Do I have enough “heaven points”?

This seems to be a popular misunderstanding of how salvation works.  It is even more confusing since the book of James speaks of faith and works in a way that can be viewed with a quick look as speaking of works being required for salvation.  That is far from the truth of the matter.  James and Paul both agree that Faith is by grace and that because of that grace you exhibit that sanctified status by works.  Jesus said you will know them by their fruit (Matt. 7:16, 7:20).  In this case, he was speaking from the other side in that you will know false prophets and teachers. Matthew 7:17 indicates he means it in reciprocation, too.  We have phrases like “walk the walk” and “actions speak louder than words”.  That is exactly what James is talking about.  You can believe and have faith but true faith will exhibit itself through the fruit that you produce.  Fruit is obviously being used metaphorically.

Even the exhibition of “fruit” is a source of consternation for believers because it is easy to talk yourself into “not doing enough”.  Remember that the Holy Spirit convicts, it does not condemn.  It will speak to you in a direct way, not in vagaries.  If you are doing something that needs correcting, you’ll know exactly what it is and what needs to be done.  “You aren’t doing enough” isn’t the Holy Spirit convicting you.  Beyond that, we have a nice list of the fruit of the spirit.  Just because you haven’t happened to have sold all your belongings and build an orphanage, doesn’t mean you do not have fruit from the spirit.  Unfortunately this guilt tripping is engaged in a great deal from the pulpits.  It gives rise to the idea that the church is only after your money.  There should be no need to guilt anyone into doing righteous works, if the Spirit is in you, you will want to do them anyway.

Another source of the confusion about faith and works comes from the fact that just about all religions in the world are based on a works-to-salvation model.  That is to say there is some thing you must do to appease an angry god and win his favor.  The truth of the matter is, you can’t do anything to deserve salvation.  Your good outweighing the bad will never work.  It says in James, if you break one law of God, you broke them all.  If you break any law, you are a sinner and therefore subject to eternal death (not annihilation, eternal damnation).  This isn’t because God is a meanie and wants to put you in hell.  It is because you choose it.  How do you choose it you ask?  By hearing the word, and deciding not to follow Jesus anyway.  See, God did all the work necessary for the justification of man.  He came to earth, died and was raised up again.  He paid the price necessary for justification.  Believing in him (Jesus) keeping his commandments because you love him, that is the key to salvation.  You are justified by that one act of believing.  When you do that in all sincerity your behavior changes and the results of that changed behavior is the fruit or works spoken of by James.  There are no ‘heaven points’ to collect.  Doing a ritual every day doesn’t earn you anything.  If it helps you maintain your faith, that’s great, but the ritual itself does nothing.  The same applies to going to a particular church on a regular basis.  It is a good idea to do so, but that in itself does nothing to gain you salvation (except perhaps in the fact that it allows you to hear the word and through hearing believe etc. etc.).  Singing a particular song, or bowing at particular places during sermons, none of these things do anything for your justification.  Jesus did it all already. 

Totelesti – it means “paid in full”.  It is what Jesus said on the cross (translated in English bibles as “it is finished”).  The wages of sin is death and that wage has been paid already.  Follow Jesus; accept him into your life (today preferably).  His yoke is easy.  He is not a harsh task master.