action<\/em>, acting upon convictions, etc., is central and front and center in the Christian life and in the process of salvation. I submit that these passages flow out of a Catholic \u201catmosphere\u201d or worldview, and Catholic presuppositions.<\/p>\nAll passages are from RSV.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
Matthew 5:19<\/strong> \u201cWhoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments<\/em> and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does<\/em><\/strong> them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\u201d<\/p>\nMatthew 10:38<\/strong> (cf. Lk 14:27) \u201cand he who does not take his cross<\/em> and follow me is not worthy of me.\u201d<\/p>\nMatthew 13:23<\/strong> \u201cAs for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit<\/em>, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.\u201d<\/p>\nMark 3:35<\/strong> (cf. Mt 12:50) \u201cWhoever does<\/em> <\/strong>the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.\u201d<\/p>\nMark 9:39-40<\/strong> But Jesus said, \u201cDo not forbid him; for no one who does<\/em> a mighty work<\/em><\/strong> in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. [40] For he that is not against us is for us.\u201d<\/p>\nNote how a \u201cmighty work\u201d done in Jesus\u2019 name indicates a positive acceptance of (being \u201cfor\u201d) Jesus, without faith being mentioned.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
*Luke 3:8-11<\/strong> \u201cBear fruits<\/em> that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, \u2018We have Abraham as our father\u2019; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. [9] Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit<\/em> is cut down and thrown into the fire<\/em>.\u201d [10]\u00a0And the multitudes asked him, \u201cWhat then shall we do<\/strong><\/em>?\u201d\u00a0[11] And he answered them, \u201cHe who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do<\/em> <\/strong>likewise.\u201d<\/p>\n*Luke 6:31-33, 35, 38, 43-49<\/strong> And as you wish that men would do to you, do<\/em><\/strong> so to them. [32] \u201cIf you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. . . . [35] But love your enemies, and do good<\/em><\/strong>, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High<\/em>; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. . . . [38] give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.\u201d . . . [43] \u201cFor no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit<\/em>;\u00a0[44] for each tree is known by its own fruit<\/em>. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good<\/em>, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. [46]\u00a0\u201cWhy do you call me \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 and not<\/em> do<\/em><\/strong> what I tell you?<\/em>\u00a0[47] Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does<\/em> <\/strong>them, I will show you what he is like: [48] he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. [49] But he who hears and does not do them<\/em><\/strong> is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.\u201d<\/p>\nLuke 8:21<\/strong> But he said to them, \u201cMy mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do<\/em><\/strong> it.\u201d<\/p>\n*Luke 12:32-33<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cFear not, little flock, for it is your Father\u2019s good pleasure to give you the kingdom<\/em>.\u00a0[33] Sell your possessions, and give alms<\/em>; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail<\/em>, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.\u201d<\/p>\nJohn 3:21<\/strong> But he who does<\/strong><\/em> what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds<\/strong><\/em> have been wrought in God.<\/p>\nJohn 7:17<\/strong> \u201cif any man\u2019s will is to do<\/strong><\/em> his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.\u201d<\/p>\nJohn 10:37-38<\/strong> \u201cIf I am not doing<\/em><\/strong> the works of my Father, then do not believe me; [38] but if I do<\/strong><\/em> them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works<\/em>, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.\u201d<\/p>\nThis is striking, insofar as Jesus highlights the works He does over against belief in Him, saying that they should be believed in, even if He<\/em> is not believed in: similar to Mark 9:39-40 above. This could hardly be said by any Protestant.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nJohn 13:15-17<\/strong> \u201cFor I have given you an example, that you also should do<\/strong><\/em> as I have done to you. [16] Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. [17] If you know these things, blessed are you if you do<\/em><\/strong> them.\u201d<\/p>\nJohn 14:11<\/strong> \u00a0\u201cBelieve me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works<\/strong> themselves<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\nThis is similar to John 10:37-38 above. But here He does<\/em> couple belief in Him and works, but what is fascinating is that He highlights works as the reason to believe in Him (rather than faith, or faith alone). Then in the next verse He combines together faith in Him and works:<\/p><\/blockquote>\nJohn 14:12<\/strong> \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do<\/strong><\/em>; and greater works<\/em><\/strong> than these will he do<\/em><\/strong>, because I go to the Father.\u201d<\/p>\nJohn 14:23<\/strong> Jesus answered him, \u201cIf a man loves me, he will keep my word<\/em><\/strong>, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.\u201d<\/p>\nJohn 15:14, 16<\/strong> \u201cYou are my friends if you do<\/em><\/strong> what I command you. . . . [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit<\/em> and that your fruit should abide<\/em>; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n1 Corinthians 9:23-25<\/strong> I do it all<\/strong><\/em> for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. [24]\u00a0Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete<\/em>, but only one receives the prize? So run<\/em> that you may obtain it.\u00a0[25] Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.<\/p>\n1 Corinthians 10:31-33<\/strong> So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do<\/em><\/strong>, do all to the glory of God<\/em><\/strong>. . . . [33] just as I try to please all men in everything I do<\/strong><\/em>, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.<\/p>\n1 Corinthians 15:10<\/strong> But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder<\/em><\/strong> than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.<\/p>\n1 Corinthians 16:13-14\u00a0<\/strong>Be watchful, stand firm<\/em> in your faith, be courageous, be strong.\u00a0[14] Let all that you do<\/em><\/strong> be done<\/strong><\/em> in love.<\/p>\nEphesians 3:20<\/strong> . . . him who by the power<\/strong> at work within us is able to do<\/strong><\/em> far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,<\/p>\nEphesians 6:8<\/strong> knowing that whatever good any one does<\/em><\/strong>, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.<\/p>\nPhilippians 4:13<\/strong> I can do<\/strong> all things<\/em> in him who strengthens me.<\/p>\n1 Thessalonians 4:1<\/strong> Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing<\/em><\/strong>, you do<\/em><\/strong> so more and more.<\/p>\n2 Thessalonians 3:4<\/strong> And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing<\/em><\/strong> and will do<\/em><\/strong> the things which we command.<\/p>\n2 Thessalonians 3:13 <\/strong>Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n2 Timothy 2:15<\/strong> Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman<\/strong> . . .<\/p>\nHebrews 13:16, 20-21<\/strong> Do not neglect to do good<\/em> <\/strong>and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. . . . [20]\u00a0Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,\u00a0[21] equip you with everything good<\/em> that you may do his will<\/strong><\/em>, working in you<\/em><\/strong> that which is pleasing in his sight, . . .<\/p>\nJames 4:15, 17<\/strong> \u00a0Instead you ought to say, \u201cIf the Lord wills<\/em>, we shall live and we shall do<\/em><\/strong> this or that.\u201d . . . [17] Whoever knows what is right to do<\/em><\/strong> and fails to do<\/strong> it<\/em>, for him it is sin.<\/p>\n1 Peter 3:11<\/strong>\u00a0let him turn away from evil and do right<\/em><\/strong>; . . .<\/p>\n*1 Peter 4:17<\/strong> For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel <\/em><\/strong>of God<\/em>?<\/p>\n*2 Peter 1:10-11<\/strong> Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election<\/em>, for if you do<\/em><\/strong> this you will never fall; [11<\/b>] so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom<\/em> of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n*1 John 2:17<\/strong> And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God<\/em><\/strong> abides for ever<\/em>.<\/p>\n1 John 2:29<\/strong> If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right<\/strong> is born of him<\/em>.<\/p>\n*1 John 3:10, 14<\/strong>\u00a0 By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right<\/strong> is not of God<\/em>, nor he who does not love his brother. . . . [14] We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love<\/strong> abides in death<\/em>.<\/p>\n
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