works is mentioned as a by-product. not a pre-requisite.
i was just musing about love. if you will read 1 corinthians
13
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of
men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong
or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of
prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and
surrender my body to the flames,[b] but
have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not
rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,
they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For
we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but
when perfection comes, the imperfect
disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a
child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I put childish ways behind
me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a
mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I
shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
like chin eng and i said. faith in Christ leads to salvation,
which leads to love for God and love for others, which leads to
good works.
without the love of God, you won't be able to produce good works
(which is still filthy rags to God). so what if u can speak in
tongues of men and angels, or prophesy, or huge faith, if you don't
have love, it is worthless, it is nothing, it is hollow. without
love, all good works are hollow shells of pretentiousness. and love
only comes from salvation, if you have salvation already, from true
faith.
it's just my own musing, correct me if you feel that i've mused
incorrectly
No where do I see anything that explains why faith (unproven yet
with works) can saves.
In fact, it echoes my feelings that if there is no love (shown
by works), one can claim anything they want.....that they are saved
whatever....it means nothing. As I mentioned earlier, to do good
work is to love God - not hair splitting moments.
Anyway, that's your contention which is fine with me. I am just
wondering and still wondering why faith (unproven yet) can saves
when we all agreed before that only true faith in Christ (that is
proven by works) can saves....Perhaps, I'll never get any
answer...
For me, I believed that I am saved in hope (by the grace of God)
and have started the process of salvation by God when I profess my
faith. In the end on judgement day, I will be judged based on my
works as Jesus spelt out in the last judgement and complete my
salvation.
I strive to live my Christian life loving God and in the end, I
hoped to be able to say : "I have fought the good fight to the end;
I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith;" as Paul
said in 2Timothy 4:7. Kept my faith with my love for God (good
works) to show and proved. It's not lips service or unproven faith
....... that saves me but my true faith in Christ.
