If one does not see and understand the two primary ways in which God has divided His word then they will not understand the discussion concerning the nation Israel and their “faith that works.”
Too often we see this discussion presented as “faith plus works” (or “faith + works”) and that is incorrect. There is a principle within the Bible that we need to establish very early:
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
Salvation has always come by faith. A sinner is forgiven and accepted by God only through faith, no matter which dispensation or age they are living within. What the Bible presents to us, however, is that in Times Past, a person had to prove their faith by their works. This will again hold true within the Ages to Come, while the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached during Daniel’s 70th Week (Mt 24:14). Within our current age (the But Now portion of God’s timeline), we are saved by believing the Gospel of the Grace of God and we are saved by faith alone:
Most of Christendom lacks a thorough appreciation for just how different the Dispensation of the Grace of God (the But Now age, Eph 3:2) is from other dispensations recorded within the Bible. We, members of the Body of Christ, are accepted in Jesus Christ because, by amazing grace, He paid the full price of our redemption. Jesus purchased our freedom from the bondage and the curse of sin. We are instructed to have faith alone, without works, and we are not under the Law (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 6:14). That is unique to the age of grace and it needs to be better understood and appreciated by those who call themselves Christians.
Along with an insufficient understanding of just how amazing God’s grace is today, the majority of Christendom lacks a proper understanding of Times Past / But Now / Ages to Come, Prophecy vs. Mystery, Israel vs. the Body of Christ, and the Gospel of the Kingdom vs. the Gospel of the Grace of God. The Gospel of the Kingdom required works to prove faith. Within our current dispensation, the apostle Paul said:
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:5
A member of the Body of Christ is justified instantly by faith without works. In other dispensations, God tells man, “if you have faith this is what you will do.” That occurred in Times Past and it will occur again in the Ages to Come. The works, however, never save in and of themselves. It is impossible for God to save a sinner by works of their own. God has never, and He will never, accept the works of sinful flesh:
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:63
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans 7:18
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:8
A man cannot earn everlasting life from God because he works for it. There is no way that sinful flesh can do a work that God will accept and save that person by. If that was possible, then we must ask, “why did Jesus Christ die on the Cross?” Salvation is always through faith and Hebrews chapter 11 shows us that the common item that pleases God is faith. While reading the “Hall of Faith” that is Hebrews chapter 11, however, we must take notice that within every example that the Holy Spirit provides us, the person being mentioned did something to demonstrate their faith. We must also understand who the book of Hebrews is written to and who the book of Hebrews is written about. The book of Hebrews is not written to the Body of Christ and no example from within the Dispensation of the Grace of God is provided within the book of Hebrews. Each example provided within Hebrews chapter 11 is outside of the Dispensation of the Grace of God and is found in Times Past.
Understand that it is impossible to please God without faith. Faith is believing what God says. So if God tells a man to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), that is what faith will do. The man of faith obeys. The Bible tells us of many men and women of faith, but what they knew and believed was different between each man and woman, based upon God’s progressive revelation. Under the Gospel of the Kingdom water baptism was required as an expression of repentance and faith. If God requires works, real faith will seek to do those works.
Understanding “faith that works” in that light helps us to understand the book of James:
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2:24
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
James 2:22
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20
The epistle that James wrote is part of the “Hebrew Epistles” found in Hebrews through Revelation. These Hebrew Epistles can also be labeled as Tribulation Epistles because they are instruction for believing Israel, the remnant of Israel, the Little Flock (Lk 12:32), the Kingdom church of Matthew 16 and Acts 2 that must endure the seven-year Tribulation Period. This puts the epistle of James squarely in the Ages to Come portion of Scripture and is therefore not instruction for the member of the Body of Christ.
When God reveals instructions to someone, the person of faith will do what God tells them to do. Under the Kingdom Program, faith is made perfect by works. No one is ever saved on the basis of works. If anyone is ever saved on the basis of their works then they have earned their salvation. As an example, we can look at Noah. If Noah had answered God in Genesis 6 with, “I believe you God, that a flood is coming, but I don’t feel like building an Ark,” would that not represent an incomplete faith? A second example for us to consider: If a Jew had said to John the Baptist, “John, I believe your preaching, but I don’t feel like getting water baptized,” would that not be a clear demonstration that that person did not have the required faith under the Gospel of the Kingdom? Let us remember what is stated in Luke chapter 7:
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Luke 7:29-30
The basis of salvation in every age is the blood of Christ. Without the blood of Christ, nobody could be saved. There is no redemption without the blood of Christ. The condition for salvation in every age is faith. Faith is believing God:
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:3-5
The object for salvation is what we are supposed to believe, the word of God. Understand, however, that the content of faith is not the same message in every age. Salvation is not exactly the same within every dispensation. There are dispensational differences, but essentially, salvation is always through faith. The results of faith are not the same in every age because God has not given believers in every age the same position, the same blessings, the same destiny. Let’s take a deeper dive by looking at the predominant way in which the apostle Paul tells us we are to divide the word of truth and let’s examine what God’s instructions are during each of those ages:
TIMES PAST
Not all salvation talk within the Old Testament is regarding eternal salvation from Hell. This is the same situation with the New Testament. However, almost anything related to blood sacrifice within either testaments is absolutely about eternal salvation. Temporary remission of sins was provided until the ultimate sacrifice was provided. Those who died while in remission from observing the Law (animal sacrifices) are eternally saved.
Under the covenant promises, the thing that God required to be done was sacrifices being offered, confession of sins being made, and doing the commandments (see Matthew 28 and John 14). There were things that God told them to do in order to demonstrate their faith.
The Law in Deuteronomy 32:45-47 says that “doing the commandments is your life” (Proverbs 6:23) and that is very much different from what Paul states (“the Law is not your life and your life is in Christ” – Col 3:3-4) within his 13 epistles. The blood of the covenant was not applied to them until they, a member of the nation Israel, had agreed to perform all of the works of the Law. They had to agree to be obedient before the blood was applied. The works didn’t save them but the works were required for them to remain in the covenant.
[Exo 24:7-8 KJV] And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
Under the covenant program, under the covenant that God gave to Abraham in Genesis 17, there were things that needed to be done (circumcision, offering his son). Under the Law covenant (the Mosaic Covenant), there were more things that needed to be done (613 points of the Law). Under the covenant program, works were required:
[Lev 18:5 KJV] Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
[Deut 32:46-47 KJV] And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
[Luke 1:6 KJV] And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
[Matt 19:17 KJV] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
[Matt 21:43 KJV] Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
The covenant required works! Faith alone was not sufficient because their faith did not include the Gospel of the Grace of God, it did not include the preaching of the Cross, free justification as Paul preaches it in Romans 3. That faith was kept secret and was first revealed to Paul so that in this dispensation, grace and faith stand alone without works (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 4:5). This is very different from what happened under the covenant program with Israel.
The righteousness of the Law was by faith, but it was faith proven by works.
BUT NOW
The profession of faith required to enter Jesus’ earthly kingdom was (and will be) to believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God (Mt 16:16-19; Jn 1:49; 6:69; 11:27; Acts 8:35-37). That is not a sufficient profession to be saved in this current age, the But Now portion of Scripture. Yes, we need to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but specifically we must believe that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification (1 Cor 15:3-4; Rom 4:25; 1 Thes 4:14). The Gospel that saves today is focused upon the completed WORKS of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of the Kingdom that John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter and the 12 preached was focused upon the IDENTITY of Jesus the Christ. As we have discussed, the Gospel of the Kingdom required works to prove one’s faith (Mk 16:15-16; 1 Jn 2:4; 5:13).
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Romans 11:6
In Romans 11:6, a passage that is speaking specifically of the Little Flock (Lk 12:32), Paul stated that it was “no more of works” because in Times Past, God did require works to prove faith (Rom 10:5). The Gospel of the Kingdom required water baptism and bringing forth fruits meet for repentance (Mt 3:7-10). God is gracious in every age but there is a difference between Noah finding grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord because he was a just man and perfect in his generations (Gen 6:8-9) and Christ saving Saul of Tarsus by exceeding abundant grace when he was on his way to persecute His people (1 Tim 1:13-16). Paul gradually received revelations, but he could not have received the gospel gradually (it is either grace or it is not), which proves he did not preach the Gospel of the Kingdom during his ministry in Acts as some claim.
The point is that the apostle Paul stresses the fact within his 13 epistles that we are saved by faith alone within the But Now age and that that fact was not true of Times Past.
AGES TO COME
We have established that works were required under the Gospel of the Kingdom in order to prove faith (Mt 7:21; James 2:24). Once the Church, the Body of Christ, is extracted from the earth via the Pre-Tribulational Rapture, the Gospel of the Grace of God will no longer be in effect. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be re-instituted by God for salvation (Mt 24:14). With the return of the Gospel of the Kingdom, works will once again be required in order to prove one’s faith.
Within Revelation chapters 2 and 3, all of Christ’s seven letters to the seven “churches” (Jewish congregations) begin with the following declaration from Christ:
“I know thy works” Revelation 2:2; 2:9; 2:13; 2:19; 3:1; 3:8; 3:15
Elsewhere within the book of Revelation we read:
[Rev 12:17 KJV] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[Rev 14:12 KJV] Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The book of Revelation is written specifically to the Little Flock living under the Law during Daniel’s 70th Week. During this seven-year Tribulation Period, the keeping of commandments will be required by the nation Israel. It will be faith that works during the Tribulation Period, the Ages to Come portion of Scripture.
God made covenant dealings with Israel. Reaching the truth that Israel was justified by faith that works does not add nor take away from God’s eternal plan for Israel and the New Jerusalem. Those who are in the book of life will be given a new flesh and Spirit to enter the kingdom, they will have the ability to walk in God’s Law in eternity (Jer 31:31-35).
Conclusion
In Romans chapters 7 through 11, the Holy Spirit describes what should be the character and conduct of those who are justified freely by God’s grace. We, members of the Body of Christ, are not saved by works, but we are saved unto good works (Eph 2:8-10). The apostle Paul always laid a doctrinal foundation before making practical applications. The book of Romans is an outstanding example of that.
Salvation has always come by faith. A sinner is forgiven and accepted by God only through faith, no matter which dispensation or age they are living within. In Times Past, a person had to prove their faith by their works. This will again hold true within the Ages to Come, while the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached during Daniel’s 70th Week (Mt 24:14). Within our current age (the But Now portion of God’s timeline), we are saved by faith alone.
When God reveals instructions to someone, the person of faith will do what God tells them to do. If God requires works, real faith will seek to do those works.
