We look at the passage in context and discuss more about the faith vs. works factor when it comes to our salvation and justification. Bottom line? There is nothing for anyone to boast about.
836. Saved by Grace Through Faith – Not of Works
835. Things Seldom Heard in Church: You Are Righteous – Apart From Works
We continue our discussion this week on the differences between faith and works. When it comes to salvation and justification, it has to be one or the other, and the Apostle Paul made it clear within the revelation of the New Covenant, we are not bound to a law of works, but the law of faith.
This eliminates any boasting on our part, as we receive the gift of His righteousness, which occurs apart from a law based upon works. Faith will lead to God working in and through us, allowing Him to bear His fruit instead of our own.
834. Things Seldom Heard in Church: Faith Has Nothing to Do With a Law of Works
When the Jewish people were pursuing righteousness through a law of works, it was not a righteousness of faith, but it was based on their inconsistent works, which did not bring peace with God. For those who were described as having lived by faith or done great things because of faith, it had nothing to do with the law or their own works. Do we need those old rules and commandments to lead, teach and guide us as believers in Christ? No, we have Someone who lives in us who will fill that role much better.
830. Things Seldom Heard in Church: Keeping Commandments – New Covenant Style
John writes about keeping commandments, but he isn’t very specific in listing them out. Covenant clashers would try to have us believe he is referring to the Ten Commandments and may selectively throw in a few extras for good measure. If John was encouraging believers in Christ to embrace a stone tablet ministry of commandments, then he not only contradicted the Apostle Paul, but also would have contradicted himself in this very same letter. Peter and Paul stated the commandments which came through Moses were burdensome and unbearable. Jesus said the same thing. But John said the commandments he was referring to are not burdensome. Either John disagreed with them … or (and let’s go with this) he is referring to something different as it relates to the New Covenant.
824. New Covenant Context: Believers Righteous – Unbelievers Not
In the meantime, the bigger point is missed because we’re thinking in terms of a lone verse or two instead of the bigger picture, which is the gospel of grace. We continue the emphasis on context in 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 … as we look at a couple of verses used by those on the legalistic side of the fence to bring doubt and uncertainty into the hearts and minds of believers in Christ.
823. New Covenant Context: Galatians Chapter 5
This week, we look at a short passage contained within the 5th chapter of Galatians that is often considered by covenant clashers as a not so veiled threat by the Apostle Paul regarding their eternity and their works. Considering the new covenant context about everything he said in his letter up to this point over several chapters, Paul is attempting to reassure people, not to suddenly shift gears and scare them into going from grace back to trusting in their works.
821. “What Can I Do to Ensure I’m Right With God?”
The question we need to ask is … exactly what work or works can people do to ensure they are in an acceptable position with God? What act can we possibly perform to ensure we’re saved, forgiven, accepted, blessed and perfectly loved? Our honest answer should be that we can add nothing to the finished work and shed blood of Jesus. He “did” for us what we can never “do” for ourselves.
814. The 800 Club: Looking Back – The Clash Between Paul and James
The common mindset in the world of Christianity is that Paul and James had to be in agreement in order for the Bible to be considered completely valid. Whether coming from a legalistic perspective or one that is more based upon grace, both camps will arrive at that same assumption while trying to explain conflicting statements from the apostles in a way that fits into their narrative or doctrinal perspective. But both will also need to bend, twist and reshape Bible verses to fit the theology—whatever that happens to be. And although the explanations may vary, the purpose remains the same … convince ourselves that Paul and James could not have possibly been opposed on such an important issue as justification. Is it based upon grace? Works? A combination of both?
However, maybe there is a bigger picture to see. We quickly offer a number of things to consider on this topic—which may once again cause some of us to not only arrive at a different point of view, but to shift our thinking to an entirely different paradigm—which involves backing away from the verses for a view of the bigger picture.
Since this episode is essentially a summary of our original series, you may wish to take some time to go through the original series itself, which took place during Podcasts 778-799 (except episode 786, which was a Christmas episode). Click here for the first episode, and then click "Newer Post" at the end of each post for each subsequent episode. Or you can listen to the entire series via our YouTube playlist.
813. The 800 Club: Looking Back – What Is the Gospel? Righteousness Gifted!
We examine Paul’s revelation of the good news from Romans chapter 1, where we discover that right-standing with God isn’t something people work for as the Jewish people attempted to do under the law. Righteousness pursued us, and came as a gift in the Person of Jesus for those who believe. Another reason why the New Covenant is better than the first one.
806. The 800 Club: Looking Back – Sanctification – It Is Finished
God makes it clear there is no boasting when it comes to our sanctification because it’s something Jesus already took care of for us, leaving no doubt that we’ve already been declared holy and set apart. Israel wasn’t able to achieve this by works and commandments … and we can’t either. We can rest from that effort and believe Jesus did enough to complete the job. Being sanctified isn’t something we’re trying to become, it’s who we are and part of our new identity in Him.
799. Paul: Saved and Justified by Grace – Not by Good Works (It’s A Spirit Thing)
This week we’re wrapping-up our series on Paul’s many exhortations about salvation as a gift by grace through faith, apart from works … and how it contrasted with what James and other Jewish leaders believed during many of those years in the early church. Paul puts the icing on the cake with the gospel in a nutshell when he reminds Titus:
“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. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).
Paul went on to say that foolish discussions about the law should be avoided because it was useless and unprofitable. Why? The law had been put aside and ended with Christ. So, while Paul exhorts believers to good works—which can be profitable—they are a byproduct of our new identity in Christ as righteous and justified people. They contribute nothing towards our justification. A legalistic mindset will suggest that faith without works is dead—but Paul was repeatedly trying to show it’s the other way around—works without faith is dead.
797. Paul: “Work Out Your Salvation” – In Context
This week we’re in Paul’s letters known as Philippians and Colossians … where Paul continues to communicate a gospel of grace which was very different from the message of a works-based approach the people were needing to break free from.
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