GospelNotes.life

Category: Works

  • Why You Won’t Find James 2 on This Website

    First, the antichrist’s number 666. I find it odd that there’s 66 books in the King James Version type of bibles.

    Second, God loves to test the genuineness of our faith. In the very second and third verses of James 1 it says: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

    And in 1 Peter 1:6-7 it says: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ

    James has a lot of good nuggets of godly knowledge and wisdom that he’s learned from Christ that are found throughout his book, but at the end of the day, the book of James (especially James 2) is as good as the rest of the apocrypha – uninspired by God, and cannot be because it plainly contradicts the entirety of the rest of scripture.

    Hundreds of years ago when those who were discussing what books should be in the Bible, the book of James was a heavily debated book. And the Lord told me that the reason He allowed Satan to sneak it in there was for it to be a test of faith for us (as I said earlier in this note, He loves to test the genuineness of our faith). If you can take the entirety of scripture (100’s of verses) that says that salvation is by faith in Christ alone, no works, and negate all of that for 2 simple James 2 verses that plainly say that salvation is by works, then you have failed the test of faith and are not worthy of God. The Lord tests our faith with James 2: are you going to keep your pride and say that Christ’s sacrifice wasn’t enough and that you need to have works to prove your salvation, or are you going to humble yourself completely and say, “Man, I know James 2 says my faith without works is dead, even though the rest of scripture says it’s not by works, but I’m deciding to throw out James 2 and go all in on Christ and put all my eggs in His basket and not trust in any of my own works.” Proverbs 16:18 — Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

    I’ve heard every way under the sun from people trying to reconcile James 2 to the rest of scripture and what it “really means”, twisting it to try and make sense of it, but when you just stop and let go and accept it for what it plainly says, it says your faith is useless without works and that others were saved by works, meaning you must have works to be saved. Plain and simple.

    See faith alone scriptures in the note: The Knowledge and Wisdom of God

  • Do.Not.Mix.Faith.And.Works!

    4 types of people:

    • Those who have faith in Christ alone — the truth and only way.
    • Those who mix faith in Christ and their works — the most dangerous.
    • Those who reject Christ and try to work their way to heaven.
    • Those who flat out reject the concept of God altogether.

    To those who mix faith in Christ and their own works, it is the most dangerous and they will be rejected by the Lord:

    Matthew 7:21-23 — “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ [see they have “faith”] will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father [John 6:40 – believe on Jesus alone] who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name [bringing their work of prophesying] and in your name drive out demons [bringing their work of casting out demons] and in your name perform many miracles [bringing their works of miracles performed]?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers [We are all evil and all have sinned. None of us are righteous by our own works.]!’

  • Front-loading and Back-loading works into the gospel

    The gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is: [1] that Christ died to pay for all your sins (past, present and future) according to the scriptures, [2] He was buried and [3] He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

    By believing in the above gospel alone (and not adding any works to it), you are eternally saved and sealed – guaranteeing your salvation.

    Front-loading and back-loading works into the gospel is just that – adding works to the pure, simply gospel message, rendering it a false gospel that doesn’t save anyone who believes in it.

    What are works? [1] You can “work” the law by following the law. [2] Doing good deeds.

    The true gospel that saves (salvation) = Faith + Nothing

    What is front-loading the gospel with works?
    It is flat out saying that in addition to faith in the gospel, you must “turn from your sins” to be saved, which is essentially following the law to be saved. It is trusting partly in Christ’s sacrifice, but mostly in your own works of law keeping.

    False front-loaded gospel (that doesn’t save) = Faith + Works

    What is back-loading the gospel with works?
    This is the most deceitful, deceptive, fearful and evil false gospel out there, and there are many who claim to be Christian that fall for it. Back-loading works into the gospel is essentially saying that faith alone – no works – is salvation, but, if you don’t have a sufficiently changed life (which cannot be explained or quantified because it’s not in the bible), or you’re, “living like the devil” (again, cannot be explained or quantified because it’s not in the bible), you’re not truly saved. What this logic leads to, is to you examining yourself and saying to yourself, “Man, I don’t know if I’m truly saved because I don’t think I have a sufficiently changed life. I mean, I still commit this sin and that sin. I better turn from those sins to prove I’m truly saved.” Thus, “back-loading” works in the gospel (turning from “this” sin and “that” sin to prove you’re saved). So, when you go before Christ and He says, “Why should I let you into heaven?”, and you say, “Well, I believe in you and to prove it I’ve turned from this sin and that sin and that other sin.” This false gospel leads most people into some serious fear, depression and anxiety because they never have assurance of salvation because they know that they never measure up. The others who love this false gospel are so prideful and blinded that they actually think that they have a sufficiently changed life (based on their criteria) and have turned from all their sins, which they haven’t. So, a back-loaded gospel is saying, “You’re saved by faith alone, but if you haven’t turned from all your sins, you didn’t really believe.”

    False back-loaded gospel (that doesn’t save) = Faith + Nothing + (having a truly changed life of law keeping)

    Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that Christ will reject these people and their false gospels — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [the will of the Father is in John 6:40 — to believe in Jesus — not to “obey the law”] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name [brought their works of prophesying], cast out demons in Your name [brought their works of exorcism], and done many wonders in Your name [brought many of their other works]?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (the iniquity of unbelief).

    Luke 18:9-14 — Also He (Jesus) spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”