Posted on 02/12/2024 3:32:15 PM PST by Faith Presses On
In Revelation 3, Jesus says the following to the church in Laodicea:
"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
Is what He told the Laodicean church "adding works" to His finished work on the cross?
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot
= = =
James - Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.
I suspect that He knew the works, and they did not indicate any faith.
There was one near the end of the game that was spot on. It went by fast, and I don’t know if there were credits. It wasn’t that cringe foot washing one. Which I hear was done by the CEO of Hobby Lobby.
Is there a scripture that tells you to not work?
Yes, no working on the Lord's Day.
I know many who have turned the command to test into a work.
Is there a scripture that tells you to not work?>
——>Yes, no working on the Lord’s Day.
7th day Sabbath
I rest my case.
No, that’s not what He’s saying. Faith is the noun, belief is the VERB. There must be action associated with faith. Like telling the lame man to get up, take up his mat. He could not just have faith that he was healed, he had to walk in it. Literally and figuratively.
Our faith is acted out as that is evidence and substance that the Word is true.
only if you don’t want to eat :)
Exactly. My eight year old son knows that scripture very well.
My Pastor likes to say that it isn’t faith OR works. It isn’t faith AND works. It’s faith works. With the last “works” being a verb.
C.S. Lewis said that faith and works are like the blades of a pair of scissors. One isn’t much good without the other.
No, and what you posted in no way requires works for salvation. I know people get confused but it is simple, and convicting at he same time.
Works are evidence of faith, a person experiencing the salvation of Christ will demonstrate works in some fashion but it is not required for redemption.
The real question is for believers to ask themselves, if you have no works are you saved? A believer can use works as evidence of salvation but works also do not guarantee salvation.
What use is Christ’s redeeming love if you do not share the message? If you do not feel Christ’s love motivate you to share the word and his love, helping others, are you truly following Christ?
IMHO it's a mistake to make the letter to the church of Laodicea about works when Jesus says their problem is that their faith is in their wealth.
James - Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.
That's actually not about salvation. That often quoted James 2:17 is about changing lives around us. Look at the two verses before that:15 If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do?
Clearly that's about helping people. Thus verse 17's "faith without works is dead" doesn't mean dead salvation, it means dead as in ain't doin' a darn thing to change the world around us.
Jesus said, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” it’s no more complicated than that.
This seems to be made unnecessarily difficult.
Real Faith has works. Just like real love has actions. And faith is not a one time profession magical prayer. Faith is ongoing.
I never could understand the supposed contradiction in faith and works. Faith is for salvation, works are for rewards once you get there. Remember, Paul said some would enter heaven “naked” for not having any works.
Follow the rules, and you shall live.
Or
Live by faith
You are saved by faith alone. Not by works, lest any man should boast.
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