Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Works?

Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Works?
Author: Alan P. Stanley
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 515
Release: 2006-09-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1498276393

Jesus teaches that regardless of one's profession, if one does not demonstrate a changed life produced by God, one will not enter into heaven. Such a judgment will be made when Jesus returns and judges every person according to his or her "works." While this may seem contradictory to some more well-known passages ruling out the role of works in salvation (e.g., Rom 3:21-4:25; Gal 2:16-21; Eph 2:8-9), there is every good reason to understand that Jesus' teachings complement such passages. The works that admit one into heaven are not works produced by the flesh before conversion but works produced by God after conversion. They will fundamentally be characterized by a life of discipleship, love for others, and endurance in faith and obedience, and will therefore serve to confirm that one indeed did have a relationship with God during one's life.

Faith Alone---The Doctrine of Justification

Faith Alone---The Doctrine of Justification
Author: Thomas R. Schreiner
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2015-09-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310515793

Renowned biblical scholar Thomas Schreiner looks at the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine of justification and offers an updated defense of this pillar of Reformed theology. Reinvigorating one of the five great declarations of the Reformation—sola fide—Schreiner: Summarizes the history of the doctrine, looking at the early church and the writings of several of the Reformers. Walks readers through an examination of the key biblical texts in the Old and New Testament that support the Reformed understanding of justification. Discusses whether justification is transformative or forensic and introduces readers to some of the contemporary challenges to the Reformation teaching of sola fide, with particular attention to the new perspective on Paul. Five hundred years after the Reformation, the doctrine of justification by faith alone still needs to be understood and proclaimed. In Faith Alone you will learn how the rallying cry of “sola fide” is rooted in the Scriptures and how to understand this doctrine in a fresh way. —THE FIVE SOLAS— Historians and theologians have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations, often referred to as the "solas." These five statements summarize much of what the Reformation was about, and they distinguish Protestantism from other expressions of the Christian faith: that they place ultimate and final authority in the Scriptures, acknowledge the work of Christ alone as sufficient for redemption, recognize that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and seek to do all things for God’s glory. The Five Solas Series is more than a simple rehashing of these statements, but instead expounds upon the biblical reasoning behind them, leading to a more profound theological vision of our lives and callings as Christians and churches.

Living in the Balance of Grace and Faith

Living in the Balance of Grace and Faith
Author: Andrew Wommack
Publisher: Destiny Image Publishers
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2011-06-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1680313967

Popular Bible teacher and host of the Gospel Truth broadcast, Andrew Wommack takes on one of the biggest controversies of the church, the freedom of God's grace verses the faith of the believer. Wommack reveals that God's power is not released from only grace or only faith. God's blessings come through a balance of both grace and...

Hard to Believe

Hard to Believe
Author: John F. MacArthur
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2006-01-08
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1418513601

Jesus Christ did not die on the cross so you and I could have a nice day. Ministers and teachers who water down the gospel of Christ in order to make it more popular and appealing may be leading their fun-loving audiences down the road to eternal punishment. This book is John MacArthur's unflinching, unapologetic treatise on the modern tendency to alter the true message of Christianity in order to meet the whims and desires of a culture hoping for nonconfrontational messages, easy answers, and superficial commitments. Too many people just want a Madison Avenue Jesus to make them well, make them happy, and make them prosperous. But Jesus Christ isn't a personal genie. He is the Savior. He died in agony to satisfy the wrath of a holy God and to forgive the sins of humankind. Faith in Him demands a willingness to make any sacrifice He asks. The hard truth about Christianity is that the cost is high, but the rewards are priceless: abundant and eternal life that comes only from faithfully follwing Christ.

Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Works?

Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Works?
Author: Alan P. Stanley
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 437
Release: 2006-09-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1597526800

This book investigates the role of works in salvation in the Synoptic Gospels. Jesus was all too aware of people who claimed to believe in Him and yet proved to be not truly born again (e.g., John 2:23-25; 8:31-46). A profession of faith made at some point during one's life is no guarantee that heaven awaits that person. Such professions or conversion experiences must be followed by changed lives if faith is to be shown to be genuine saving faith. Hence Jesus teaches that regardless of one's profession, if one does not demonstrate a changed life produced by God, one will not enter into heaven. Such a judgment will be made when Jesus returns and judges every person according to his or her works. While this may seem contradictory to some more well-known passages ruling out the role of works in salvation (e.g., Rom 3:21-4:25; Gal 2:16-21; Eph 2:8-9), there is every good reason to understand that Jesus' teachings complement such passages. The works that admit one into heaven are not works produced by the flesh before conversion but works produced by God after conversion. They will fundamentally be characterized by a life of discipleship, love for others, and endurance in faith and obedience, and will therefore serve to confirm that one indeed did have a relationship with God during one's life. Hence Jesus did teach salvation by works. However God is the one who produces the works and they occur after conversion. Thus salvation is not one's initial conversion but one's final entrance into heaven.

The Faith of Jesus Christ

The Faith of Jesus Christ
Author: Richard B. Hays
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2002
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780802849571

In this important study Hays argues against the mainstream that any attempt to account for the nature and method of Paul's theological language must first reckon with the centrality of narrative elements in his thought. Through an in-depth investigation of Galatians 3:1-4:11, Hays shows that the framework of Paul's thought is neither a system of doctrines nor his personal religious experience but the "sacred story" of Jesus Christ.

The Drama of Salvation

The Drama of Salvation
Author: Jimmy Akin
Publisher: Catholic Answers Press
Total Pages:
Release: 2015-04-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781941663127

Where Will You Spend Eternity? The drama of salvation involves every man, woman, and child on earth. In this life, all of us are suspended between heaven and hell. Few people understand what Jesus did or how it affects us. Worse yet, there are endless squabbles between Christians of different persuasions, leading to confusion on a massive scale. In this book, Jimmy Akin uses his expertise in Scripture and Church teaching to cut through the confusion and provide clear answers on important issues like: What we need to do to be saved Whether salvation is a one-time event or a process Whether penance is part of God's plan What indulgences are How faith and works relate What the Church teaches about justification How far apart Protestants and Catholics are on this question Whether you have to be a Catholic (or a Christian) to be saved No other book takes on these questions with the clarity and precision that Akin brings to them and the answer will affect you and those you love . . . forever.

What Jesus Demands from the World

What Jesus Demands from the World
Author: John Piper
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 402
Release: 2006
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1581348452

for every healthy tree bears good fruit --; Demand #28 : love your enemies--lead them to the truth --; Demand #29 : love your enemies--pray for those who abuse you --; Demand #30 : love your enemies--do good to those who hate you, give to the one who asks --; Demand #31 : love your enemies to show that you are children of God --; Demand #32 : love your neighbor as yourself,

Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart

Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart
Author: J.D. Greear
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2013-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433679183

“If there were a Guinness Book of World Records entry for ‘amount of times having prayed the sinner’s prayer,’ I’m pretty sure I’d be a top contender,” says pastor and author J. D. Greear. He struggled for many years to gain an assurance of salvation and eventually learned he was not alone. “Lack of assurance” is epidemic among evangelical Christians. In Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, J. D. shows that faulty ways of present- ing the gospel are a leading source of the confusion. Our presentations may not be heretical, but they are sometimes misleading. The idea of “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Jesus” often gives false assurance to those who are not saved—and keeps those who genuinely are saved from fully embracing that reality. Greear unpacks the doctrine of assurance, showing that salvation is a posture we take to the promise of God in Christ, a posture that begins at a certain point and is maintained for the rest of our lives. He also answers the tough questions about assurance: What exactly is faith? What is repentance? Why are there so many warnings that seem to imply we can lose our salvation? Such issues are handled with respect to the theological rigors they require, but Greear never loses his pastoral sensitivity or a communication technique that makes this message teachable to a wide audience from teens to adults.

The Cross and Salvation (Hardcover)

The Cross and Salvation (Hardcover)
Author: Bruce Demarest
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 546
Release: 2006-08-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433519577

With America's confidence in the Bible at an all-time low and the strength of her spiritual convictions waning, it is essential for Christians—especially Christian leaders—to be well-grounded in biblical theology. To have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the key doctrines of evangelicalism. In response, professor and award-winning author Bruce Demarest has made plain God's glorious plan of salvation, his provision for the human dilemma through Christ's work on the cross, and the application of saving grace to unbelievers. Demarest's unique approach defines each topic, identifies its most pressing issues, examines the ways in which the doctrine has been understood historically, and interprets the Bible's revelation. The result is a clear and carefully constructed doctrinal statement that you can defend, live out, and communicate to others. This singular, comprehensive treatment of one of Christianity's essential doctrines gives definitive, Bible-based answers about salvation and the cross— and about related theological issues such as grace and regeneration. It's perfect for clarifying your theology and gaining deep understanding of this foundational theme. Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.