Falling Away – Faith, Works and The Law are Inseparably Linked

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I've spent my life in the Protestant church and for most of my life I was asleep spiritually. This is my fault…not the churches. About 5 years ago, God shook me and woke me up and started leading me down the path of Bible prophecy and ultimately on a quest for Truth. He also led me and my family toward an excellent gospel preaching bible church. This was a powerful move by The Lord which helped further awaken me and my family. This church preaches the powerful message of grace, love and salvation brilliantly and correctly with no doctrinal flaws that I ever noticed. Since I have been on a quest for Truth I couldn't help but notice that the only message this church teaches is variants of grace, love and salvation. This started to disturb me as I see that there are MANY other topics in the Bible that apply today. I am particularly disturbed that it is easy to walk away from this sort of church with the sense that my part is largely done once I say yes to Jesus. I'm oversimplifying somewhat but don't works matter somehow? Did the Law really fade into the sunset with Jesus first advent? The modern American tells us works are for spiritual growth and that bad old law brings condemnation. Are they right?

I believe these are incredibly important questions as I believe that correct but incomplete teachings are a type of false teaching that absolutely dominates the American church today. We must remember that the reason God brought national judgement on Israel is because they fell away and I believe this nation is staring Divine Judgement right in the face for the same reason.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The above passage from Ephesians is often referenced to support the idea that works exist for spiritual development. I completely agree but I believe there is a bigger reason why works are important which James sums up well

James 2:21-24 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

And then James seals it.

James 2:26 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Did I read all of this correctly? It sounds like James is saying that the saving faith in Jesus is dead without works that testify to that faith. Actually that is exactly what James is saying. Notice also that Abraham was justified by works. We will come back to this point. Does anyone else write about the importance of works?

In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus is quite clear about the importance of works that testify to faith. Works is the first thing He commends a church for and the first thing He rebukes a church for being weak at.

Revelation 3:7-8 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

The Faithful Church 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

In verse 8, Jesus primarily commends works. He doesn't even mention faith. Let's take a look at another couple of letters.

Revelation 2:1-2 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

Once again, works are commended first and faith is not even mentioned. Let's look at one more.

Revelation 2:18-19 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.

In this case, works are commended as is faith but works are commended first. In all seven of these letters, works are commended first unless there are no works in which case the lack of works is the first thing rebuked. Let's take a look at what the author of Hebrews says about faith and works.

Hebrews 11:7-10 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Faithful Abraham 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Notice that in this passage both Abraham and Noah demonstrated their faith in God through their works in obedience to God. The author of Hebrews goes on below.

Hebrews 11:17-34 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Verse 32 above really summarizes the entire passage. The patriarchs, prophets and righteous kings of old demonstrated their faith through their works in obedience to The Lord. So what does the New Testament say about obedience to The Lord?

Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The greatest commandment is to love The Lord with everything we are. How do we do this?

John 14:15 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

Jesus Promises Another Helper 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:23-24 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

If we love Jesus, and that is the great commandment, we will keep His word and commandments. Seems pretty simple. Is He only referring to His commandments in the New Testament (remember, Jesus is God in the flesh who was ever present in the Old Testament as well).

Matthew 5:17-19 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Apparently, The law will not pass until heaven and earth pass. Am I understanding this correctly? Is the law still active today? Is this stated anywhere else in the New Testament?

1 John 3:24 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Revelation 14:12 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I've just spent a lot of time getting to this summary statement. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ as demonstrated through our works in accordance with Gods commandments. All of this is inseparably linked.

Do we hear this in church today? For the most part, we do not. Over hundreds of years, the easy parts of the Bible have slowly supplanted the tougher parts of the Bible to the point that we now have a watered down gospel. Now the church has lost its voice because we don't know how important it is to obey God. Ancient Israel fell in to divine judgement when this happened. Is America moving in the same direction? We are to worship God in spirit and truth and I believe we are missing a huge portion of truth. As such, America could be facing divine judgement as a result. We have lost our voice. Now we kill millions of innocents and sexual immorality and idolatry (materialism) run rampant. Our nation has become an enemy to Israel. As Divine response, we see a police state emerging, open borders with gangs, jihadists and all sorts of diseases coming across. I could write an entire article…probably an entire book on the topic of the field being set for judgement on this nation. It might even be too late to avoid judgement but God gives us a path for national healing.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV Strong's Bible)

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

“My people” is us! Gods people must come to Him in humility, repent and change our ways on a large scale.

Please take this message to heart and seek Gods face as a part this national repentance. Ask God what He wants you to do and obey when He responds. Do this everyday and listen to that tiny voice inside of you. Study the full counsel of scripture on your own so that you understand Gods weightier commandments that are already written down for us and obey them.

I hope this message has been a blessing to you.

God bless you.