Can Faith Alone Save?

It is not wise to believe that “faith alone” saves. It is not biblical and it is contradicted by many biblical teachings.

(James 2:22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.
See? Faith was made perfect by works. For there are works of faith.

Because if it is faith alone it is dead
(James 2:26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So how can your dead faith save you?
The scriptures say that having faith or just believing is not enough because even the devils believe and tremble

(James 2:19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believed and trembled.
But their faith is dead. They are in fact against God.
 
Paul specificially says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according his mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5). The Bible never says we saved "by" faith; it says we are saved "by" grace "through" faith. As John Calvin wrote, "Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone." True works always accompany true faith.
 
We are saved by "Grace"-His grace-mercy & love. By His work-not our own. But we we have to have faith enough to believe in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. We live in a time of faith.

If there is no faith in His Grace-then I don't think their can be salvation?

Faith comes by hearing-and by living in His promises....Grace, Faith and Salvation are the keys to the kingdom...
 
It is not wise to believe that “faith alone” saves. It is not biblical and it is contradicted by many biblical teachings.

(James 2:22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.
See? Faith was made perfect by works. For there are works of faith.

Because if it is faith alone it is dead
(James 2:26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So how can your dead faith save you?
The scriptures say that having faith or just believing is not enough because even the devils believe and tremble

(James 2:19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believed and trembled.
But their faith is dead. They are in fact against God.

Reanne.........bless your heart. You are trying so very hard to make a point that does not exist!

You are making the classic mistake of forcing Scriptures to say what you want them to say, not what they in fact are saying.

James 2:22 = Salvation is NOT accomplished through the cooperation of faith and works, but faith finds its operation of expression in works. In other words, the desire to do good things for others stems from the fact that one IS SAVED and works is the by product of salvation.

James 2:26 = This is a comparitive statement. It revolves around the human spirit and faith converging around their modes of operation. The proof is that a breathless body emits no indication of life, so then in comparisom, a fruitless faith shows nothing more than a hypocrisy.

So........as you can now see, the verse you posted are not about a dead faith being able to save.

The Scripture say exactly the opposite of your opinion.

Ephesisans 2:8
"We saved by GRACE through faith and not of yourself least you would boast"!

Now for James 2:19.
The verse speaks to the Jewish readers and tells them that doctrine alone does not save. ............
"Thou doest well'" is actually a statement of sarcasm, because immediatly James points out that demons also affirm to know the truth but demonic faith, far from effecting any service exists only in terror not love.
 
So it means that we do not need to do good works?

Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?
 
Part of the problem is that different people use the same words to mean different things.
Belief alone is of no value, Satan believes.
Faith alone will save, if you have faith (which would be better understood as "trust", not "belief") you will have works also. If there are no works, then I would argue that there was no faith either.
One who does not belong to a church is living in error, you are supposed to be part of the "body of Christ", not the Lone Ranger.
 
So it means that we do not need to do good works?

Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?

I think you might be touching on obedience issues here: 'if you love me; obey my commandments' Jesus Christ

We are commanded to do certain things in our walks with the Lord; 'good works' comes from the joy in obeying the Lord, becoming an example like Him, and being 'doers' of the Word...
 
Salvation is by believing that God has given us eternal life through His work-not our own; understanding that we are separated form a HOLY God by sin, but redeemed though the shed blood sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ (His work) through His Grace. Salvation is all about what God has done-not what we can do.

We sacrifice worldly things in the now to receive blessings either in this world or the next. Offerings & givings should be out of joy (and obedience). Not ritualistic religion...in my opinion.
 
"Offerings & givings should be out of joy (and obedience). Not ritualistic religion...in my opinion. "
Very important point, in my opinion.
One of the Greek Saints, Nektarios I think said "treat your spiritual life like a business, if something is not profitable to you don't do it". If you loathe fasting, and only do it grudgingly, don't fast. If you enjoy long prayers, then by all means go for it.
 
So it means that we do not need to do good works?

Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?

Your comment was.......................
" So it means that we do not need to do good works?"

That is not what I said. It means as I stated that we do works BECAUSE we are saved!

Your comment was.......
"Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ"

YES! As has been stated, we are saved by GRACE through faith so that we will not brag about what we did.

Your comment was............
"We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ?"

That has NOT been said and I fact believe each Christian should be invilved with a local assembly of believers for fellowship.

Your comment was...........
"No more sacrifices and offerings.?"

We do not bring an offering as Jesus was the only dacrifice needed to pay for all of mans sin.
We can and are told to give as much as we want to give. We are not limited to a tithe.


Your comment was...........

CORRECT!!!
 
So it means that we do not need to do good works?

Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?
Dear Reanne to better understand this i would like you to read about the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:33-34

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”


As you can see those who are partakers of this new covenant they the Law of God writtens in their hearts therfor it come natural for them to desire to do good. When somebody is borne again the bible says that : Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!(2Cor5:17)

When it says all Things it's include also Your desires...It doesnt mean tho that Your fleshly desires Will be completly gone (Romans7:15 ;Rom 7:21-25), but more you grow in faith by the Word Your spirit desires Will be able to overcome those of the flesh and the key for that is to know that there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom 8:1)
 
1 So it means that we do not need to do good works?

2 Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

3 We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

4 We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?

1 . This has already been well answered (cart can't come before the horse).

2. Faith leads us to the water. Our will makes us drink. Jesus is the water that quenches our thirst / saves us only once we drink. Many teach that Christians must still live by faith / be uber positive / never doubt, because they have yet to drink :speechless:.

It is not entirely wrong to say ''by just believing in Christ'' as we know that nobody can call Jesus Lord / believe Jesus is Lord, except it be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit (Matt 16:16-17, 1 Cor 12:3) whom searches our hearts.

3. We have need that nobody teach us because we have the Holy Spirit. But we are warned that if we don't gather , we grow cold, like a coal out of a fire. Your family needs you and you need them. Also, it is very important to come under the council of elders. Today more then ever, with all the false teachers.

No more 'religious' sacrifices are needed. Example, when my wife was my girlfriend we would have a 'date-night' every Wednesday. Now that I am married, I spend all my time with her. Date-night is any night. No law however was written in vein. We must see God's reasoning behind every law. Moral laws remain clear-cut.

4. Yes, but being 'saved' just means you are on the boat. You still have to remain on it until the journey is over. Not that we keep ourselves on it. Jesus has made it a very safe boat. Promised to catch us if we fall. Promised not to sail through waters that will take us out. But should we be determined to jump off it, He simply cannot stop us, as much as He wants to. He gives us true free will.

Until we are in heaven we are not in heaven. I have recently learnt of the importance of 1 Cor 15:52-54. It explains that only when this flesh puts on incorruption is death swallowed up in victory.

Many believe in once saved always saved. It is easy to see why when you read that God will never leave nor forsake us. Someone in a marriage can never think of a life without their partner. But as dreadful as it is, adultery is possible. Not by God , but by us. It is not a clean house or a mown lawn that keep my wife and I together, it is our marriage vows. God's marriage vows to us are in Gal 8:38-39. The question is, what are ours?
 
Glad for your posts. would like to react for for the first.

So to call it faith it must be with work so we can really call it “faith”. But why would he say faith without work is dead? If to call it faith it must have work. This just means that there are faith without work, and they are still called faith. Though it is dead. And even the scriptures define those who only have faith II Pet. 1:9. And I was referring to them, that by faith “alone” we are saved.

I believe that by his grave through faith we are saved, but there is no written faith “alone”;.
And others stop there, they believe that by faith alone we are saved but command their members 10% of their income, and different offerings, love offering etc. and tithes. I’m not saying that we should not give(ths s another story) but base on their teachings we’ll see that they’re really after your money not to your salvation. Worst is they will teach you erroneous teachings and misled you. They teach just have faith and you’re saved but if you ask if it is not right to give they will say no, we must give, it is not right, etc. They even forgot that there is greater than having all faith, there is greater than moving mountains and you’re nothing if you don’t have this.
 
It is not wise to believe that “faith alone” saves. It is not biblical and it is contradicted by many biblical teachings.

(James 2:22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.
See? Faith was made perfect by works. For there are works of faith.

Because if it is faith alone it is dead
(James 2:26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So how can your dead faith save you?
The scriptures say that having faith or just believing is not enough because even the devils believe and tremble

(James 2:19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believed and trembled.
But their faith is dead. They are in fact against God.
It is not wise to believe that “faith alone” saves. It is not biblical and it is contradicted by many biblical teachings.

(James 2:22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect.
See? Faith was made perfect by works. For there are works of faith.

Because if it is faith alone it is dead
(James 2:26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So how can your dead faith save you?
The scriptures say that having faith or just believing is not enough because even the devils believe and tremble

(James 2:19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believed and trembled.
But their faith is dead. They are in fact against God.
(James 2) Chapter 2 is a complicated subject because the thief on the cross had not done any works but Jesus said, " today you shall be with me in Paradise". There are exceptions due to situations as the thief. In the book of Matthew Jesus is turning away many who have done many works in his name. Why, because they were doing good works for the wrong reasons. So both their faith and works were dead. James had to ultimately know that without believing in the purpose of the blood of Christ no one can be in the first resurrection. James was talking about having a perfect balance of both faith and works. Remember he is not saying you can't get to heaven anywhere in the chapter, he is saying that your faith has no strength before the unbelieving world in order to be fruitful in Christ.
 
So it means that we do not need to do good works?

Because we will be saved by just believing in Christ?

We don’t need to join a religious group? No more gathering ? No more sacrifices and offerings.?

We just need to receive Christ as our “Personal savior” and then we are saved?

Reanne--

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph.2: 8-10)

You are not saved BY your works. You are saved TO DO good works that God has already prepared for you to do. A person who has been born-again by truly trusting in Jesus Christ becomes a "new creation". The result of this change is good works. When James says "faith without works is dead" he is saying that true faith in Christ leads to good works. He is not saying that a combination of faith and works saves you. He is saying that good works are the evidence of real faith.
 
Glad for your posts. would like to react for for the first.

So to call it faith it must be with work so we can really call it “faith”....
Reanne, you need to be careful with the context and not read into it what is not present. I have just read the string and nobody has tied faith to works, unless Rusty did and I'll read his complete post after this is posted. Works are not a part of the cause but rather they are the product of Faith.

It is a lot like the fuel in the truck I used to drive. The Concrete I delivered was never part of the Truck that delivered it. And so it is that the Good Works I do now are just like the Hot, or Fresh, Concrete. They are delivered by the Mixer (Faith) but they were and they are not now Part of the Truck, (My Faith.)
 
Can someone help? I'm new here and would like most recent posts to appear at the top, not at the bottom of the thread. Does anyone know how to change this? Much appreciated if you have the answer.
 
Bottom line is what the Bible states folks. Faith alone cannot save period. As Matthew 5:16 (KJV) states "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" These words are from Jesus/God/The Holy Ghost himself and are specific commands on how we are to behave!
 
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