Grace vs Works, the great controversy

                                    

Grace vs Works

Paul tells in Ephesians 2:8,9 By grace you have been saved, through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. 9 Not of works lest anyone should boast.

And we are saved through grace by faith. But remember that the most important fact to take from this scripture is that even our faith is a gift of God. Faith is the day you looked at the cross and took Christ as your savior. Grace is preeminent in every aspect.

So, I guess, since it is by grace through faith we made it, I will go to church on the holidays, respectively tithe through the envelope to the church. So I am now saved by grace, I can go do pretty much anything I want to do as long as I am following the commandments. Right? Hold it!

James tells us in chapter 2:20, 21 "But do what you want, O foolish man, for faith without works is dead."

So which is it? Are we saved by grace through faith? But James writes that works defines faith.

They are both right. As Ephesians states, we are saved by grace through faith, but James states you show your faith through works.

As a genuine christian, your faith produces works, you are a different person altogether. You now live by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. There is no law against these things.

So, Paul and James are both right. Paul tells us we are saved through our faith but James says that our faith produces good works.

Daniel