nikolai_42
Well-known member
Question:
What is their purpose? How do works figure in to you getting or staying justified, to the point that without works you will be lost? What is it exactly that your works do for you, or for God, or both?
You aren't OJAJ?
If our works aren't the ground of our justification, how can they be the ground for a supposed unjustification? If, for the moment, we assume we can become unjustified before God, it wouldn't be works that did it, but departing from God. Works are just evidences of what is in the heart. A man can lie prostrate before an idol without worshiping it - likewise, a man's idolatry of that same idol can be hidden from sight...for a time. It's what is in our heart that is at issue.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Matthew 12:36-37
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luke 6:43-45
It seems the Lord was more concerned with our words even than our actions. And He roundly chastised the hypocrites whose words and actions didn't line up with each other (so they would, per Matthew 12:37 above be condemned by their own hypocrisy):
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Matthew 23:1-3
And since we read in James that the tongue has been tamed by no man, that's really a good measure to judge one's religion (in the KJV sense of the word). Because it speaks of the condition of the heart. So will the sinful act negate one's salvation? One's justification? Surely not - since it wasn't by works to begin with. But...
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Titus 2:7-8
In other words, it's the heart that will be judged. And if God doesn't change it, we have no hope before Him in the day of judgment. And we won't point to our works, but to the Savior. Those that do point to their own works are trusting in themselves.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 3:20-21