Believers Not Made Perfect By Keeping The Law

Galatians 3:1-3, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

The world is full of false religiousites who do many wonderful works (Matthew 7:21-23). You cannot impress God with your works, not before or after you are saved. If you are trying to prove to God that your faith is genuine by the works that you do, then you truly HAVE NO FAITH!!! The evidence that you are saved is the gift of the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit (1st John 3:24). You cannot prove that your faith is real by doing works!!! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!! Faith is faith and works is works.

That is why the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 3:2-3, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” You don't get saved by faith and then prove your faith by works!!! That is exactly the type of thinking which the Apostle is refuting in the Epistle of Galatians!!! The Galatian churches had bought into the Devil's mindset that you get saved by faith, but then keep the law to prove that your faith is real. That is the same counterfeit false gospel being preached by Bob Jones University and their corrupt graduates today!!! Paul scolded the Galatian churches for having this perverse mindset, because it is another gospel which cannot produce the new birth in Jesus Christ!

Galatians 3:2-3, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” The corrupt Bob Jones University (BJU) camp today deceitfully claim to believe in a salvation by grace alone through faith alone, but then they errantly teach that if you don't do WORKS to prove that you faith is real, you're not saved. That is another gospel. Mark 12:24, “And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?” Steve Pettit, Marty Herron, Gary Walton, John McArthur and other Bob Jones infidels DO ERROR, BECAUSE THEY KNOW NOT THE SCRIPTURES, NEITHER THE POWER OF GOD!!! Romans 1:16 says that the POWER OF GOD unto salvation is the Gospel, to them who wholly trust in Jesus' name.

The Apostle rebuked the corrupt churches of Galatia for changing the terms of their salvation from that of grace to works. They started out believing the Gospel, but then were deceived by a local religious cult who convinced them to keep the law to prove that their faith is real. This proved that they were never saved at all, because ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED!!! No one has ever lost God's salvation. You either had it and always will, or else you don't today and never did. Steve Pettit was never saved to begin with. Dr. Pettit is the theologically incompetent president of Bob Jones University today (since 2014). Please read here what Steve Pettit horribly preaches at BJU chapel. Our Baptist churches are in pathetic shape today. Evidence of what I say is that they bid Godspeed to the shameful Bob Jones crowd.

The Often Misunderstood Epistle Of James

Now, in the Epistle of James the Apostle teaches that our faith is justified IN THE SIGHT OF MEN ONLY, but never God. The Bob Jones camp attach works to faith, which is another gospel. 

James 2:17-24, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

A very important rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to NEVER use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one. This is where many Bible students go astray while attempting to interpret the Word of God. A perfect example of this Bible study principle is this obscure passage in James 2:17-24. We know it is obscure because there is so MUCH theological debate over what it means. But we have rock solid passages of Scripture in the Gospel of John and Romans 4:1-6 which plainly declare that God's imputed righteousness is “WITHOUT WORKS” (Romans 4:5b). That doesn't only exclude works at the time of salvation, but works at any time in a saint's life.

Carefully notice that James says “SHEW ME” and “I WILL SHEW THEE.” James 2:18 that the Apostle says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” This has nothing to do with being justified in the sight of almighty God. Proof of what I say is the book of Romans, in which the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that men are justified in the sight of God WITHOUT WORKS:

Romans 4:3-7, “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. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

It is a folly to teach that we are saved by faith alone, but then works are required to prove that our faith is real faith. What such incompetent preachers are effectively doing is redefining faith to mean works. Think about that! If I must do works to prove that I have faith, how is that not righteousness by keeping the deeds of the law? It is one and the same!

I know what I am talking about dear friend. I know because I have been saved now for 41 years (since age 13 in 1980) and I've been around the block a few times! I know because I have spent my life studying false religion and the truth of God's inspired Word. The Devil's lies of Calvinism (i.e., the teachings of an infidel named John Calvin, 1509-1564) have crept unawares into our churches today. “Lordship” salvation is nothing more than Calvinism repackaged! Miss Ellen G. White (legendary prophetess of Seventh-Day Adventism) preaches the SAME false understanding of faith to mean works as does Dr. Steve Pettit (president of Bob Jones University). I just wrote an article exposing Chuck Phelps (senior pastor of the Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana). These ungodly false prophets have corrupted the Word of God, perverting God's grace by redefining faith to mean works, and in so doing have cast stumbling blocks before the people!!!

Works Do Not Prove The Reality Of The Genuineness Of Our Faith

Galatians 3:1-3, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul wanted to know how they got saved. That is, how did they become indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God? Was it by keeping the works of the law (i.e., turning away from your sinful ways)? Or did you get saved simply by BELIEVING the Gospel when you heard it preached? The latter is God's plan of salvation. The former is damnation!!!