No better than the devils

I need to lose 15 pounds.  What’s the quickest, easiest, most noncommittal way to get the job done? A fat burning pill? A mysterious drink made from a recently discovered recipe found in an ancient Sanskrit manuscript? I’ll try it.  Eat less and move more for the rest of my life?  ...I think I will try the mysterious drink first.

Commercialism depends on our desire to have something good without having to work for it.  Whether it’s losing weight, becoming Atlas, or making a fast buck there are plenty of products on the market to “help” us achieve our desires.

How about our salvation? I grew up in a church community that taught that I was saved by grace alone, and not by works incase any man should boast in himself.  That was interpreted to mean works were not to be associated with salvation.  That combination was an abomination.

Over the decades I have seen this interpretation morph into something that has totally eliminated works from the picture and replaced it with feelings, and loyalty to whatever doctrines fit our personal beliefs.

Is it true that works are not needed to be saved?  Many would answer yes and point to the thief on the cross as an example of faith alone.  But if you look closely at the conversation between him, the other criminal, and Jesus, you see the man did many works from his enlightenment to his death hours later. The story goes like this:

And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Jesus, saying: If thou be Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither do you fear God, seeing you are condemned under the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Luke 23: 30-42

This thief worked in ways we seldom do today.  He sharply criticized the other man for attacking Jesus.  He put the man in his place by reminding him of his sin and his just punishment.  He stood up for Jesus declaring that Jesus was falsely condemned. He publicly acknowledged Him as Lord and Savior, and he asked Jesus to save him and permit him to be with him in the next life. 

Now there is a lot of work being done in a short time.  His work was essential to his salvation. If he had not worked, he would not have been saved.

Regarding the marriage of works and faith, James said in his epistle:

But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me your faith without works; and I will show you, by works, my faith. You believe that there is one God. You do well: the devils also believe and tremble. But don’t you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

It’s a hard fact, but if we do nothing with our faith, we have none and we are no better than the devils.