signs of it. There should be a change in your behavior, in your speech, in your lifestyle. What's in a man will come out of him. You don't do good things to BE saved. You do good things because you ARE saved.

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Life in Christ: Works or Faith, Law or Grace
Posted : 23 Jan, 2019 09:37 PM

We are saved by grace on condition of our works.



If we continue in sin, Christ will not save us by his blood but cast us into Hell where we belong. This includes the sin of pride, trusting in what good we have done to cleanse our sin, instead of trusting God's grace.



Also if we break the least commandments we are still under grace, but we are the least in God's eyes (though we may be greatly righteous in man's eyes). But if our righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees who were murderers and adulterers, we are not under grace.

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