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The majority of Christians today have a complete MISUNDERSTANDING of the
role of FAITH and its relationship with WORKS. Such is obvious as when the
subject of WORKS is brought up most respond "I'm not under the Law I'm under grace" or "I'm
saved by grace through faith and not of works."
Answer for yourself: Have you ever
questioned these statements as to their accuracy as you have, more than likely,
understood them as they stand alone and not as qualified or enlarged upon by
other Scriptures which bring a more complete understanding? More than likely
you haven't.
Answer for yourself: Are you sure that the
above statements "I'm not
under the Law I'm under grace" or "I'm saved by grace through faith
and not of works" are entirely correct as you have
understand them? Don't be so hasty to say "yes."
Answer for yourself: Do you ascribe to a
"fixed" position on the issue of "faith vs. works" because
you have heard the above Scriptures quoted so often by people you respected?
More than likely yes.
Answer for yourself: Is it possible that
"there is more than meets the eye" when considering such passages,
and without a fuller understanding you may have been led to an erroneous
conclusion in the matter? Most definitely.
Answer for yourself: Is it possible that
sense you might lack a "fuller" understanding of the doctrine of
"faith" and "works," and all the implications that go with
such a statements, that you may have arrived at conclusions that cannot be
supported by comparative Scriptural analysis? Most definitely.
Answer for yourself: And what if you are
wrong in your belief system? What if you are shown that certain
"works" are necessary as the "fruit" of true salvation, and
that in reality that we are NOT saved by faith ALONE...will you let the
"full counsel" of God cause repentance in your life and conduct? I
hope so.
Answer for yourself: If shown the errors in
your belief system will you repent in the matter even though it may go against
what your preacher has told you? I hope so.
Answer for yourself: Are you certain that
you have fully understood "ALL" that the Bible teaches about FAITH
and WORKS or have you, like the multitudes of Christians today which
"cut-out" one Scripture from their Bible and create a FULL DOCTRINE
from that one verse, been possibly incorrect in your understanding of the
doctrines of "faith" and "works?" We will have to
investigate the matter to be certain.
Answer for yourself: Lastly, are you guilty
of neglecting other Scriptures that qualify and enlarge the meaning of the
original verses given above, and in doing so, have come to erroneous
conclusions concerning "faith" and "works" which Yeshua
never accepted? This is the very place I was over 15 years ago, and I would
have remained there until this day based upon what I heard others say, except I
began to do in-depth study of the Bible for myself to see "if these things
be so."
More than likely, if you are typical Christian in today's world who lacks
proper Bible training, study and knowledge; you fall into the latter category.
One hour per week is not nearly enough "Bible" for you to
"rightly divide the Word of Truth." I will, in this article, show you
that without faith it is impossible to please God, but also "faith
alone" without "works" does not please God either! I will show
you that only "faith" accompanied with "proper works"
pleases God and is the only true salvation.
Such incomplete understanding of God's Word on our part in these very important areas will not only deceive your thinking but your conduct and behavior as well. Such faulty belief systems will not "save" you if your faith is unaccompanied with the proper works that justify you before God. Please understand the reason Bet Emet Ministries exists. Inadequate Bible study has led multitudes to understand only a "little" of the "whole" of God's revelation to man, thus allowing man to lean on his own understanding which often leads him astray and into sin. Quite often that "little" may satisfy you, but we must satisfy God through proper obedience which is greater than any sacrifice we can bring.
Answer for yourself: Could your faulty
belief system and erroneous actions (yet done in faith) cost you eternal reward
or even eternal life?
You will be surprised, like I was, as the findings. So surprised was I,
that it changed the whole course of my life while I pastored in one of the
largest Charismatic churches in the Metroplex, and eventually led to my
resignation. I could no longer, having come to the knowledge of the truth
through intense research and study during my pastorate, continue to be a
"man-pleaser" but finally mustered the courage to be a
"God-pleaser," which in my case, caused me to leave the church which
would not repent of error when shown "truths" in the Bible that
corrected our "long cherished" beliefs, conduct, attitude, and
behavior. The word of God is profitable, for doctrine, reproof, correction, and
instruction. Ideally, the church needs to be a "mirror image" of the
Bible, and when corrected by the Bible in its beliefs or actions, she should
repent. Failing to do so, I had no recourse to remove myself from such a
situation, for when I die I will be judged by a Jewish Rabbi named Yeshua, and
not by the pastor of my home church! I suppose the greatest test of my love for
God, and His Word is to take a stand for God in which you can truthfully says
"let every man be a liar, but let God's Word be true!" In taking such
a stand, I come humbly before you to share "hidden" truths in the
Word of God that often correct what we have been taught, heard, and often
followed as "godly" examples; yet when scrutinized with the Bible,
were found to be false-teachings and half-truths. Our love for God demands more
and I hope you will prayerfully consider and study these things for yourself,
as I did, to make sure that "you be in THE faith of Yeshua", and not
a "renegade" which in reality is one who breaks from the mind of
Christ and creates a "new religion" which opposes his.
Let me ask you some very simple questions, but they are of such a nature,
that they should change you life.
Answer for yourself: Do you have the same
religious belief system as did Yeshua, and if you think you do then do you know
where it deviated from traditional Christian religious beliefs and dogmas??
Answer for yourself: Do you believe
everything that Yeshua believed and how can you know unless you are throughly
acquainted with Biblical Judaism of the first century?
Answer for yourself: Did Yeshua believe a
certain way in some matters that you don't as yet, and again how can you know
unless you have a working knowledge of first century Judaism?
Answer for yourself: Do you believe in
things that Yeshua would not, and if so, how can you justify it, and again how
can you know for sure unless you do your own homework into these areas since
your church has never taught you?
Answer for yourself: Did Yeshua believe
differently than you do in various religious doctrines, and if you come to the
knowledge of the facts of the matter and become convinced that he did for sure,
then will you continue in your opposite beliefs since you believe that he is
the expressed image of the Father?
The honest answers to these questions will definitely alter the course of your life. The only thing lacking is your understanding in these matters of "faith" and the manifestation of such "correct faith" which unfortunately is called by such a negative term today as "works."
I plead with those who read this article that you prayerfully listen to what I have discovered over 15 years of in depth study of the Bible, both in Greek and Hebrew. The results of my study altered the course of my life and I hope that it will yours as well. I found, as you will also when you finish these articles and teachings, that as a follower of Yeshua we are to keep the Laws of Yahweh. It is these Laws that describe in detail the "kinds of works" (called obedience to commandments) that are acceptable to God. Such Laws dictate how we are to worship, at what times, in which ways, how we are to tithe correctly as well as how not to, which holy days we are to sanctify and which ones we are not, etc.
When
the church in Revelation was told that they had left their "first
love" notice that they were not told to "hug Yeshua or love
more," rather, they were told "GO BACK TO
YOUR FIRST WORKS."
The reason for so much misunderstanding today in Christendom concerning
"faith" and its proper relationship to "works" is due to
our confusion when reading some of the Apostle Shaul's (Paul's)
writings.
Some of the Apostle Paul's writings ARE "hard to be understood": as the Apostle Kepha (Peter) stated in II Kepha (Peter) 3: 15-16, saying-
Each of us have heard sermons on one or more of the Scriptures that
follow, but how many of you have heard sermons which bring into focus and
balance these seemingly contradictory doctrines?
Answer for yourself: Can the conflicting and
opposing Scriptures be rectified so as to bring understanding to the Body of
Messiah that will culminate in CORRECT FAITH and OBEDIENCE? Most definitely.
Let us examine just some, but by no means, "all" of the
troublesome statements from the Apostle Paul found in the New Testament:
Answer for yourself: Are we saved by simply having faith in "Jesus Christ" as Christianity teaches, or is there something that we must do to inherit eternal life as the Jews teach? It is vitally important that we understand this question as it effects our very assurance of salvation!
Answer for yourself: Was it just me or did we see contradictions in some of the above verses? If you missed it then read it again.
Answer for yourself: Did you notice that Paul said things 180 degrees opposite in meaning when he said a man is justified by works in Rom 2:12, yet in Rom 3:20 he states by the deeds (works) of the law will NO flesh be justified?
Answer for yourself: Is this "contradiction" in the New Testament the work of the Holy Spirit which "breathes" inerrant and infallible "Scripture"?
I hope so, as this is only the beginning for us if we desire to correctly
understand the message of Paul to the Gentile church today. Too often we
"pick" and "choose" one particular Pauline passage and
build a whole doctrine or denomination over it. Such is foolish.
Answer for yourself: Is Paul schizophrenic
or is Peter correct, that the writings of Paul are hard to understand? Peter is
correct.
Answer for yourself: Is the church correct
if they teach ONLY justification by faith or is the church correct if they
teach ONLY justification by works? Neither
Answer for yourself: Could it be possible,
as you are beginning to see, that it is both as James, the Lord's brother and
hand-picked pastor of Yeshua's church, teaches us in the epistle of James, that
faith and works are necessary for a "living faith" that
"saves"? I sure hope so.
The Apostle Peter SAYS that those who are unlearned in the Scriptures
are the VERY ONES who twist Shaul's writings to their OWN destruction!
That was me about 15 years ago
until I began to look up the English words in my Bible and compare against
Greek and Hebrew meanings in books like Thayer's, Vine's and Wilson's word
studies. No one wants to be destroyed, but if we
follow PREACHERS WHO TWIST SCRIPTURES and who fail to do the necessary
studies like I did, then we, also, will experience the same destruction that
Yahweh has planned for ALL
Scriptural LIARS! Yeshua tells us "what" will
befall us IF we follow BLIND
LEADERS, saying in Mattithiah (Gospel of Matthew)
15:14: Let them ALONE. They are Blind Leaders of THE BLIND. And if the
blind lead the blind, BOTH will fall into THE DITCH.
Yahweh also commands us to STUDY His word, in order to show ourselves
APPROVED unto Him...for if we will study (NOT JUST READ) His word, then we will
most certainly NOT BE DECEIVED by any of the Scriptural LIES brought forth by
the DECEIVED preachers that fill our pulpits today! In II Timothy 2:15,
we read: STUDY to show yourself approved to Yahweh: a workman who does not need
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the WORD OF TRUTH.
I am confident that after YOU have finished reading these articles, you
will no longer have any questions about "Paul's Writings" AND you
will never again be deceived by the crafty manipulations of any false
preachers either who teach an UNBALANCES MESSAGE concerning FAITH and
WORKS.
Answer for yourself: Can we be sure that faith is enough to save us in the light of James 2: 24 (You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only)? I don't think so.
If there is something that we need to do in order to have eternal life,
then we need to know what it is! If we are truly sincere toward God we must
find out what part "works" play in God's plan of salvation. However,
we want to be sure that we don't become separated from God by trusting in our
own righteousness:" You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt
to be justified by law (without faith); you have fallen from grace"
(Galatians 5: 4) Look it up in your own Bible .
Actually it is grossly unfair to take a verse from the Bible out of
context and use it to prove an argument. I would encourage you to read several
verses before and after those quoted. Having done this, you will notice that
both sides of the argument use Abraham as an example. Let's look briefly at the
story of Abraham from Genesis 22.
"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham,
and said to him 'Abraham!;' And he said, 'Here I am.'; And he said, 'Take now
your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and
offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall
tell you'. So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took
two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the
burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Answer for yourself: Now do you think
perhaps that Abraham knew all along that God would not require the life of his
son?
Answer for yourself: Do you think that he
chopped wood, saddled the donkey and set out on his journey, knowing that he
was, in some morbid way, humoring his God by pretending to be sacrificing his
son?
Not at all! For the Angel of the Lord plainly said, "Do not lay your
hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since
you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." Remember this was
a test! If Abraham had been unwilling to kill his son he would have failed that
test. God was testing Abraham's ability to keep the very first commandment that
he was to later give to Israel. After passing this test, God, swearing by
himself, reaffirmed the promises that he previously gave to Abram before Isaac
was conceived. And God did so because (note this well) "because you have
done this thing, and not withheld your son, your only son, in blessing I will
bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of
the heaven" (Genesis 22: 15-17).
So we clearly see that Abraham had works. His unquestioning obedience is
clear. But did Abraham have faith? Hebrews 11: 17-19 tells us "By faith
Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac(notice his faith was tested in a concrete way that required
obedience as a 'work' or a "deed" to substantiate true faith),
and he who had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son, of whom it was said, 'In Isaac your seed shall be called,'
accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he
also received him in a figurative sense."
Answer for yourself: According to the
pattern for Abraham, God tests our faith by requiring some PARTICULAR physical
deed or action? Always.
Abraham did have faith, and it was this faith (in the resurrection) that
enabled him to do the "works." Without the faith, he could not have
done the works. Faith came first. Faith, then testing, then works, then God's
approval. Let me list then in order for you to better understand how God deals
with mankind.
It was faith that made him rise early, cut the wood, and set out on his
journey. It was faith that CAUSED a certain reactions or response to God and
His commandments.
Answer for yourself: Can you now see and
understand more correctly the Scripture in James 2:22: "Do you see that
faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made
perfect?" I hope so.
Suppose Abraham didn't have faith in God to resurrect Isaac, and had refused to offer him up, or suppose Abraham had faith but tried to offered up the wrong son, for example, an Ishmael. He would have had neither faith nor works. So works, of the "justifying" kind, are dependent on faith and the CORRECT response to that which you exhibit faith in.
So works, of the "justifying" kind, are dependent on faith and the CORRECT response to faith which you exhibit in the obedience to the Word of God
Let us look at some examples of responding in faith INCORRECTLY:
Answer for yourself: Knowing that God commanded the tithe to be placed in only selected areas in the Bible as seen in Laws and Commandments (1).widows, sick, orphans, lame, blind; 2) Festivals of Yahweh-LORD; 3) Levitical teacher of truths and not errors,); then are we justified as believers if we respond in faith to the commandment to tithe by offering to God in worship an "Ishmael" tithe by giving it to churches which do not obey God in the placement of the tithe, but rather use it in the General Fund for what they please...such as building payments, bills, rent, insurance, fancy dinners, car payments for the pastor, mortgage for the pastor, huge salaries, etc?
No!
Such erroneous responses to the Word of God which explicitly commands the way the Tithes are to be allocated does not justify...in fact it is gross disobedience and robbery of God.
Our faith is "dead" in that we had faith, we were tested to obey God, we responded in a "righteous work" in giving to the church, yet we missed the mark and such disobedience by the church and those we entrust our money to cannot be accepted by God. We end up being "accessories" to robbery of God. We end up being disobedient whether we planned it or not. We must take the responsibility to make sure our gifts and worship of God in the tithe go exactly where He commands, for God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Begin to "designate" where your offerings are to be used; ie., benevolence and consider giving your Tithe outside the church to areas commanded by the Scripture if your church does not comply with the Word of God.
Answer for yourself: Knowing that God commanded that His people, both Jew and Gentile, worship Him in a prescribed manner on certain days which the Bible calls "Holy Days" and "Festivals of the LORD;" then are we justified if we respond in faith to the commandment to set aside certain days unto the Lord but instead of celebrating and observing those required and commanded by God in the Bible we set aside pagan holidays (Ishmael days) that have the name of Yeshua attached to them?
No way. Our faith is "dead" in that we had faith to obey, we were tested to obey God, we responded in a "righteous work" and a "righteous deed," yet we missed the mark and cannot be accepted by God in our disobedience. Literally we ended up sanctifying Gentile pagan holidays which have been dressed up with a little "Yeshua" to make it look religiously acceptable. The irony of the whole affair is that the Jewish Scriptures commanded these days not be kept or observed by true worshippers of God. In fact many times in the Bible the Jews were commanded to divorce their Gentile wives if they adhered to such pagan religious days.
Answer for yourself: Do you really think you are going to be the "Bride of Christ" one day if you observe such pagan holidays in your church when the Jewish Scriptures forbid that Jews maintain marriages with such ones who would not repent of such paganism and follow the Biblical Festivals?
We must take the
responsibility to make sure our worship is according to the pattern set forth
by God for His people in the Bible, for our well-intentioned "works and
deeds of obedience which is our faith in action," when opposite of what
God commands, does not justify us before God.
So works, of the "justifying" kind, are dependent on faith and the CORRECT response to that which you exhibit faith in.
Answer for yourself: Knowing that God
commanded that His people, both Jew and Gentile, to sanctify the Sabbath and
make it holy, can we expect to be justified by God if we change the Saturday
Sabbath, which is the seventh day, to Sunday, which is the first day of the
week, thus breaking the fourth Commandment? No way.
Answer for yourself: In each of these
examples, and these are only a few, what is the message? You see then that a
man is justified by works, and not by faith only (James 2: 24).
But if we do what is contrary to what God said, even if our
intention is good, then we miss the mark (SIN) and our faith (although
misdirected) cannot save (bless) us
But can one have faith without works? James 2:17 states ".. faith
by itself, if it does not have works (REMEMBER the "works" in
question are the "works" required and commanded by God as seen in our
obedience to His commandments), is dead." You see the kind of faith that
does not show itself with actions, deeds, or works is dead faith.
Answer for yourself: Can "dead"
faith save you? The answer to that is NO! Living faith saves!
Answer for yourself: Now when Paul says in
Galatians 2: 16 that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, is Paul
referring to "living" faith or "dead faith"? Of course He
means genuine living faith, for the scriptures also say that "a man is
justified by works, and not by faith only." Therefore, it is by living
faith that we are justified."
The letter of James is not saying we are justified by works alone. It is
however clarifying the word "faith." The epistle of James is
preaching justification by faith, but is also making it very clear that
"living faith" is the kind that shows itself by "obedient
works." Obviously some of those to whom this letter was addressed, were
claiming to have a faith that was not shown by their actions, for either their
actions were contrary to what God said is to be done, or else they had no works
at all. They were offering lip service only. James counsels these people in
Chapter 1 verse 22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,deceiving yourselves."
Answer for yourself: As Christians do we
DECEIVE OURSELVES if we believe the Sabbath has been changed to Sunday, that
Roman pagan holidays have replaced Yahweh' Holy Days and Feast Days, and that
the Tithe can be used for whatever the pastor and elders of your church decide
when we have God's Holy Scriptures that teach otherwise? You bet we do.
The letter to the Galatians was not addressed to those who were servants
to legalism and trying to be justified by the law. It was written to those who
were trying to "turn the grace of God into licentiousness...." (Jude
1: 4). They forgot that there is a balance between "faith" and
"obedient works" which is in reality the "fruit of the
Spirit," also called "fruits of our faith."
On the other hand, the verses from Ephesians and Galatians were addressed
to those who were being persuaded by those of the "circumcision"
group who insisted that the Gentiles be circumcised and keep the law of Moses
FOR SALVATION. For this reason there is an emphasis on justification by faith
and NOT by "works" (Now the "works" referred to in
Galatians are the "works of the law," i.e. circumcision for Gentiles
which was mistakenly required by SOME Jews for Gentiles to be saved). James
corrects this erroneous interpretation in Acts 15.
The letter of Galatians was specifically written to those who were
seeking justification by the law, not by faith. They were putting their trust
in their own ability to keep the law (be circumcised which was a type of
"religious work" accomplished by their free will) rather than God's
ability to conform them to the likeness of Himself as they responded to their
faith in God through "works" as seen in obedience to Laws and
Commandments, which when done, led them to live like God, act like God, think
like God, conduct themselves morally and ethically like God, thus becoming
"Godly." The apostle Paul makes a clear distinction between the
"works of the law" and "the good works of faith." He does
this by using a completely different term when referring to the good works of
faith. Notice in Galatians chapter 5 verse 19, where Paul lists the "works
of the flesh." Then in verse 22, in contrast to the evil works of the
flesh, he lists the good works of the Spirit. He distinguishes these from the
works of the law by using the term "fruit" instead of
"works."
In a Christian's life then we should see the evidence of the good works
of faith which is obedience to the Word of God, or as Paul calls it, the fruit
of the Spirit. A Christian cannot be "saved" if his life does not
show, to some degree, the fruit of the Spirit (obedience to God's Word as seen
as the "fruit" of their "faith." That person is deceiving
himself.
1 John 2: 9 says "He who says he is in the light, and hates his
brother, is in darkness until now."
Let's look at the role of works in the Christian life. When Paul faced Agrippa, he outlined the gospel that he preached to the Gentiles in this way: "that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance." (Acts 26.20). Paul, in addition to belief in Christ, actually preached works! And it is not surprising, because true repentance is always followed by a changed life. True conversion means turning away from a life of sin to a life of good works. Our "works" cannot be "good" if they contradict what God said He wanted done by His people.
This has startling repercussions for Christians today which, for the most
part, adopt a contemporary manifestation of Christianity that is totally
foreign to the Christianity that existed in the first century church which was
an expression of the Torah lived out in a believer's life. By that I mean we
have absolutely NO RIGHT to take up the tithe as it is being done in the
majority of Christian churches of this land, and use it for all that it goes
for. Such well-meaning obedience and worship by sincere lovers of God is
totally misdirected when compared with what the Bible teaches the Tithe is to
accomplish.
Answer for yourself: Is our faith
"alive or dead" if we disobey such an important teaching as the Tithe
in the Bible, even though we give to our church with good intentions? Dead!
Because of the "agendas" of men, the truth about the Tithe
seems to never come from the pulpits. Thus we are deceived by our false
teachers and therefore we deceive ourselves into thinking we are practicing a
"living faith" when we give to the "church." In reality, we
practice a "dead faith" and without knowledge of our sin we "rob
God" Sunday after Sunday because those we trusted to administer God's Holy
Tithe use it in other areas not sanctioned by God in Scripture. There are
"certain" areas where Yahweh places His Name and Authority, thus
signifying where He desires the Tithe to go. Unfortunately, these areas lay
empty (or at least partially empty) because the churches use the Tithe to
finance "bigger churches" and "bigger television
ministries," instead of using it for benevolence, the worship of the LORD
in the celebration and observance of Festivals and Sabbaths. Few are fed,
clothed, educated, medically treated, and TAUGHT CORRECTLY; that would issue in
their "faith" being verified "by words" commanded by God
instead of men. Because of such the Kingdom of God (rulership and Lordship of
Messiah as God's authority and representative) never becomes manifested through
obedience to the degree intended by our Father in Heaven. Not only does God
suffer because of our failure to respond in truth and obedience to His Word,
but so do the "poor in spirit."
Paul's words in front of Agrippa were no slip of the tongue either, for
in 1 Timothy 6:18 he advises Timothy to command the wealthy Christians to
"be rich in good works." Again to Titus he says "I want you to
affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to
maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." (Titus
3:8).
We are not saved by works but "FOR" good works.
Answer for yourself: Are you zealous for
good works...the works of God and not the works of men who misrepresent God and
His Word to you? I would hope so by now.
Then in Ephesians 2:8-10 the subject is fully explained as follows "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Answer for yourself: Why are we created? Do
the works of God (good works) and not the works of men that have caused
countless numbers to replace the Commandments of God with the commandments of
men as seen above.
Answer for yourself: How do we accomplish good works? How can we overcome our sinful desires?
First we need to know that the Commandments and the Law of God are 613 manifestations of "good works". Each mitzvoth reveal an attribute of God. There are 248 positive commands which God is and God does and 365 commands which God is not and which God does not do. Only by faith in God who is able to give us the strength to put to death the deeds of the body by his Spirit are we then empowered to live a God focused and centered life. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die: but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13).
In summary we can clearly see that there is no contradiction in the
phrase "justified by works" and "justified by faith." They
both harmonize together as shown. We are saved by grace, justified by faith
which shows itself in practical "manifestations" of deeds and works;
as the fulfillment of the Commandments of the Torah. Such acts of obedience are
called the "fruit of the Spirit". Literally we have been created for
the good works that God has prepared for us. The Fruit of the Spirit in
Galatians chapter 5 cannot occur alone or in a vacuum. If you noticed, they are
manifestations of practical deeds of love and righteousness, which is in and of
itself, manifestations of our faith.
Answer for yourself: Do you better
understand that if your works are only "religious" (what your church
tells you to do which often corrects and conflicts with Holy Scripture) and not
"righteous" (what God tells you to do), then your faith is a
"dead" faith (dead faith cannot save you) and not a
"living" faith (living faith saves you)? I would hope so by now.
Answer for yourself: Do you better
understand that if your works are only "religious" works (what your
church tells you to do which often corrects and conflicts with Holy Scripture
such as observing pagan holidays in Yeshua's name and Sundays instead of the
Sabbath; as well as robbing God by giving to institutions that use God's Holy
Tithe any way they want to and not the way God wants it used then you have a
"dead" faith that is responding in disobedience and not obedience? I
hope you do.
Answer for yourself: Do you better
understand that if your works are not "religious" works but
"righteous" works as seen by NOT DOING what your church tells you to
do IF IT CONFLICTS with Holy Scripture (such as no longer observing pagan
holidays in Yeshua's name even though your church does, but returning to the
Holy Festivals of Yahweh, and beginning to celebrate and observe the Sabbath),
then your faith is a "living faith" and not a "dead faith?"
I believe you are beginning to see the light..
Answer for yourself: Do you better
understand that if your works are not "religious" works but
"righteous" works as seen by NOT DOING what your church often tells
you to do IF IT CONFLICTS with Holy Scripture (such as no longer robbing God by
giving to your church if the pastor does not distribute the Tithe correctly as
commanded by Scripture among widows, sick, lame, blind, the observance of the
Festivals, and the support of the Levitical teacher who teaches the
uncompromising Word of God and he is faithful to interpret the Bible as was
understood by Yeshua in the first century), then your faith is a "living
faith" and not a "dead faith?" I would hope you are beginning to
see the big picture by now.
Let's not be frightened to respond in faith to thereby accomplishing the good deeds that God requires of us: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your "good works" (which are manifestations of God's love through you as you obey the Laws and Commandments of His Word). The result of correct obedience to the will of God through "good works" and not "religious works" will always glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). Man may want the glory but God deserves it! Shalom.
If you would like more in-depth teachings concerning the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith, please contact Pastor Craig Lyons as 972-6756193 and we will be glad to help you begin to understand correctly the Hebrew Scriptures. Shalom.