Jesus said in Luke 6:46-50 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:22-23
Salvation is not a license to sin. Do not use the grace of God for evil.
Those who declare that they are eternally secure and then go out and continue to sin on purpose in any manner they so choose are not saved (to begin with) since this is contradictory to what Scripture teaches. 1 John 2:4 says, “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
“…I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:18
Our faith is invisible and can only be expressed outwardly to man by our works. We do not work for our salvation – faith that is not accompanied by works is not living faith. Abraham showed his faith by his work of offering up his son. (God stopped Abraham in time and the test’s for Abraham to know without a shadow of doubt that he believed and trusted God and among others – for us to see Abraham’s faith’s, as shown by his action). True faith it is alive, all works are acts of faith which one must possess beforehand. Actions are a result of what we believe, James 2:18 is saying show me what you believe.
Good works comes from being in Christ, good works do not put us in Christ. We are not justified before God from the works we do. Our works have no merit before God for salvation. We are not doing good works to earn salvation and be created in Christ; we are doing good works because we are already “in Christ.”
“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5
The Bible makes the point time and again that man does not earn his salvation as its origin is found in God who saved us – salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. There is nothing we can do to merit salvation.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9
In the light of the aforesaid, let us pay heed again to….Those who declare that they are eternally secure and then go out and continue to sin on purpose in any manner they so choose are not saved (to begin with) since this is contradictory to what Scripture teaches. 1 John 2:4 says, “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”