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Believing is a Work God Requires of His Children |
Are you saved by
grace through faith in Christ?
If so, then you are saved
through works!!!
Believing is work!
Christ Himself said so!
Why do so many carelessly contradict Him?
The act of believing
in Jesus Christ is MOST CERTAINLY a work. Jesus Christ HIMSELF told men to do
this work!
John 6
¶ 28 Then said they
unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus
answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him
whom he hath sent.
The men inquired: ''what shall WE DO, THAT WE MIGHT WORK the works of God?" Christ replied: The work that God wanted them to do is: 'that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.' They were interested in WORKING the WORKS (PLURAL) of God, i.e. the WORKS that God requires of His children. [His children are those elect whom God has effectually called out of their native state of sin and condemnation to grace and salvation)
Christ points them
to the FIRST and CHIEF work God requires of them. Christ said, 'First things
first... believe on Him whom God has sent.'
Please don't contradict Christ and speak blasphemy that believing in
Christ is not work! Christ said it is a work God requires His children to work!
The Lord God said,
"This is my beloved Son: hear him" - it is a command to DO something,
i.e. to believe Him! And ONLY God's children, i.e. regenerated elect, are able
to do that work!
Even so, the popular slogan 'justification by faith alone through grace alone' - commonly understood is an oxymoron. Justification is not by faith, i.e. man's work of believing in Christ Jesus. Justification is by the faith of Christ, i.e. Christ's faithfulness in discharging His work of redemption.
Apostle John said,
"And this is
his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ,
and love one another, as he gave us commandment." 1John 3:23.
"Believe on the
name of His Son Jesus Christ" is a divine command; rendering obedience to
a divine command is work.
Apostle Paul states it so plainly in Romans: the righteousness needed for the justification of a condemned criminal is the righteousness provided by God Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. It is stated as plain as noonday sun here:
Romans 3:
21 But now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law
and the prophets;
22 Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
He who ears to hear, let him hear!
Justification is FREELY by God's grace, NOT by your faith;
Justification is
THROUGH the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; BY the faithfulness of Christ
in His redemptive work.
Justification is not
through your faith;
BUT justification is
evidenced by your faith in Jesus Christ; even so, breath evidences life.
Your faith in Jesus
Christ DEMONSTRATES that you have been FREELY justified by God's grace (the
MANNER of your justification) based on the redemption that is in Jesus Christ
(the GROUND of your justification).
You are saved by grace through the faith of Christ! (i.e. Christ's faithfulness in securing the redemption of His people.
You are not saved by grace through your faith in Christ!
The former is the gospel; the latter is a lie of the devil!
