indeed what the bible says: (Ephesians 2:8-9) 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
so you're right, our salvation/ (get to heaven) is not measured by how good we are, or how much good works we have done. it's all by grace, GIFT from God, through faith.
but this Q (would there be any evidence to prove that you are a Christian?) - is like this... if you have claimed that you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus.. does your life show the very claim?
if you say now, your body has a soul.. you can see it right..you moved around, you talk, you eat, you do whatever... but if you do NO actions whatsoever - you are dead, your body has no soul.
same thing with having faith, if you have faith, it shines through your actions, if it doesnt, may be you dont have faith.. harsh.. i know.. but thats what the bible says (read James 2).... faith and deeds goes hand in hand...
also one last thing, we are SAVED... not for nothing.. not for doing whatever we likes.. we are SAVED for a reason, to be God's people, to glorify Him....
faith that saved us is a life changing faith.. (turning away from sins) so i guess the Question that we need to ask ourselves "does my faith change my life?"
hmmmm i dont know if it explains it clear enough... =) feel free to ask =)
James 2
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
But what's to say that you have faith just because you have works?
Christians are still sinful just like non-Christians.... I'm sure there are those who do ministry for the recognition of doing ministry...
I'm sorry, i think the above question is one to trip up immature Christians. It serves as more of an discouragement than a challenge. Just a variation on the "Can a Christian fall away question..."
hmm yeah true that... you can't based it on works..
when i posted this post, i treated as neither encouragement nor a challenge... its more like a reflection question for yourself... as a Christian.. forget about the immature or mature bit..
hmmm yes christian are just as sinful as non christian.. the only difference is we are saved. but as long as we're still in this very flesh, it's in our nature to sin. so yes we do still sins! well i do anyway... but we can also see whether our faith changes the way we lives.. do we want to please God in the way we lives? or do we just indulge in our sinful nature and treated salvation as an insurance policy?
faith is a repentance, isnt it? and true repentance is when you actually acknowledge that the boss of ur life is Jesus and the result of that is you try to do what Jesus want you to do
well, its NOT up to us to judge whether others have a real life changing faith or not.. only God can judge..
but i believe you yourself know where you are at with God.. it is your relationship with God... so it doesnt hurt to reflect.. yes good works, doing ministry doesnt mean you have faith.. but what im saying is if you have faith, a relationship with God, it will be definitely reflected in your life..
"faith is a repentance, isnt it?" Yes, that's true. When we become Christian we are called to change and called to good works. But i guess the motivation behind good works perhaps shouldn't be just to show off your faith(or to convince yourself that you have faith...), but should stem from your faith. I want to do good works - because i'm grateful to God.
As for judging.. "3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:3-5
I guess, i read James and see that it is a message of rebuke. It is a kick-up-the-backside so to speak. Should it be something reflect on how you are going? I'm not too sure it's helpful......
"Picture this, you are in court, convicted for being a Christian. Would there be enough evidence to prove it?" -
"23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." - Hebrews 7:
"........but should stem from your faith. I want to do good works - because i'm grateful to God." yeah you're right =) thats what i'm trying to say too... perhaps, it doesnt come out that way... sorry
hmmmmm i'll give some more thoughts... (on ur rebukin, reflecting bit n even the Q itself)...
thank you anon =) appreciate it.. GBU too =)
p.s. hmm can u please leave ur name behind next time? =) thanks!
Hi Dan - so what do you think about that Q? Why should God let you in Heaven? share your thoughts! =)
Tommy, you're a bit late man =) i've been blogging for nearly 3 months now =P hehehe thanks anyway...
youre right cj...even with ur limited understanding=P you dont work ur way into heaven...coz if that was the case ud never get in..
but lets say you believe that God is real...
do you go around telling people ur a christian? does it make you a christian?
"even the demons believe that there is one God - and shudder." (james 2:19)
so what makes those who "believe in God" different to those say that theyre a christian?
once youre a christian, getting into heaven is not the problem. it's whether you live as tho you belong there...thats the problem.
helloo.. =)
hmmm yes faith vs deeds
indeed what the bible says: (Ephesians 2:8-9)
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
so you're right, our salvation/ (get to heaven) is not measured by how good we are, or how much good works we have done. it's all by grace, GIFT from God, through faith.
but this Q (would there be any evidence to prove that you are a Christian?) - is like this... if you have claimed that you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus.. does your life show the very claim?
if you say now, your body has a soul.. you can see it right..you moved around, you talk, you eat, you do whatever... but if you do NO actions whatsoever - you are dead, your body has no soul.
same thing with having faith, if you have faith, it shines through your actions, if it doesnt, may be you dont have faith.. harsh.. i know.. but thats what the bible says (read James 2).... faith and deeds goes hand in hand...
also one last thing, we are SAVED... not for nothing.. not for doing whatever we likes.. we are SAVED for a reason, to be God's people, to glorify Him....
faith that saved us is a life changing faith.. (turning away from sins) so i guess the Question that we need to ask ourselves "does my faith change my life?"
hmmmm i dont know if it explains it clear enough... =) feel free to ask =)
James 2
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
amen sister.. hehehe
But what's to say that you have faith just because you have works?
Christians are still sinful just like non-Christians.... I'm sure there are those who do ministry for the recognition of doing ministry...
I'm sorry, i think the above question is one to trip up immature Christians. It serves as more of an discouragement than a challenge. Just a variation on the "Can a Christian fall away question..."
hi anon =)
hmm yeah true that... you can't based it on works..
when i posted this post, i treated as neither encouragement nor a challenge... its more like a reflection question for yourself... as a Christian.. forget about the immature or mature bit..
hmmm yes christian are just as sinful as non christian.. the only difference is we are saved. but as long as we're still in this very flesh, it's in our nature to sin. so yes we do still sins! well i do anyway... but we can also see whether our faith changes the way we lives.. do we want to please God in the way we lives? or do we just indulge in our sinful nature and treated salvation as an insurance policy?
faith is a repentance, isnt it?
and true repentance is when you actually acknowledge that the boss of ur life is Jesus and the result of that is you try to do what Jesus want you to do
well, its NOT up to us to judge whether others have a real life changing faith or not.. only God can judge..
but i believe you yourself know where you are at with God.. it is your relationship with God... so it doesnt hurt to reflect.. yes good works, doing ministry doesnt mean you have faith.. but what im saying is if you have faith, a relationship with God, it will be definitely reflected in your life..
"faith is a repentance, isnt it?"
Yes, that's true. When we become Christian we are called to change and called to good works. But i guess the motivation behind good works perhaps shouldn't be just to show off your faith(or to convince yourself that you have faith...), but should stem from your faith. I want to do good works - because i'm grateful to God.
As for judging..
"3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:3-5
I guess, i read James and see that it is a message of rebuke. It is a kick-up-the-backside so to speak. Should it be something reflect on how you are going? I'm not too sure it's helpful......
"Picture this, you are in court, convicted for being a Christian.
Would there be enough evidence to prove it?" -
"23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." - Hebrews 7:
God bless you c1ndyy =)
Hi anon...=)
"........but should stem from your faith. I want to do good works - because i'm grateful to God." yeah you're right =) thats what i'm trying to say too... perhaps, it doesnt come out that way... sorry
hmmmmm i'll give some more thoughts... (on ur rebukin, reflecting bit n even the Q itself)...
thank you anon =) appreciate it..
GBU too =)
p.s. hmm can u please leave ur name behind next time? =) thanks!