Yes, but I’m only interested in what Scripture has to say, not the traditions, dogmas, and doctrines of men. Works of mercy don’t save souls. Christ and Christ alone is the Savior.
In order to enter heaven a man must be perfect and righteous. But men are sinful and far from perfect. In Psalms it says that we are conceived in iniquity. Scripture tells us we are dead in trespasses and sin. Perfection and rightousness are an impossibility. Is 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
Because we are dead in sin and without hope, Christ died as a substitute. He became sin (took our sin debt as a substitute) so that His perfect righteousness could be imputed to His sheep. When the Lord looks at a man who is truly born again He doesn’t see their sin, He see’s them as perfect and righteous IN CHRIST.
If you read the last section of Romans 9 Paul refers to Israel’s unbelief and says:
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Read verse 33 carefully. Israel did not pursue rightousness by faith, but “as if it were based on works.” He goes on to say they have stumbled over a stumbling stone, a rock of offence. Don’t stumble over the same stone of works that doomed Israel.
Consider what Scripture says of Abraham’s justification.
“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)
“Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
“Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:9)
Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”(Galations 3:6)
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. (James 2:23)
Men are justified today the exact same way Father Abraham was all centuries ago.
God bless.
You wrote:
“Works of mercy don’t save souls. Christ and Christ alone is the Savior.”
So, Christ dying on the cross for us was not an act of mercy?