Justified by Faith vs Good Works

Why does there have to be a conflict between the two? It is clear from Paul that we are to be justified (made right with God) by our faith. Paul explains that we shall never get to God through our own toil. To do this we would have to be perfect - and which of us is perfect? So we are accepted by God for the same reason that Abraham was. Because we believe in Him and trust Him.

Some might interpret this as an excuse to do no good works.

If all I have to do is believe, then what's the point in being good also - ha ha I'll get to heaven just by believing!

But of course this is far from the truth. We do not do good works in order to win favour from God, we do them because once we have accepted the truth of Jesus we have to accept His teachings. And once we have accepted His teachings we have to act as He would want us to act.

The good works that we do are a natural consequence of our faith - they do not oppose our faith, they grow out of it.

God bless you - N

Believing you're a Prophet

It seems to me that there are three reasons that anyone would claim to be a prophet. In his epistle to the Corinthians, Paul tells us that it is good to have the gift of tongues, but that it is far better to be a Prophet. The reasons that anyone might claim to be a prophet now can be listed as follows:

1. They believe they are a prophet but are, in fact, deluded.
2. They do not actually believe they are a prophet but wish to convince others that they are.
3. They are a genuine prophet.

Those that fall into the first category are perhaps the most numerous. It is a feature of some types of mental illness that the patient becomes the 'center of their own world'. Because they are the most important thing in their world it seems natural to them that they are the bearer of God's message to all the other lesser folk. These people truly deserve our sympathy.

Those that fall into the second category are confidence tricksters. They claim to have the power of prophesy in order to line their own pockets. What sort of insane short-sighted behaviour! They risk the wrath of the Almighty for ephemeral fame and a few transient creature comforts.

I truly do not know if any of the third type exist. Does God even now send prophets to us? Have we been unable to hear Him for the last 2000 years, or has he simply been silent?

Perhaps having sent his Son he simply waits, and watches.

God bless - N