Salvation is by faith!

…or, is it?

I’m sure we’re all familiar with that famous quote from one of Paul’s writings that states we are saved by faith and NOT by works. While I agree with brother Paul TO AN EXTENT, I believe he was missing a vital part, a part I will attempt to show you by using both Scripture and non-Scripture.

First of all, are we saved by faith? Absolutely! Paul was not wrong there. Salvation comes by faith in Messiah and his death on the execution stake for our transgressions. As it is written:

Ephesians 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

While yes, we are saved by faith…is that all there is to it? Do we merely have to put our faith and trust in Messiah and instantly have our names written in the Book of Life? Or is there ANOTHER step?

There is. While we are saved by faith, works DO play a VERY big part in our salvation. Basically, we’re saved by faith but without works your faith is dead, and so are you. Ya’akov says it best:

Ya’akov (James) 2:14
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such "faith" able to save him?

Ya’akov 2:17
Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead.

Faith is worthless if not followed by actions. Our actions are to be those which please G-d. What actions please G-d? Messiah, who speaks on behalf of G-d, said this:

Yochanan (John) 14:15
If you love me, you will keep my commands…

What are Messiah’s commands?

Mark 12:29-31
Yeshua answered, The most important is, `Sh'ma Yisra'el, ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, O Isra'el, the L-RD our G-d, the L-RD is one], and you are to love ADONAI your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.' The second is this: `You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other mitzvah greater than these.

Love G-d with everything. Likewise, love your neighbor the same as you love yourself. Now, this is where conflict arises. Many believe that these two commands replace Torah, but this is not the case. Scripture supports this:

Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:17-18
Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened.

He didn't come to take away Torah. He DID come to strengthen it. Later on, in verses 19-20, Messiah clearly tells us to strive to continue in Torah observance, but to observe it the way he said: with all love for G-d, and with all love for our neighbors. He didn't replace Torah with those two laws, he just added to it.

You see, the Pharisees of the time observed Torah the wrong way. They paid full attention to the words of Torah, but the spirit of Torah was lost on them. So when Messiah came and gave those new commandments, he wasn't trying to replace Torah but EXPLAIN it. See, Torah is absolute law given from G-d Himself. Thus Messiah, being the Son of G-d and acting on G-d's behalf, would never replace it because even HE said that we wasn't replacing anything, and that Torah would endure until the end of time.

So the "new commandments" aren't really new at all. They were established when G-d gave Torah to Moshe. Messiah was just bringing them back into focus.

Torah is still just as valid today as it was when G-d gave it to Moshe, and it is valid to both Jew and Goy. TORAH is the “actions” that Ya’akov (James). TORAH is the commands that Messiah said we were to follow if we love him. TORAH is absolute Law from G-d, and without it, I would seriously pray that G-d has mercy on you.