Col 2:
In my recent dealings with some Messianic Jews and past dealings with others of different faiths and denominations, I have found the "catalyst" that ties all of them together in one lump ( although, through adhearing to God's word, we always knew what it was ).
But let it be understood by all - Please - that I judge no mans heart on this ( because I don't know it unless they speak from it ), and that all I am saying here is that only those - "ONLY THOSE" - who deem these things ( "other works", that I share below ) as being just as vital and important to salvation as their faith is (and that's why they do them), fit the bill here.
God's Grace comes through faith alone based upon ones hearing God and is founded upon Christ alone + nothing else, therefore there's nothing we can do to earn His Grace nor make, obey or keep any law that will access it for us through our obedience to such a work and law.
His Saving Grace is only accessed by "Faith"!
"This knowledge of what faith is and does and how faith operates is absolutely "Crucial!" This MUST be clearly known and understood by each of us, and is if we are Christians!"
Also, in this "faith" and this faith ONLY ( because it has "Heard" God ), is contained all the "response, repentance, conviction, revelation and obedience necessary and vital to *DO/OBEY* God's will"....
Jesus says: "This is the *WORK* that God wants you to do: "BELIEVE ON ME!"
That's it! "Faith in Him alone + no other work, + no other obedience, + no other law, + nothing!"
Why is that one lone *WORK* so absolutely important and vital to us?
"Because it alone through faith, is the ONLY WORK that obeys thus does God's will, and it is only in our Doing/Obeying His will that makes us righteous and justified before God, through faith in Jesus Christ.
Listen: "Any other work we do or law we make; IF we "believe" our doing of it keeps us in right standing with God, will only nullify Grace!"
Doing so typifies our "Unbelief" in the one lone work required of us by God, and causes us to remain under God's curse instead: "Doing the works of The Law" (doing any other "work", man reasoned or otherwise) for righteousness sake. Gal.3:10-13.
Our keeping The Letter of the Law, church laws and "other" works are all in the realm of the "flesh" to do in order to gain and obtain righteousness for itself, so that it may boast. Eph.2:8-9
Keeping the "Work" of God is in the realm of the "Spirit", and is an unearned and free gift, making the "Doer" of it, humbled.
If the work of faith ( Doing God's will ) can make one righteous and justified before God, then the working against such a faith can keep one unrighteous and unjustified as well....
Four examples of what I mean....
Concerning faith, many Catholics add to it the Doing of 'The Mass and the Keeping of the Sacraments, etc.', as that "Obedient EXTRA" they deem as also being necessary and vital to the faith!
Concerning faith, many Baptists add to it 'water' baptism, as that "Obedient EXTRA" they deem as also being necessary and vital to the faith!
Concerning faith, many Pentecostals add to it the 'speaking in tongues', as that "Obedient EXTRA" they deem as also being necessary and vital to the faith!
Concerning faith, many Messianic Jews add to it 'the keeping of the OT law and Sabbath', as that "Obedient EXTRA" they deem as also being necessary and vital to the faith!
Notice the same pattern in all of them? See the catalyst that brings them all together?
The catalyst here in every case is "Law", either man's or God's.
The Law (which deals with sin and death) is for the "Carnal man" to do by the flesh - Faith (which deals with righteousness and life) is for the "Spiritual man" to do by the Spirit!
The Law operates here, on earth, where the body is, and Grace operates there, in heaven, where the heart is!
The "law" is something "WE" do!
"Grace" is something God does and did!
This same Pattern is found in everyone who show (by their works) that Faith in Christ and His finished work is not enough, and that "they themselves " must ADD to it by doing something also, rather than accept it freely.
Generally speaking, anything a man might do to try and please, honor, gain or maintain the Grace of God that is not of faith... is therefore, "Sin"!
The law deals with "justice and sin", not faith!
Faith deals with "forgiveness and righteousness", not the law!
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
THose who seek to be justified OR remain justified are DENYING THE FAITH that saved and bought them by ADDING to it their own "required" self-obediences to this or that, other works of obedience in order to maintain righteousness, keeping of laws and/or doctrines. The doing of which will save no one. Gal.3:1-4
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS...
Do any of "you" believe that it is also absolutely mandatory to keep the Sacraments? - or be baptized with water? - or speak in tongues? - or keep the Law ( in the only way it was designed to keep: "Perfectly" ) ???
You see, it's one thing when "you or I" do these things because we are new creatures freed from the curse by Christ, therefore ( knowing the Truth ) we don't ADD these things to the "Working of Faith"...
but it's quite another altogether to do them (because "you" have ADDED them to your faith and consider them necessary) and then turn around and "Condemn your brother" for not doing them with you as well, because "he" happens to be the very one who has laid hold of the Free Gift of the Grace of God that comes by a faith totally founded upon *Christ and His FINISHED WORK* alone...
and THE ONLY "WORK" OF GOD ( next to Jesus' WORK ) that God is going to approve and recognize is the one lone WORK we do to "obtain it, appropriate it, keep it", and that is to: "BELIEVE ON ME!"
and keep on Believing on Me - by...
holding fast your doctrine (which is Mine) - your knowledge of the Holy - your wisdom and discernment in the humbling and right fear of God - your love - your life - your quick forgiveness - your lowliness of heart - your purity - your tears of joy - your virtue - your endurance - and your bold witness to Me, The Truth.
THESE ( "fruits of the Spirit" ) are the continuing *Works* that come with and are ADDED to "Faith", one that STEMS UPWARDS AND OUTWARDS TO GLORIFY GOD! The very *Works* that James (2:18) was talking about )
( Everything else is unbelief, and of the flesh! )
Gal 2:
Gal 6:
Rom 8:
To walk AFTER the Spirit is to walk after Christ! Simply loving Him by our continued allegiance to Him and His words.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Biff
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations--
21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"
22 which all concern things which perish with the using--
according to the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. NKJ
and this is that will....
"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"
Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." John 6:28-29
In every case something, some "law" has been "ADDED" to faith...
something, some law or ordinance thought worthy or deemed important enough to "Add" to faith and obey it.
But notice, in every case, what has been added to it was a "law".
Yet law and faith cannot and do not mix nor do they operate in the same time and space together.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
