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Are we saved by faith alone, by a one-time confession of Christ as our personal Lord and Savior? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that In faith, the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace: Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace” (CCC 155) However, the only place where faith alone is addressed is where it is flatly rejected, in James 2:24, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Scripture shows quite clearly and repeatedly that, while faith is of primary importance, we must show that our faith is that which is working in love (Gal 5:6) Mt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Mt 5:19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mt 7:1 Judge not, that you be not judged. Mt 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few Mt 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Mt 7:21 "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Mt 7:26-27 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it. Mt 10:22 But he who endures to the end will be saved Mt 10:38 and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me Mt 10:42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. Mt 12:30 and he who does not gather with me scatters Mt 12:32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Mt 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; Mt 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." Mt 13:2-23 The parable of the sower: “As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." Mt 13:30 at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. Mt 13:47-48 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. Mt 13:49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, Mt 16:27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done Mt 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Mt 19:17 If you would enter life, keep the commandments." Mt 19:20-21 "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Mt 20:1-16 The parable of the laborers Mt 21:19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. Mt 22:1-14 The parable of the wedding guest: “For many are called, but few are chosen." Mt 23:12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted Mt 24:13 But he who endures to the end will be saved. Mt 24:48-51 The parable of the wicked servant: “But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” Mt 25:1-13 The parable of the foolish virgins Mt 25:14-19 The parable of the talents Mt 25:31-46 The parable of the sheep and the goats 1 Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. 1 Cor 4:4-5 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God. 1 Cor 4:16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me 1 Cor 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Cor 9:25 exercises self-control in all things 1 Cor 9:27 but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Cor 10:6 Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. 1 Cor 10:12 Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 Cor 2:9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything 2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body. 2 Cor 6:1 Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 Cor 10:6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete 2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Rom 2:4 Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Rom 2:5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. Rom 2:6-8 For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. Rom 2:10 but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good Rom 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions Rom 7:4 Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. Rom 11:22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off. Rom 12 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law Rom 13:13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ Gal 6:3 For if any one thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Eph 5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. Eph 6:5-6 , be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Phil 1:6 And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Eph 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, Eph 3:10-12 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own Eph 3:16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Eph 4:1 Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. 1 Thess 3:8 for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 1 Thess 4:1 Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. 1 Thess 5:6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 1 Thess 5:15 but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 2 Thess 1:8 inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 2 Thess 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 2 Thess 3:10 when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat. 1 Tim 4:7 Train yourself in godliness; 1 Tim 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God James 1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing. James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead. James 3:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. 1 Peter 1:9 As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls 1 Peter 1:14-15 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 1 Peter 2:12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:16 Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. 1 Peter 4:10 As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. 2 Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 2 Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. |