Making Works Out of Grace

Published on November 26, 2007 By Gideon MacLeish In Religion

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, there is a school of thought among Christians that is often referred to as the "grace only" Christian. Basically the theology of this group is based on the idea that because we are saved by grace, through faith, nothing more need be done by a believer to get into heaven.

Sounds nice, eh? Sound like a group you'd like to be part of? Not really, because, see, this "grace" is only extended to their own little clique. They've made a work out of grace, all while demanding that we only need God's grace to enter the Kingdom.

They are extremely harsh, for instance, towards people who teach that works should be present in the lives of a believer. Regardless of whether these people's views actually fit, they label them "Arminian", or even heretics. See, you're only saved by grace if you BELIEVE you're only saved by grace. If you believe works are expected, God's grace can't cover you.

God's grace also can't cover you, if you drink even a smidgen of wine for the stomach's sake. And it certainly can't cover you if you're a homosexual or living in any other sort of sinful relationship. Work in a bar, even if it's the only income you can find? Sorry, but, you better be prepared to ask for a cool spot in Hell.

Basically, to these people, God's grace only covers THEIR sin. It covers their right to bear false witness, and do all other manner of things knowing that they're "covered by the blood of the lamb". It is, in other words, only a ploy to justify their own unrighteousness.

By making works out of grace, these individuals have ironically placed the same burden on believers that they have maintained it is impossible to carry. They've demanded that believers adhere to a specific standard to get to heaven because their salvation might be in jeopardy. It is, in truth, nothing more than scare tactics to build their numbers, and one would have to wonder if they really even BELIEVE in God; if so, how do they think He would tolerate their blatant blasphemy?

I personally believe in salvation by grace, but I believe most importantly that God is a just God. I believe that God does expect us to strive towards righteousness, but that He knows that we are unable to save ourselves, and offers His grace to cover our sins. But He DOES expect some effort on our part.

I've seen too much hate from the "grace only" brand of Christian to believe that it is a Godly teaching. The fruits of the Spirit are completely absent, as is the love that characterizes the presence of God. By making works out of grace, these teachers have become everything they criticize in others.

Comments

greywar

on Nov 26, 2007

You seem to have some particular group of folks in mind here. They sound rather unpleasant.

Gideon MacLeish

on Nov 26, 2007

You seem to have some particular group of folks in mind here.

Yup. Read the blogs closely, and you'll find 'em (or in the case of JU, usually "him"!)

ParaTed2k

on Nov 26, 2007

I have wondered about that myself. Apparently doing good works can cancel out grace in their minds. ;~D

Jythier

on Nov 26, 2007

Learned something yesterday (Sunday). Jesus said that those who love him will keep his commandments. Not try to keep his commandments.

And, 'I don't know what He commands' is a cop-out. Find out. Seek Him. Then, obey.

lulapilgrim

on Nov 26, 2007

GIDEON POSTS:

but that He knows that we are unable to save ourselves, and offers His grace

True.

St. Cyprian said "No one is safe by his own strength, but he is safe by the face and mercy of God." Christ paid for our salvation.

Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to His call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life St.John 4:14; 7:38-39.

Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent Him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation...therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification...Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man...

But believing and having faith isn't all there is...we can't sit back on our backside and be "do nothings" and expect Christ to be pleased.

Exactly. We must respond to faith, which is to go out into the world and do as Jesus would have us do. Our response to faith is what Catholics call practicing "good works" or Charity (love of God for His own sake and love of neighbor).

WWJD, the acronym for "What Would Jesus Do?" is basically what Catholics call Charity. Doing good works or practicing Charity now that you've given your life to Jesus, do what He would have you do and do this for the rest of your life, one day at a time. Catholics believe we must "endure until the end" with our faith Heb 11:6.

Gideon MacLeish

on Nov 26, 2007

WWJD, the acronym for "What Would Jesus Do?" is basically what Catholics call Charity. Doing good works or practicing Charity now that you've given your life to Jesus, do what He would have you do and do this for the rest of your life, one day at a time. Catholics believe we must "endure until the end" with our faith Heb 11:6.

You know, while I'm very nondenominational in my doctrine, the longer I live, the greater love I have for the Catholic Church. Its doctrine, though, not its dogma.

While there are areas with which I have strong disagreement, there's also a lot of sound doctrine there.

Jythier

on Nov 26, 2007

I find it increasingly less important what people believe, and much more important what they do. Nevertheless, without the primary doctrine of Jesus as savior it's all for nothing - but Jesus isn't just a savior. He's our Lord. Treating Him like He is Lord is how to get beyond the 'just a savior' mentality that many Christians have.

Also, while a lot of people admire the way Christ is, very few actually follow Him.

Gideon MacLeish

on Nov 26, 2007

PS-I do 'good works' for goodness' sake, not to earn entry into some 'good girl's' club after I croak.

Right...you do it because you innately know it's the right thing to do, not something I would argue for a second.

I am just befuddled, though, at the number of Christians who seem to think their money in the offering plate and a little prayer completely absolve them of any greater responsibility to co-inhabitants of the planet.

lulapilgrim

on Nov 26, 2007

Gideon Posts:

Basically the theology of this group is based on the idea that because we are saved by grace, through faith, nothing more need be done by a believer to get into heaven....They've made a work out of grace, all while demanding that we only need God's grace to enter the Kingdom.

Yes, we are saved by grace through faith, faith and must also respond to that faith by doing, by acting upon that faith, and that failure to do so is a serious sin, which could put our souls in jeopardy. Read St. Matt. 7:20, 1 Cor 9:16; and St. James 2:14-16. We can lose this precious gift of faith as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith" 1 Tim 1:18-19.

Scripture teaches about "good works" according to what must be done and its role in eternal salvation.

St.Matt 7:21 "Not every one who says to me, "Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

25:40 And the King will answer them, "Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it unto me."

25: 43-46 "I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, "Truly I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

2 Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done.

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Nov 26, 2007

While I believe we are saved by grace by faith alone, I believe our faith is not alone....does that make sense?

Faith without works is a dead faith as James puts it. Works should be quite evident in a believer's life. We are not saved by works but we are saved TO DO good works. Isn't that what the fruit of the spirit is all about? We should see at least a "grape" in another believer for us to consider them a believer.

I have met a few grace only Christians and they were pretty harsh as you say Gid. One in particular we went around and around with. He felt like all he had to do was stay home and do nothing because it was God who saves anyhow so why bother?

While I tend to be "Calvinistic" myself to some degree, I think the people you are referring to are "hyper-Calvinistic." Even Calvin wouldn't agree with them.

ParaTed2k

on Nov 26, 2007

WWJD For a Klondike Bar. ;~D

Jythier

on Nov 26, 2007

What was Satan thinking - "If thou art hungry, turn thyself these rockeths into Klondike Bareths" might have worked.

Okay, it wouldn't have, but still.

If you're living your life without doing any good works, can you really say you believe in God? Or are you just SAYING you believe in God?

aeryck

on Dec 08, 2007

We should see at least a "grape" in another believer for us to consider them a believer.

It would make no sense to stick grapes on a tree, simply to make others believe it has changed on the inside.

aeryck

on Dec 08, 2007

If you're living your life without doing any good works, can you really say you believe in God? Or are you just SAYING you believe in God?

Demons believe in God and do not do good works.

Belief or believing in God or some things about GOD is really not enough.

Unless Jesus Christ is your redeemer and purifier, you will simply not be peculiarly zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14)

I think one needs to consider whether this phrase good works is not actually dead works unless one means being as Christ was in this world. Surely that is more than being a goody two shoes, a holy joeuser, or a nice person. Nobody likes a jerk, but I think being like a Pharisee is equally despicable...lukewarm.

To be peculiarly zealous of good works, needs Christ's redemption and purification not just belief in God...(without the GOD PART...the senario seems rather HOLLOW...) There needs to be the inside work of GOD INSIDE....to get a proper undestanding of the be nice, be good, be loving attitude that is losely embraced. The whole idea in Titus 2:14, certainly seems to be closer to what Paul speaks of in Ephesians.....WORKMANSHIP....God at work inside us by His Spirit....the same power that raised Christ from the dead...this type of state is going to even go as far as rejecting any false form of goodness that is not entirely the life of Christ.

Here me dragging my chains.....I am a sinner in need of a whole lot of this mercy and grace to live in this world as Christ did...in perfect obedience to the first command to love GOD with ALL my heart, and soul, and mind and strength...(why it is that so many defer from loving God first...and hop to 'love thy neighbour'...make the same mistake that the rich young ruler did...he was a very social being...and that is not evil, but it misses the most important command...the first one...TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL....) To do this we need REDEMPTION AND PURIFICATION by the blood of Jesus...then He will shed forth His Spirit, divine MOTIVATION of the third person of the Godhead inside our temples (bodies) ... grace and mercy to equip us to love as He (Jesus) loved us. Is that not the new commandment anyhow ? .

I hope disagreeing with you, does not make me your enemy.

Aeryck.

lulapilgrim

on Dec 08, 2007

Belief or believing in God or some things about GOD is really not enough.

BINGO! St.James 2 deals with the fact that (belief)faith alone is insufficient for salvation if it is divorced from a life of "good deeds". I think one of the problems that bother so much is coming to the correct definintion of the term "good deeds" or "good works".

Belief (faith) is absolutely necessary and is the starting point of our relationship with God. It's the means by which we appropriate our justification and live in righteousness before God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says it's a gift of God and enables us, by GOd's grace, to repent of our sins and live out that faith through obedience to the teachings of Christ.

Could 'good works' be obedience to GOd's commands? I see it as such and would appeal to 1 St.John 3:21-24.

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