Faith and Works

Ahounsi Omage

15 mins

GRACE, SALVATION, FAITH, WORKS, AND REWARD.
Someone ask the questions:
"Do we earn reward by works or is our salvation by Grace?
Is this to teach people to store up good deeds or to repent and accept Christ??"
Let's start with Salvation.
Salvation is by grace, this grace is available to all men because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. The Lamb of GOD was slain to reconcile us to GOD by His blood. The spotless sinless blood of Jesus Christ has paid for all the sins of mankind.
OK, this grace that brings salvation is available to all men, then are all men saved?
The LORD would have all men to be saved, but salvation is not by force. The grace of God is available for all men to have their sins forgiven, but shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Grace makes it possible to receive salvation and every man is free to accept Jesus Christ and Repent from sin!
Repentance is a personal choice, it is a must for salvation.
Repentance is Not when you cry tears of sorrow for sinful works... though conviction of sin and a broken spirit is the beginning - actual repentance is when you stop the ungodly life style and CHANGE...!
Repentance is a U-turn from following this world of sin to following Jesus Christ the Son of GOD Almighty ELOHIM.
When you continue to follow the instructions of Jesus Christ in humble submission - you become CONVERTED: you must deny yourself to become converted to Christ. You must continue to study GOD's word and pray everyday to be transformed into Christ. Also ask the Holy Ghost to come and lead your every step, you can not succeed without the Holy Ghost, the Word of GOD, and grace through the Blood of Jesus.
A man who repents and truly follows Jesus Christ does not need to make an announcement of his faith - the change shall be obvious.
Again, salvation is by grace, this grace is available to all men because of the finished work of Christ, but grace does not earn you a reward in Heaven. The grace of GOD that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us to repent from all ungodliness and to be zealous for good works: good works is the proof of your faith, your good works pleases the LORD and earns you everlasting reward in heaven. If you do not follow The LORD in His good works, then you disobey your LORD, disobedience is unbelief. Without obedience the grace of God is not profitable to you.
" For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. "
Titus 2:11-14.
"For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
"So I swore in My wrath,
'They shall not enter My rest,'"
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest."
Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience."
Heb 4:2-6.
Grace is not blind.
Behold! The disobedient ones shall not enter His rest, even though the work of salvation was finished from the foundation of the world through the blood of Christ.
The grace of GOD that brings salvation has appeared to All Men, but every man must make a choice to receive Jesus Christ the Son of GOD, to obey GOD the Father, and to repent from all ungodliness and worldly lusts, theft, pride, hate, fornications, lies, and all sin, and be converted to good works.
REWARDS.
There are reward levels in Heaven by the good works for those who overcome; there are crowns, mansions, thrones, stars, and so on. Not everyone gets a crown, not everybody gets mansions, not everybody gets a throne, and so on: - it depends on your service and dedication to the LORD and your obedience to HIS Will, your show of Love, and your strive to prosper HIS Kingdom in spirit and in truth.
Certainly those who keep HIS commandments shall receive their reward, and also those who disobey and do wickedness shall also get their just reward - the reward is always multiplied, be it for good or evil. Every deed done in this world shall be exposed before the whole creation on the last Day, there shall be no where to hide, and it is written - every man shall give account - even for every idle word.
Do not be deceived by hyper grace doctrines - grace is not blind - there is a difference between those who only believe in Christ and those who believe and are followers of Christ.
Every Christian is responsible to do good works after accepting Jesus the Lord, and there are books of record kept in heaven, those who do not continue in the steps of The Son Of GOD are not His true disciples, and they are cutoff.

" Therefore consider the goodness and severity of GOD: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, Goodness, IF you continue in His goodness. Otherwise You Also Will Be Cut Off.
And they also, IF they Do Not continue in Unbelief, will be grafted in, for GOD is able to graft them in again. "
Rom 11:22-23.
" Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "IF you abide in MY Word, you are MY disciples indeed."
John 8:31.
" And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."
Rev 20:!2.
Know ye today - that by your works shall your judgment and reward be weighed, be it for good or for evil, for everlasting life or for everlasting destruction.
Yes you are saved by grace and justified by faith, but faith is justified by works. Without good works there is no proof of your faith in God, and without faith no man can please the LORD.
Behold, the works that you do are the fruits that you bear.
And "every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Therefore, be wise and bear good fruits, do good works, to show His grace in your life and prove your faith in Him.
Yes! Again, it is written - we are justified by faith...! Faith...!!
But why do you refuse to See that Faith without Works is dead...?!
Faith is Dead...!! Without works.
Without faith it is impossible to please the LORD. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you must continue in His good works, your good fruit is the proof of the faith that pleases the LORD; if you draw back from good deeds then you deceive yourself and your faith is False - and the LORD shall have no pleasure in you.
Now you profess to have the spirit of faith. Which faith?
The spirit of faith is not wicked, the spirit of faith is not harsh, the spirit of faith is not greed, the spirit of faith is not pride: therefore which spirit is at work in you?! Only to puff with your mouth??!
Because the spirit of faith is LOVE, Compassion, Humility, and Service.
" Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him."
Heb 10:38.
" What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. "
James 2:14-17.
" A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Matt 7:18-20.
The LORD remembers your good deeds, every slice of bread, yard of cloth, cup of water, care or medicine that you give the needy shall be rewarded when the book of remembrance are opened. And every commandment of Love you obey shall surely be rewarded.
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matt 5:14-16.

"... Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, Storing Up For Themselves A Good Foundation For The Time To Come, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life. "
1 Tim 6:18-19.
" For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. "
Matt 16:27.
" For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. "
Eph 2:10.
" But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High."
Luke 6:35.

GOLDEN LETTERS:
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand,'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Matt 25:31-46.
"He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
"And behold, I Am Coming quickly, and MY Reward is with ME, to give to every one according to his work."
Rev 22:11-12.

Therefore follow in the good works of Christ, that His grace shall be profitable to others through you - this proves your faith, by so you shall please the LORD.
Faith is the substance of your hope in glory, the evidence of things not seen. Ask yourself today - what is the substance and evidence of my walk with Christ Jesus?
is it the pride in my local church or denomination?
is it the arrogance in my fame and legacy in this world??
is it my wealth and prosperity?
is it in my ego, authority and power???
Let Love and humility that translates to sincere compassion, charity, service, and obedience to God's commandments be your desire as a follower of Christ - and your reward shall be great in Eternal glory as you are zealous to good works.
Again, we know that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; but grace is not blind. You must know, o man, that you are called unto good works.
Continue to spread the good news. Love.
Amen.
REPENT AND BE CONVERTED!
THE KING IS COMING.