Friday, January 13, 2012

JUSTIFIED BY WORKS?



“Justification is a word used in the Scriptures to mean that in Christ we are forgiven and actually made righteous in our living. Justification is not a once-for-all, instantaneous pronouncement guaranteeing eternal salvation, regardless of how wickedly a person might live from that point on. Neither is it merely a legal declaration that an unrighteous person is righteous. Rather, justification is a living, dynamic, day-to-day reality for the one who follows Christ. The Christian actively pursues a righteous life in the grace and power of God granted to all who continue to believe in Him.”

Bishop Alexander of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
http://www.fatheralexander.org/


"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27

"I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37

"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done." Matthew 16:27

"'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.'" Matthew 19:17

"Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:10-20

“Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' “They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:41-46

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

"But He answered and said to them, 'My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.'" Luke 8:21


"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?' He answered: ' "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"' and, '"Love your neighbor as yourself." ''You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.'" Luke 10:25-28

"And will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." John 5:29

"First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Acts 26:20

"For he will repay according to each one's deeds. To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; for it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified." Romans 2:6-7, 13

“This will take place on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all." Romans 2:16

"A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7b-9

"Circumcision means nothing and uncircumicsion means nothing; what matters is keeping God's commandments." 1 Corinthians 7: 19

"And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2-3

"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

"For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done of the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10

"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, For God is one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work." Philippians 2:12-13

"Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you." 1 Timothy 4:16


"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Timothy 6:18-19

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

"... What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2 (excerpted)

"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." James 2:24

"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard." 1 John 2:3-7

"Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds." Revelation 2:23

"Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.’" Revelation 14:12-13

"All the dead were judged according to their deeds." Revelation 20:13

"Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds." Revelation 22:12

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