WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS BUT, A FAITH WITHOUT WORKS: IT IS DEAD!
WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, WE ARE UNDER GRACE. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT EXCLUDE US FROM PRACTICING JESUS' COMMANDMENTS IN OUR DAILY LIVES. WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH IN JESUS, BUT A FAITH TO BE ALIVE! COMES WITH GOOD WORKS, OTHERWISE IT IS DEAD! READ THE WHOLE STUDY FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND. THANKFUL.
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Galatians 2:16 we are fully aware, however, that man cannot be justified by keeping the Law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we also came to believe in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not at all by keeping the Law, since it is certain that by keeping the Law no one will be able to be justified.
Hebrews 9:1-25
1 The first covenant had laws about worship and also had a sanctuary built by human beings where God was worshiped.
2 A tent was pitched, divided into two parts. At the front, called the Holy Place, were the lampstand and the table with the bread offered to God.
3 Behind the second curtain was the part that was called the Most Holy Place.
4 There was placed the golden altar where the incense was burned, and also the ark of the covenant, all covered with gold. Inside the ark were the golden bowl of manna, Aaron's rod from which sprouts had sprouted, and the two stone tablets with the commandments written on them.
5 On top of the ark, representing the Divine Presence, were the cherubs, with their wings spread over the place where sins were forgiven. But now is not the time to explain the details of these things.
6 After all this has been prepared, the priests enter the front of the Tent, which is the Holy Place, every day to carry out their religious duties.
7 But only the High Priest enters the back, which is the Most Holy Place, and that only once a year. He offers to God the blood of animals, in favor of himself and also for the sins that the people committed without knowing that they were sinning.
8 Through all this the Holy Spirit teaches us very clearly that the entrance to the Most Holy Place has not yet been opened while the front part, which is the Holy Place, continues to be used.
9 This is a symbol for today. It means that the offerings and animal sacrifices offered to God do not make the hearts of the people who worship him perfect.
10 These offerings and sacrifices have to do only with food, drink, and various purification ceremonies. They are external rules that have value only until God renews all things.
11 But Christ came as the High Priest of the good things that are already here. The tent in which he serves is better and more perfect and not built by human beings, that is, not of this world.
12 When Christ came and entered, once for all, the Most Holy Place, he did not take with him the blood of goats or calves to offer as a sacrifice. On the contrary, he offered his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burned calf are sprinkled on unclean people, and they are purified on the outside.
14 If this is so, then imagine how much greater is the power of the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God as a faultless sacrifice. And his blood cleanses us from within, taking away our guilt; so we can serve the living God, for we no longer practice worthless ceremonies.
15 Therefore, it is Christ who succeeds in making a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God himself has promised. This can be done because there was a death that freed people from the sins they practiced while the first covenant was in effect.
16 Where there is a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it has died.
17 For a testament is worth nothing while the one who made it is alive; only after the death of that person does the will have value.
18 That is why the first covenant came into force only with the use of the blood of animals.
19 First, Moses told the people all the commandments as they were in the law. Then he took the blood of the calves and goats, mixed it with water, and sprinkled the book of the law and all the people, using wool dyed red and hyssop.
20 Then he said, “This is the blood that seals the covenant, which God commanded you to obey. ”
21 In the same way Moses also sprinkled blood on the Tent and on all the objects used in worship.
22 In fact, according to the law, almost everything is cleansed with blood. And if there is no shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
23 These things, which were copies of heavenly realities, were to be purified in this way; but the heavenly things themselves demand far better sacrifices.
24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
25 God offered him as a sacrifice for atonement through faith, through his blood, demonstrating his righteousness. In his forbearance he had left the sins previously committed unpunished;
26 but at present he has demonstrated his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
JAMES 2:1-26
Equal treatment for all
1 My brothers, you who believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, never treat people differently because of their appearance. 2 For example, a man with gold rings and well-dressed enters your meeting, and another, poor and wearing old clothes, enters. 3 Let's say you treat the well-dressed better and say, “This is the best place; sit here", but they say to the poor man, "Stand up" or "Sit there on the floor, close to my feet." 4 Then you are making a difference among yourselves, and you are relying on bad motives to judge the worth of others.
5 Listen, my dear brothers! God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him. 6 Yet you despise the poor. Is it not the rich who exploit you and drag you off to be tried in the courts? 7 They are the ones who speak evil of the good name that God has given you.
8 If you obey the law of the Kingdom, you are doing what you must, for in the Holy Scriptures it is written: “Love others as you love yourself.” 9 But if you treat people by appearance, you are sinning, and the law condemns you as guilty. 10 For whoever breaks one commandment of the law is guilty of breaking all of them. 11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not kill.” Even if you do not commit adultery, you will be guilty of breaking the law if you kill yourself. 12Speak and live like people who will be judged by the law that gives us freedom. 13 When God judges, he will not show mercy to people who have not shown mercy to others. But people who had mercy on others will not be condemned on Judgment Day.
faith and action
14 My brethren, what good is it for someone to say that he has faith if it is not accompanied by actions? Can this faith save him? 15 For example, there may be brothers or sisters who need clothing and who have nothing to eat. 16 If you don't give them what they need to live, it's no use saying, “God bless you! Wear warm clothes and eat well.” 17 So faith is like this: if it is not accompanied by actions, it is dead.
18 But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have deeds.” And I answer, “Then show me how it is possible to have faith without it being accompanied by actions. I will show you my faith through my actions.” 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Excellent! Demons also believe and tremble in fear. 20 You fool! I will prove to you that faith without actions is worth nothing. 21 How was our ancestor Abraham accepted by God? That's what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 See how your faith and your actions worked together. Through your actions, your faith was made complete. 23 This is what the Holy Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and therefore God accepted him.” And Abraham was called "God's friend." 24 So you see that a person is accepted by God through his actions and not by faith alone.
25 This is what happened to Rahab the prostitute when she lodged the Israelite spies and helped them out of the city by another way. God accepted her for what she did.
26 Therefore, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is also dead.
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