Martin Luther’s doctrine of Sola Fide (Justification by faith alone), enhanced by Calvin’s doctrines of “Once-Saved-Always-Saved,” and supposedly “predestined (not, IN HIM) before the foundation of the world” lulls people to sleep—the perfectly orchestrated lullaby of Satan, “doctrines peddled by demons” (1Tim4:1), essentially saying as usual, “(sleep) thou shalt surely not die.” Poison—a lie mixed with truth!
First off, God has not given us the righteousness of one who has died for his neighbor. That belongs to Him; reason why He is Lord, and His name is the name above every name. On being born-again, we merely got ourselves the righteousness of faith (Rom4:5)—a boastless work in the work of Savior Christ. After being born-again, God did not immediately carry us over to His abode in heaven. Having wiped away all our past sins (Rom3:25; 2 Pet1:9) He left us here on earth to get us qualified for heaven. And He gave us the Helper, a Holy Spirit living inside of us, to achieve that goal. Christ saves sinners, in whatever wretched condition they are in, not that they be better than others but become better than their past selves. And ultimately to become like Christ Himself, primarily in the attribute of love because love is the greatest (Rom13:13). He qualifies us using the Holy Spirit living inside of us. It is bewildering at first with a clean slate with nothing to show, to start with. We will have merely good intentions, a heart inclined to do good. God understands that. He does look at the heart (1Sam 16:7) and the intentions of the heart (Heb4:12). But we will be fooling ourselves to believe we can sit smug, twiddling thumbs the rest of our entire life with a supposedly “good heart” and “good intentions” and supposedly “a faith,” without showing results to back it up. Fruit! Of course, we do not need to labor & toil (Luke12:27) like those who hope in their own strivings alone, supposedly to earn their way to heaven. But as for us we simply do the will of God, promptings of the Holy Spirit, telling us where to invest our love, even in our enemies sometimes. This is not self-righteousness, but rather imparted righteousness–a “walk by the Spirit” (Gal5:16). It is neither merely a law-keeping nor of the “flesh” per se. Love is a product and evidence of our faith, not in a NOW dead, dumb, or blind god, but One that is risen & alive, still speaking, all-seeing Lord. For an intention/will/plan of God to become a reality, energy of tongue and limb alike of the body of Christ must be launched into operation (HT: Walt Kelly). If that is not work, what is? “You see, a man is justified by works and not by faith alone, [where initial belief itself in the sacrifice of Christ is also a work (Jn6:29) that will take you to heaven if you die the instant you were born-again like the thief on the cross]” (James2:24). All the heroes of faith in Heb11 demonstrated their faith by doing the will of God. And true faith will enable us to surpass even the righteousness of those who depend on themselves (Matt5:20). What’s more our faith in the Holy Spirit will enable us to overcome the whole wide world (1Jn5:4), let alone bear a bunch of fruit.
Meanwhile, to be a Christian means, to wear the mask of Christ (Rom13:14). In fact, you start off as a sort of hypocrite but that does not mean you are not authentic. Surely, there must not be even an iota of masquerading in humility or posturing from pride. It is just that, as you repent, you move from glory to glory. You self-actualize as you go.
That “first love” of faith is merely the minimum balance (like a dollar) to open a bank account in heaven. It is not something you can boast about (Eph2:8). In other words, in the language of the Bible, which uses clothing for righteousness, we merely have a diaper-righteousness, as newly born-again babes in Christ. We must mature, grow, and “continue in the faith” (Col1:23), further clothing ourselves, “making treasures for ourselves,” crediting that account in heaven. The faith that enabled us to initially believe in the sacrifice of Jesus should now enable us to love like Jesus, in the incarnational mission we have on earth that did not stop with Jesus. Those are the “wedding garments” of Matt22 that we put on, over on top of our under-garments (which by providence exist even in today’s clothing to help declare this truth). It is the careful attention we give our “clothing” lest we be found naked (Rev16:15). This is what God instructs us to wear. Yes, these are works prompted/counselled by the Holy Spirit, omissions & commissions. But unlike the work on the cross by Jesus, these are YOUR works, both in talk/profession & walk/practice. And ultimately, these are the “fine linen garments” of Rev19:8, the “righteous acts of the SAINTS (not of Jesus, not of the Father, not of the Holy Spirit).” It is then, and only then, we “BECOME the righteousness of God IN Him” (2Cor5:21). It is a righteousness commensurate to how well we have put our faith (in the WILL of God for us in particular, here and now) into action. This is how we abide in Him (Jn15:10), hearing His voice daily, affectionately & willingly submitting, and doing His command/will. It is a Lordship salvation. It is being a true Muslim, who does the precise will of God right from the start. And not some vague and indefinite will, as the takfir or apostate muslims do, who have not availed the provision of Allah/God–the elementary will–to get a head-start by way of the sacrifice of Jesus, having been corrupted by Muhammad, who simply lacked knowledge and conducted himself as “a wild donkey of a man” (Gen16:12), true to Ishmael before him. As you can see, it does not happen by some sort of virtual osmosis. But as grafted branches, it starts with aggressively suckling at the teats of the mother Church that has many babes to care for, going on to maturity, doing and learning as you go. Thereby bearing much fruit; fruit that will last! Built on the solid rock of putting to action/practice the will of God (Matt7:24).
It is a Helpful Lordship Salvation: Grace + Faith + Fruit! Saying any otherwise is of Satan to lull you to sleep and keep you fruitless.
Bro. Michael Hudson helps in adding:
If a man denies the Son of Man he will be forgiven. But if a man denies the Spirit that had led the Son, which now also leads him, he will die (Matt12:31). For, abused grace (fruitlessness) deserves greater punishment than those who are not even recipients of grace (Luke12:47-48; Heb10:26-29). Love is greater but without truth, it is out of wack and not love to even begin with. Conversion followed by transformation/repentance is really the bitter portion–the greater love of truth–of the sugar-coated pill, setting a man free unto eternal life. However, we can’t love with that great agape love unless we have faith in doing the will of the Holy Spirit and hope of eternal life with rewards for doing, embedded right inside. Therefore, the world does (and it should) trust us because our primary incentives lie in the after-life, not the here-and-now short term profits. But faith and hope without love is dead (James2:20). We must bare fruit of our faith that in turn nurtures & encourages the heart to do better. This nurturing of the heart, which can mean a pat on the back or a one-minute praise, if you can accept it, is really prudence of “carrying that oil” (Matt25:4) to sustain us until the coming of Christ. But we musn’t for even a moment believe in our heart. Rather we must direct our heart to believe in God.
God’s face (Justice) and not His back (Goodness), is the best of Love (Exodus 33:17-19; John 1:14; cf. 1Jn4:8). God taught His children, even as early as Abel, to kill, to keep us from being a wimp in doing justice.