Bible Q&A: There Are Moneychangers in My Temple!

In all my reading of the Bible, I can't seem to find any consensus about what is necessary to attain salvation. The 'Judgment of Nations' makes it sound like where we spend eternity is how we treat the "least of these." Paul, in Romans, says that we are justified by faith alone. James seems to disagree, saying that "faith is dead without works." Jesus says that if we don't forgive others, we will not be forgiven. And what happens to one who hasn't accepted Christ, such as Gandhi--one who has forgiven, turned the other cheek, and helped the "least of these"? It just seems like a cosmic injustice to eternally punish someone who is doing their very best to improve themselves, their neighbor, and this world, but who hasn't accepted Christ as their savior. God is love, so to love one's neighbor seems like the ultimate Christian act. Isn't this what ultimately matters? --Kevin M.

This is an excellent question, and the answer is somewhat complex. In the first place, initial salvation is by grace and through faith. This is what you called justification. But conversion is not all there is to salvation, and so Paul says in Philippians 2:12-13 that we must work out the salvation which God is working into us, by both our willing and our doing. In other words, our behavior as believers affects our progress in salvation.

Salvation actually has three tenses in the New Testament -I have been saved (conversion), I am being saved (progressive sanctification), and I shall be saved (final salvation). Our deeds do affect both of the latter two stages of salvation, but not because we are saved by the deeds. Instead, it's because they are necessary expressions of salvation if we have time and opportunity to do them (i.e. they are not optional-faith without works is dead, as James says).

Of course it is true that if a person is converted on their deathbed they are simply saved by conversion, but the New Testament is clear that those who live beyond the time of their conversion must behave-look at Galatians 5:19-21. Paul is warning Christians about the consequences of persisting in serious sin. The end result is they shall not inherit the kingdom or receive final salvation.

In short, while good deeds cannot earn the gift of final salvation, apostasy in various forms (moral or intellectual) can forfeit salvation even if one has been a Christian previously. In short, you are not eternally secure until you are securely in eternity. See Hebrews 6:1-4.

I'm hoping to find out the name of one of the thieves that was crucified with Jesus and said "remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Someone had told me his name a long time ago, but I can't remember it. --Judy D.

The thieves do not have names in the biblical text (see Luke 23:39-43). In fact, they are not thieves; they are revolutionaries. Later Christian tradition made up names for them; for example, the good criminal was called Dismas.

Tongues and prophecy
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