THE WORK

 
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. According to Paul faith saves us, and not because of our work or what we do. The apostle James disagreed with Paul. James said, “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? You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20,21,22,24. What is the “work" that Paul was talking about?
Paul was referring to the work that is given in detail in the Ten Commandments, "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Galatians 2:16.
But Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, "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!'” Jesus rejected many men and women of great faith when He returned because they were practicing lawlessness. They were not doing the will of His Father in heaven. They were disobedient to God. They were lawbreakers. And Paul encouraged them to ignore the law that God gave us through Moses.
Jesus said in John 12:49-50, "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." Jesus speaks on behalf of God the Father. Jesus says what God the Father has asked Him to say. God the Father had told Jesus to say this to you, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.”  John 14:15,21,23,24.
Brothers and sisters. These words that Jesus gave you came from God the Father through Jesus. I know you don’t want to hear this because you are already stuck with Paul. Sorry I cannot help you to separate yourself from Paul. Why? Because Paul has his own ideas that are different from what God the Father had told Jesus. I know that Jesus wants to save our soul. But I am not sure what faith can do for our salvation if we refuse to do the will of God the  Father. Faith and disobedience together make no sense. If we love our stomach, nice home, nice car, yes Paul can help us.


hkhoe@thexcommandments.com

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