Do We Work for it?
Modern Salvation teaching is NOT Biblical Salvation
That statement will cause controversy, I’m aware. I also know it is true. Modern teaching says that you don’t have to do anything. You can’t work to earn your salvation so it would offend God if you tried. He could not love you anymore than he already does. Any attempt on your part is futile and almost sinful because you believe obedience is legalism. And legalism is a bad word. Worse, it is something to be totally avoided and shunned. “Run from it”, we say in the modern church. But are these things true? Are they what the bible is actually saying?
First of all, let’s address the topic of “legalism”. Is there such a concept in scripture or have we made it up, using the term loosely to point fingers at people who are obeying their Father? Well in fact there is no term “legalism” or “legalistic” in scripture. It is a foreign concept to a 1st century AD follower or any century prior, to equate obedience to the covenant of YHVH as a negative thing. If that is “legalism”, then we would have accepted the term as a complement. Our Father asks us to obey. He commanded it. Our Messiah obeyed and asks us to follow His example. If that is legalistic, to fulfill our side of the covenant relationship, then count me in……all the way! For now, I think we should set aside the term and not use it so as to clearly define the terms that we actually do find in scripture.
Here are some controversial statements:
Acts 26:20 But showed first unto them in Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works in keeping with repentance.
Tit 2:14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.
Js 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save them?
Js 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
Rev 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according as his work shall be.
Yet look at these verses:
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua to do good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
So which is it? Works or no works? We don’t want to say “works” because grace would no longer be grace, right? But is it “no works” so don’t work and don’t think your works are pleasing? No, that kind of faith is dead and won’t save us. We have a dilemma, don’t we? When studying YHVH’s word, we have to understand any subject matter from the perspective of ALL scripture being true. It is ALL profitable to teach us accurate doctrine. We cannot pick out one side of the coin and say that is the coin in its totality. We would be forgetting the other side of the coin.
Think about this. How can it be understood that we are not saved by works but without works, we are not saved? How are both of those concepts true? Both sides are indeed true but we need to understand how they are both true so that it impacts our life and permeates our understanding of accurate doctrine. I don’t really want to give it away yet because it is always best for the Holy Spirit to walk someone through the learning process. If you’re up for that stroll, I would ask you to stop reading right here and go to the Source. Ask your Heavenly Father how salvation is not of works but without works, we are not saved. What sense are we to make out of both sides of this issue in scripture? We know every single jot and tittle of the bible is still truth and has not passed away. So every scripture on a subject is relevant to understand that subject. Read on when you’ve come to your conclusion.
Let’s substitute the word “obedience” for “works” so that we can clearly determine what scripture is teaching. The reason salvation is not a result of our obedience is because we have all already sinned, haven’t we? And if we come into faith and don't yet know all of our Father's instructions, then our ignorance as well, causes us to sin. Doesn’t scripture declare to us that breaking even one law means we deserve death? Even one small lie has determined our punishment of eternity in hell for us. Not observing even one Sabbath is breaking the whole law even though many do not understand our Father's instructions. Therefore we are all in need of a Savior and His gift of salvation is not based on, or as a result of, our obedience. Rather it is based on His mercy instead of our obedience. It’s like a Father telling His child that he cannot run out in the street. If he does, a car will kill him. When the child disobeys, the Father will save his child. Therefore, the father’s salvation was not based on the child’s obedience was it? Of course not, the child disobeyed. And as a result of that salvation by his father, what is expected of the child? Should he continue running out in the street? I think this is made very clear in scripture that true salvation, not an emotional response, but instead, a miraculous conversion of thought/action, results in that new person desiring to obey. That is why salvation is not of obedience but without obedience, we are not truly saved. In fact, without obedience, we’ve given ourselves away as false converts. Conversion has not actually happened in our life. Either we are kidding ourselves or we’re surrounding ourselves with like-minded false converts who reassure us of this inaccurate understanding. It is the blind leading the blind, neither finding the truth.
A true child of the King has a changed mind and heart about their own sin. They desire to know what YHVH calls sin and align their lives in accordance with His instructions. There is no other way to be saved than to have been given this gift of faith. If we do not recognize this gift in ourselves or others (the desire to understand what sin is and then NOT sin), we are not saved!
Seems many, many people are content to remain blind to this core issue even though the Holy Spirit is constantly guiding us toward truth. We have to get this one right, our life eternally depends on it. My prayer is that the blinders will come off of those who are truly His and we will begin to dispel everything falsely taught and practiced in modern Christianity.