Following my blog entitled Can Heathens Be Saved? I received some wonderful responses. I also received responses that questioned me. I was told my thoughts were not very representative of the Bible and basically told my understanding of the Bible is a bit askew.
But the Bible is a big book. There are a whole lot of parts to it and we have to be careful not to read one passage and hold that up as the answer to all of the world’s issues.
Now I thoroughly enjoy each note I get, even and especially when opinions differ from mine and questions or even challenges are laid on my shoulders.
This forces me to think and my faith grows and strengthens through this process.
And so I’ll try to do this same favor for you. By laying out my thoughts or scriptural passages I challenge you to think and grow as well.
So, if you think faith is all that you need to be saved, please read the following. And I’ll be looking forward to your responses provoking more thought … and then growth.
(James 2: 14-26 KJV)
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought (operated) with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
kenneth w.
