WHO IS RIGHT?

 
The apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul said faith alone saved us.
The apostle James disputing Paul asked, “What [does it] profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what [does it] profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent [them] out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:14-26.
Readers, do you know why Paul wrote what he said in Ephesians 2:8-9? He was comparing himself with the thief on the cross that Jesus saved. Paul was a murderer, and the man hanging on the cross was a thief. And Paul believed that because of his faith in Jesus he was saved, but the thief on the cross knew that he was saved.
Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:42-43.
Paul believed that he was saved because of his faith, not works, but the thief on the cross was saved because of his faith and work, what he said to Jesus. 
When the thief said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." That is evidence of faith and work. If he did not say anything, Jesus would not have saved him. “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-20.
I have worked for many decades for different employers and they all paid me for what I did for them, and not for how much faith I have in them. God bless.

hkhoe@thexcommandments.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

WHAT DAY IS THE SABBATH?

According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints the Sabbath is on a Sunday. According to the Seventh Day Adventist Church the Sabbath is on a Saturday. Who is right? Who is telling the truth ? I wasn’t born when the first Sabbath was observed. And neither was the  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints. So, who was already born when the Sabbath was given to us? The prophet Moses, remember? God gave to him, and not to me and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints the Ten Commandments, specifically, “ Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy , as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day [is] the Sabbath of the LORD your God . [In it] you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who [is] within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as we...
Read more

THE PERIOD OF THE GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Readers, a voice keeps telling me that I should write this article. I tried to ignore that voice, but it won’t go away. So, what is that voice about? Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness !'” Matthew 7:21-23. This period is called a period of the greatest disappointment when Jesus rejects millions or billions of disappointed Christians who expect to be saved and go to heaven but were not, whose number [is] as the sand of the sea. Jesus called them lawlessness practitioners, even though they claimed that they are men/women of great faith. The Bible describes this situation in Revelation 20, “Now when the thous...
Read more

INCONSISTENCIES AND CONTRADICTIONS

Today I am going to write about the contradictions and inconsistencies that I have found between the writings of the apostle Paul and the Spirit of Prophecy. Why am I doing this? Because if the source of the writing is the same, the result that flows from the source is the same and consistent with the source. There can be no difference in the result that we see. Let’s start. Paul wrote, “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. The Spirit of Prophecy says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works , by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works .” Revelation 20:12-13. P...
Read more

CONFLICTS?

  Jesus said, "But why do you call Me `Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. Readers, do you know why Jesus said these words? Because some of His followers don’t believe in everything that He says. Some of His followers think that Jesus’ will is not the same as the will of His Father. To clear up the confusion, Jesus said, "For I have not spoken on My own [authority]; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. "And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak." John 12:49-50 . There is no conflict between the will of Jesus, and the will of God the Father. I hope this verse clears up the confusion for good. Jesus' will is the same as the will of His Father, if we understand what Jesus said in John 12:49-50. If we are still confused, order Satan to leave us alone. We don’t need Satan’s money. Tell Satan to leave us al...
Read more

BLESSED IS HE

  Blessed is he who does the will of YAHWEH . Blessed is he who does the will of God the Father. Why? Because they will see the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ said, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! '” Matthew 7:21-23. Again, God said,  "But why do you call Me `Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. There is no disconnect between claiming Jesus as Lord and failing to follow his teachings. All is about literal and total obedience to what God says. And Satan doesn’t like that at all! The devil wants everyone to disobey God, everyone. He succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve and most of the world...
Read more

WORK OR INTENTION?

Readers, I want to ask you a very important question. When Jesus returns, will He judge us based on our work and action, or based on our intention? Why is this important? Because intention precedes action. Paul says in Romans that God will judge us based on our work. The Bible, however, says that God judges us based on our intention, not on our work or action. God judges Lucifer based on his intention, and not based on his work. God drowned and killed billions of people during Noah’s time because of their evil intentions . “ Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every intent of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." Genesis 6:5-7 Why is intention ...
Read more

YOUR WILL BE DONE

  "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom comes. Your will be done on earth as [it is] in heaven . Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13. Jesus' disciples asked Jesus how they should pray. And Jesus told them this is how they should pray. But first, when we say, Your will be done on earth as [it is] in heaven , there is an implicit understanding that we know what His will is, or otherwise we would not say it that way. If we don’t know what His will is, what do we do? Start reading the Bible. Why? Because that’s how we can know what His will is. Start reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Read Genesis, Exodus, and the history about Adam and Eve and Lucifer. You want to know why God evicted them. You want to know why they hav...
Read more

COMMANDMENT #5

" Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16. God the Father has commanded us to honor our mother and father. Why? Not only because they are our parents who have given birth to us, fed us, and raised us since we were babies, but more importantly so that our days may be long and that we may receive an abundance of blessing from God the Father if we take care of our parents when they can no longer care for themselves. Many children are hostile toward their parents. God knows that many children dishonor, disrespect, neglect, and treat their parents as their adversary. I have seen daughters who treat their mothers very hostile. And so God made this commandment an important part of His commandments that He wants us to keep as long as our parents are still alive. That our days may be long, and that it may be well with us in th...
Read more

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world . A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16. Paul, on the other hand, contradicts Jesus and said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. ” Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul said put your light under a basket. Don't glorify God with our good works. But in James 2:17 we read,  "Thus also faith by itself if it does not have works, is dead. " And so, who determines the work that we must do? Preachers, pastors, Biblica...
Read more

ONCE LOST, FOREVER LOST

  Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Matthew 5:17-18. Jesus knew that His followers will change His Law, and that's why He gave us this warning. And He furthermore said this, "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches [them], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19-20. The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine gives this concise question-and-answer explanation of the history we have covered above: “Q: Which is the Sabbath day? “A: S...
Read more