©2002 Charles Darby
Mat 23:2-3 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Many are taught, in this generation, that all we need is a positive confession to be saved. In saying this, the indication is that works are not important. Jesus says otherwise. He says “They say but do not do.” According to this there are still many Pharisees in the church. Many confess Jesus as their Savior but in deeds they deny Him.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
If we hear or read the Word of God and don't become a doer of it we deceive ourselves. Please note it's not the devil that deceives us; we deceive ourselves! God never commands us to do something we are not capable of. We can do all things through Jesus Christ. He is our ability!
James 2:17-18 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Dead faith won't produce anything but a stink! Some, who profess to be Christians, stink because their faith is dead! Their faith produces no deeds that show their faith is alive and well.
James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?
According to this dead faith will not save. I understand works do not save us but we are saved to do good works that glorify our Father in heaven. We must have active faith, not dead faith.
Mat 25:31-46 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Sheep or goats, which will it, be? Jesus determines who will be sheep and who will be goats. He will do the dividing. Please note how He makes the judgment, by their works. The goats only had a confession that produced no works. The sheep showed their faith by their works.
Are we sheep or goats?
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