Just Faith Or Faith Plus Works?
I read a booklet today that referenced MATTHEW 19:17 They used this Scripture to back up their view that we need to do works AS WELL AS have faith to receive eternal life. I know you believe we need faith alone, and I agree, but how would you counter their claim with this Scripture?
Q. I read a booklet today that referenced MATTHEW 19:17 ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.’
They used this Scripture to back up their view that we need to do works AS WELL AS have faith to receive eternal life. I know you believe we need faith alone, and I agree, but how would you counter their claim with this Scripture?
To follow on, in verse 18 Jesus only said the six ‘human to human’ commandments are the one’s the rich man needed to obey. Why didn’t He say all 10?
A. This shows the trouble caused by taking verses out of context to prove a previously held conviction. The relevant passage is Matt. 19:16-26.
The rich young ruler wanted to know what he could do to attain eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments. When he asked, “Which ones?” Jesus listed the ones having to do with how to treat each other. The young ruler said he was keeping them and asked what else he could do. “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus began and then told him to sell everything, give the money to the poor, and follow Him.
This would have allowed him to keep the other commandments, having to do with worshiping God and Him only, and not coveting his neighbor’s possessions. The young ruler walked away because he couldn’t do that. Jesus had pointed out the ruler’s sin, and in doing so demonstrated the impossibility of earning one’s own way to salvation. The ruler’s sin was in worshiping his wealth and coveting more, but each of us also has at least one commandment we can’t stop breaking.
In verse 26 Jesus summed it all up by saying in effect that it’s impossible for man to save himself by his own work. Only through God’s work can man be saved.
When the people asked Jesus, “What is the work that God requires of us?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this. Believe in the one He has sent.” (John 6:28-29) Continuing to work toward your salvation after you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior shows you don’t believe that and want to add to it.
The good work you do after being saved has to be purely for the sake of expressing your gratitude to God for doing the whole job Himself, or else it shows that you don’t believe He did enough to save you and you’re going to do the rest. That’s blasphemy because it says you want some of the credit for your salvation. Grace plus work equals work. The two can’t be mixed.
