Matthew 7:22-23 (emphasis, brackets mine)
Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?' And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity [also translated as, 'lawlessness']."
Continuing my argumentation on the necessity of keeping the Ten Commandments (the Sabbath is not just a nonchalant thing to God!) as well as Christ's Commandment of Love - both of which are God's Commandments - this post will be about those verses which seem to posit that faith alone in Jesus Christ is enough, and that works are not a part of what saves us - and, get this, both are True!
Note: [dashed and clustered verses are related to each other, followed by, other, seemingly contradictory dashed and clustered verses. All emphasis is mine, meant only to highlight the key portions I'm addressing].
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
By the above verses, it is understood that faith and belief in the Lord God Jesus Christ, alone, is all that is required to be saved. As such it would then seem to be a simple matter of: "I believe, and so I am saved, and no other thing is required of me." But not so fast...
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead."
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Wait just a minute. The three verses before these other three said that faith and belief alone were all that is required. "If I believe, I am saved." So why then is our faith now dead if we don't do works? Works are not what save us, as seen, again, in the upcoming verse - take special notice of the highlighted, but especially "by love."
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
As shown in Galations 5:6, only our faith is what saves us. If we love God-through-Christ, we have faith in Him. Again, clearly this is all we need. There is no work which we can do to save ourselves, which is True - but then again...
"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."
So, are circumcision and uncircumcision nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God? That is, are they only works and thus not necessary? Or, are circumcision and uncircumcision nothing of use, but, instead, only the keeping of the Commandments of God are of use? - both are True when done in the Commandment of Love.
The physical circumcision was kept because it was a Commandment of God. There was no other reason for it. God commanded, and so men obeyed. Now, the Apostles specifically state that the physical circumcision is no longer necessary, as Christ Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament ceremonial (physical works-based display) requirement, and so now it is in spirit and in Truth (Whom IS Christ Jesus) that we are saved. That is to mean, that the circumcision is now spiritual, in our heart.
Circumcision is still a Commandment, and thus necessary for salvation by faith but it is by spirit we circumcise ourselves - that is, by our works, thoughts, actions, choices, beliefs, and words that we prove ourselves having been circumcised in the baptism (both the ceremonial by water, and the spiritual by faith) of the Lord God Jesus Christ.
But what of love? Why did I ask you to note it? This "faith which worketh by love?" Below, you shall see and, God willing, understand.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
See now: Many have taken the above passage to mean that there are no longer any gender roles, or that all the different and God-ordained nations (races) should intermingle freely and that there is no difference between them whatsoever (which is coercion and force, not Christ's Love) - but it is not True.
Understand now: Galatians 3:28 Truly means there is no longer a differentiation between whom the Law is for, and whom the Law is not for. Recall what God said in the following verse (and here IS Love!):
"If you love Me, keep My commandments."
Do you remember earlier when I said, "take special notice of 'by love'" when I referred to Galatians 5:6? John 14:15, above, tells us what that "faith which worketh by love" means. If we loved Jesus Christ, we WOULD keep His Commandments. It is faith which is worked by the love thereof. It is the love of Christ to keep His (God's) Commandments.
In other words, our faith is worked by THIS love: keeping His Commandments. That is entirely all the works which are necessary for one with faith in Christ Jesus to do. It is not that the works themselves are a hope of salvation and shall save us, but that because we love Jesus Christ we keep them - because the One we love Commanded us to do so!
Why does a wife pick up after her husband without complaining? Why does a husband provide for his wife to the detriment of his own physical well-being? Why do a husband and wife sacrifice all of their own pleasure for the sake of their children? Love.
If we love Jesus Christ, we would keep His Commandments. If we do not love Jesus Christ, we do not keep His commandments. It is that simple. Do you follow God's Word, or do you not? Those who follow the Word of God keep His Commandments - those who don't, do not.
It is Christ's Commandment of Love that we do things for others in self-sacrifice. Thus if we loved Jesus Christ we would commit ourselves to the self-sacrifice of keeping His Commandments. Truly, we have no right to merely do as we please, and are Commanded to be in subjection to God:
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’? Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth’?”
Truly, works do not save us. They are merely the proof, the verification, that we are indeed saved by our faith in Jesus Christ. No works-based anything will be of any use to us in being deemed "acceptable" at Judgement (we are only worthy of death). Rather, it is our love of Christ Jesus that we DO keep His Commandments - no other reason. Thus only those who DO love Jesus Christ keep His Commandments.
I believe that this understanding, Truly, is the great mystery of iniquity - of lawlessness.
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way."
"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
This mystery of lawlessness is the very iniquity of those whom refuse God-in-Christ's Commandments - declaring them "nailed to cross," "done away with." The mystery is the True confusion and bewildered understanding of those who claim to follow God through Jesus Christ, yet refuse their own Living God's Commandments - Truly, it is perplexing (try convincing your spouse you love them, while simultaneously outright refusing to do anything they ask of you).
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
The old heaven and old earth still stand, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Our works and show of faith to God is in keeping His Commandments.
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
May we all do as God's Word commands,
Logos Prevailing.
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