Blog for Podcast #193 (By Their Works)


Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of the biggest problems with faith alone beliefs, other than the fact that they call Jesus Christ a liar, is they say that works are in no way required to allow them into heaven. Now why did I say they made Jesus Himself a liar. Well let’s hear from the only way into heaven:

Matthew 16:27 NKJV – For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

“Then He will reward each according to his works.”

There is somewhere else this is stated:

Revelation 20:11-13 NKJV – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

“And they were judged, each one according to his works.”

Therefore, let us look to James now:

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

“So faith without works is dead also.”

This is why faith alone is dead. Why it is dead is because it is a people pleasing message. This is discussed in Galatians:

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Notice the wording in these verses. Many in Galita turned away from their grace, their salvation, to listen to a people pleasing message. This is their work, which they will be judged. Those that teach these false messages. Their works causes them to be cursed.

Jesus tells us that we are to follow His commandments.

John 14:15 NKJV – [15] “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

That is an action and so is considered “works.”

The struggle to overcome our sinful natures even after we are born again is “works.” For we are to ever seek to be a True reflection of our Savior Jesus Christ.

There are times when this is not easy. This is what is taught within the book of Job.

However, we are getting off track a bit.

In the first verses I showed that when Christ first returns, He will then reward those that are loyal to Him. The second verses I show that once His thousand years is finished the Great White Throne Judgement. Here Christ will judge those that did not make the raptures and they will be judged by how they lived their lives, which is their works.

We have Words spoken by our Savior about what to expect. He clearly states a person’s “works” will be the only thing He will use as a gauge to receive rewards. Then we have verses talking about His judgement over humanity that failed to align themselves with God. They are judged per their works, again the only requirement “works.”

Most that profess to being “Christian” do not want to hear this word. For that would mean they have been living a lie. Well, they have been. This is proven by their earthly rewards which they receive with joy and glee.

Luke 4:6 NKJV – And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

1 John 2:15-16 NKJV – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Luke 16:13-15 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

By this time many will be going nuts about how this podcast has been pointing to “works.” They will be screaming it is not “works” alone.

Well, you know what I totally agree, and so does the Bible. Therefore, I will say those verses that are in agreement once again:

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

“Faith without works is dead.” This means that it requires both faith with works, which is taught by Jesus Christ over and over again. Having faith and going hand in hand with following Christ’s teachings and following the laws not removed by the cross. These are works. This behavior leads to rewards.

Those that ignore “works” are stating that they have a special place with God. They have favoritism.

Romans 2:5-11 NLT – But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

Note the key verse in this teaching written by Paul to the Romans:

“He will judge everyone according to what they have done.”

He will judge everyone according to their “works.”

I recently had an encounter with someone that tried to throw the weight of the Truth off themselves by saying “Does Paul teach works?” I said:” yes.” As you just read or heard Paul did teach the need for “works.” Any who say otherwise call the Bible itself a lie. Any who call the Bible a lie work for the father of all lies. No matter what they believe in themselves. This is because they have closed their eyes and ears to the Truth because they wish to hear the pleasing message they have embraced.

Yes, you heard that correctly, pleasing message. What is taught about people pleasing messages? Once again I will repeat this as well:

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Paul marveled that they turned away so soon from Him who called them in the grace of Christ. They abandoned their grace, they turned away from their salvation. Turning away from grace is an act, an action. “Works.”

Time is running out. Repent, do works in faith.

God Bless

Leave a comment