One thing that was hard for me to grasp was the fact that we simply are not good enough to work our way to heaven and no matter what we do it was not good enough to get to heaven, it is all by the grace of God we are saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
So as soon as I finally get a handle on it all God and by his grace I am saved and I can not work my way into heaven along comes faith without works is dead
James 2:26
. if you receive grace it changes you, once you become born again you will produce fruit (works). So born again Christians will produce works not because they have to, but because that's what they do. Jesus tells us these works if done in the right frame of mind and I have to believe most who are born again will do them in the right frame of mind will bring eternal rewards that will last forever.
Matthew 6:1-4
Colossians 3:23-24
Matthew 16:27
Matthew 25:21
so for the most part there seems to be a direct relationship between works and salvation, but understanding works has nothing to do with salvation is the important point to grasp, further more salvation does produce works, but works does not produce salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
So as soon as I finally get a handle on it all God and by his grace I am saved and I can not work my way into heaven along comes faith without works is dead
James 2:26
. if you receive grace it changes you, once you become born again you will produce fruit (works). So born again Christians will produce works not because they have to, but because that's what they do. Jesus tells us these works if done in the right frame of mind and I have to believe most who are born again will do them in the right frame of mind will bring eternal rewards that will last forever.
Matthew 6:1-4
Colossians 3:23-24
Matthew 16:27
Matthew 25:21
so for the most part there seems to be a direct relationship between works and salvation, but understanding works has nothing to do with salvation is the important point to grasp, further more salvation does produce works, but works does not produce salvation.