And that's the problem with works.
Matthew 9:9-13 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
10And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
All the works in the world aren't going to help you if your heart isn't right.
The Pharisees had the works. Paul even attests to that himself, and he doesn't count on them. Even keeping the Law perfectly wasn't enough to save either Paul or the Pharisees.
Philippians 3:1-11 1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
If the Law, which God established, was incapable of saving anyone, then no system of works that men dream up and install in the place of the Law is going to do any better.
Works of any kind, no matter how good we judge them to be based on outward appearances, CANNOT atone for sin. Atonement is only by the shedding of blood, not by performance of a *to do* list.
I can’t believe any of you have actually read the sheep and goats passage. It was the sheep who did the good works, not the goats, ns i was the sheep which were rewarded. The goats, who did NOTeed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned, were sent to hell.
I’m starting to think this may be a deliberate twisting of Christ’s words.I’m also starting to think there may be no widh for n\honest discourse.