So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. James 2:17-18TLV You see that a man is proved righteous by works and not by faith alone. James 2:24 TLV For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26 TLV The Merry-go-round that never stops in the larger "Christian" discussion ring "Faith and Works"! So above there we have several scriptures from James but let's see what Yeshua says on the topic in Matthew: Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, >>but he who does the will of My Father <<in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”- Matt. 7: 17-23 TLV Wow! So much depth in only a few paragraphs! Let's dig in y'all!
He said what He said. *mic drop* And in life this is just an obvious practical observation. We make such observations daily in recognition of the character of others. You see either "good fruit" or "bad fruit." The problem lies in the fact that people by and large do not see "themselves" as the problem. It is everyone else who should be judged. When you realize that He died and made the sacrifice for YOU because of YOUR LAWLESSNESS (sin). Then you begin to understand and have a new appreciation for the justice of Yah. As always let's recap what is "lawlessness" ie (sin)? Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. 1 JN 3:4 Quite simply: put your faith in action -> where your mouth is. If you have faith there will be "fruit" or proof to substantiate that faith. You will produce either good fruit of faith=OBEDIENCE or bad fruit of LAWLESSNESS. Those are the only 2 options. Yeshua Messiah said so. Thus those who desire to pick a fight can take it up with Him. On that day after Yeshua left the house, He was sitting by the sea. And large crowds gathered around Him; so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood on the shore. And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a sower went out to spread some seed. As he was scattering the seed, some seeds fell by the road; and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil. They sprang up immediately, because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched; and because they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew and choked them out. But others fell on good soil and were producing fruit. They yielded a crop—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears,let him hear.” Matt 13: 1-9 TLV If you love Me, you will keep My commandments- Yeshua (JN 14:15) TLV
He says, IF you love Me YOU WILL KEEP My commandments. LOVE=OBEDIENCE. Yah also knows the motives of the heart so producing the fruit in of itself doesn't earn brownie points. IF the motive of the heart is for selfish ambitions than those "works" are useless other than whatever earthly value they hold. And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full! But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt 6: 16-21 TLV Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the Good News which I proclaimed to you. You also received it, and you took your stand on it, and by it you are being saved if you hold firm to the word I proclaimed to you—unless you believed without proper consideration. For I also passed on to you first of all what I also received-- that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Kefa, then to the Twelve. 6 Then He appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time-- most of them are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then He appeared to Jacob, then to all the emissaries, 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He also appeared to me. 1 Cor 15: 1-8 TLV Now for this very reason, making every effort, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, love. 8 For if these qualities are in you and increasing, they keep you from becoming idle and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 9 But anyone who lacks these qualities is blind—nearsighted because he has forgotten his cleansing from past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make all the more effort to make your calling and election certain—for if you keep doing these things, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Messiah Yeshua, will be richly provided for you. 2 Pet 1: 5-10 TLV How do we do this? Yeshua taught as the living Word/Torah that the action of obedience to GOD is equivalent to LOVE. Because we do sin and transgress the Torah/law God again made provision to help us in our weaknesses: "Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah." 1 JN 3:4 God in His great mercy and compassion gave says: Ezekiel 36:26-27 Moreover I will give you a new heart. I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the stony heart from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Ruach (Spirit) within you. >>>>then I will cause you to walk in My laws, so you will KEEP My rulings and DO them. <<<<<
YHWH! {HalleluYah!!} Some may produce more than others, "a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty..." Bottom line is you will produce fruit from your faith.
No. It never says anywhere in there that they save you. But it DOES say numerous ways that if you have faith you will produce fruit/evidence of that faith in action and you are 'proved righteous by works and not by faith alone'-James 2:24 TLV: walk in His rulings, keep His Laws and DO THEM-Ezekiel 36:26. Straight quotation from scripture. “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one Love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up." Deut 6:4-7 TLV AMEN! Blessings and Shalom as you continue to "pursue the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua"-Phil 4:13 He is still doing the heavy lifting!
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