A very important aspect of any religion is to try and determine what the main message it is trying to send. The main message for any religion should really be about salvation. What should one do in order to attain eternal life and please God? Islam emphasizes on faith and works (Surah 2:25, 21:94, 47:2, 65:11, 85:11) and that works by themselves are not enough (Surah 9:17). 

This article is written to show two things. 

First, the inconsistency throughout the Bible regarding how to attain salvation. 

Secondly, Jesus and his half brother James both agree with the Islamic concept of salvation, which I have already shown to be by both faith and good works. 

 

Paul's Concept of Salvation

Paul believed that the Law was something useless and not to be followed. He believed that salvation was only by faith alone. The following verses are very clear regarding this matter...

 

Romans 3:20

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:28

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Romans 4:2

If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. (contradicts James 2:21-22)

Romans 7:4

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

Galatians 2:16

know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:21

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Hebrews 7:18-19

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 8:13

By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

 

 

Jesus' and James' Concept of Salvation

Right from the Old Testament God has emphasized the importance of good works for eternal life...

Ezekiel 18:21-22

²¹ "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

22

None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live.

 

Jesus believed that salvation was attained by faith AND good works. 

 

Matthew 19:16-21

    ¹⁶Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

    ¹⁷"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

    ¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired.

   Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother,'^[d] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'^[e]"

    ²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

    ²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 

Here we see a man asking Jesus how to attain eternal life. Jesus didn't say "I am going to get crucified for your sins very soon. So if you believe in that you will have eternal life." No, Jesus told him to obey the commandments (good works) and then to follow him, which means to believe in him as a Prophet of God and do what ever he says (faith). 

Just in case a Christian tries to argue back that Jesus was only emphasizing the ten commandments then I would simply respond back by showing that Jesus did not only emphasize on the ten commandments...

 

Mark 7:10

¹⁰For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'

 

The law regarding putting someone to death for cursing his parents is found in Leviticus 20:29, which is not part of the ten commandments.

Also...

 

Luke 5:14

Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."

 

The concept of sacrifices is not found in the ten commandments. 

So Jesus did not only emphasize on the ten commandments. He emphasized that they should even do everything that the teachers of the law told them to do...

 

Matthew 23:1-3

¹Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ²"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. ³So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

 

Obviously the teachers of the law are telling people to follow the law and Jesus ordered people to follow what the teachers say, which consequently means that Jesus is indirectly telling them to follow the law!

 

Jesus said that he will come back to judge people by their works...

 

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

 

Why would Jesus judge people according to their works if works are completely useless? Shouldn't he only be judging them according to their faith?

 

Jesus also says...

 

Matthew 5:19

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Jesus is clearly stating that people would be in different degrees in paradise if they do more righteous deeds (by obeying the commandments) than others. We also believe this in Islam. 

So clearly, Jesus was teaching that deeds do play a role in a person's salvation and justification before God. 

 

James, the half brother of Jesus also believed that salvation is attained by faith and good works...

 

James 2:20-26

²⁰You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.  ²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

 

Some Christians try giving a very desperate explanation for what James said by saying that James really meant that faith results in actions. Therefore, you need to have the right faith that results in actions and that this is the faith that Paul was speaking about. However, it is absolutely crystal clear that James said that one is justified by both works and faith...

 

James 2:24

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

 

which directly contradicts with Paul's crystal clear statement...

 

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

James didn't say that you are justified by the right type of faith that results in actions. It is clear that James was stating that salvation is by works and deeds. 

Clearly, James who was actually an eyewitness and met Jesus in person knows what Jesus taught and therefore is continuing to preach what Jesus preached, unlike Paul who never met Jesus except in a so called vision whose accounts are contradictory (see this) and his concept of salvation contradicts that of Jesus' as well. 

 

 

There are a few more tricks that certain Christian missionaries try to pull to show that Jesus didn't want to emphasize on practicing the Law. If you face any of these problems then do not hesitate to contact me at b_zawadi@hotmail.com. Also, if you happen to be a Christian and disagreed with something that I said in this article then the same applies to you. I hope no Christian got offended by what I said as it was not my intention to do so. Contact me.