If Faith In Jesus Gets One into Heaven, Does Delight Create Works? ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba %

The first three chapters of Ephesians tells us clearly who we are in Christ. Paul is very clear that Salvation is by Grace Alone, through faith Alone, in Christ alone. But he is also very clear. True faith transforms us immediately as to position and gradually through sanctification by the work of the Holy Spirit. There is a transforming work that begins the day we accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Each step of the journey we are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Declared Righteous, Declared Saints all by one step of redemption. Bought by Jesus at a very high price on the cross. Yet if faith in Jesus gets One into Heaven, Delight in Him Create Works? If there is no transformation, no outward display of the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Then can one be truly saved?

I am not speaking of immediate perfection. Nor am I saying we will be fully like Him while living on the earth. That is until the day we return with Him to reign during the millennial reign of Christ. There remains within me this fleshly nature. But even that can be seen being transformed step by step. One tiny glory following tiny glory, as I remain focused on Him. For He is the “Author and the Finisher of (my) faith”. Hebrews 12:2

Faith In Jesus Gets One Into Heaven Yes and Amen

Until now in the book of Romans, we have seen that God has revealed Himself to every human born. None are without a glimpse of His Glory. All therefore are accountable to accepting the light He provides or choosing their own foolish human desires. Thus, placing themselves either as bowing to Him or to themselves.

Gradually, skillfully, Paul has presented the case for the progress of evil. It fills our world because foolish human beings choose to worship themselves rather than God. As such they form many idols throughout their lives. Those idols weigh down and burden all society leading to wars, pride, death, sorrow, tragedies of many kinds. But what can I say? I too was dead in my trespasses and sin.

Yet the Bible is very clear.

Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. … For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:20, 23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 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. Romans 4:1-4

So, If Faith In Jesus Gets One into Heaven, What About Works?

Recently there has been a lot of talk about working our way into heaven. President Trump even said concerning the Ukraine/Russian War,

“If I can save 7000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s a pretty good…..I want to try to get to heaven if possible. I hear I am not doing well. I’ve hit the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven this would be one of the reasons.”

President Donald J. Trump, _{https://www.newsbreak.com/mediaite-520570/4183303672076-trump-tells-fox-hosts-he-s-worried-about-not-getting-to-heaven-i-am-really-at-the-bottom, accessed 8/29/25}

Oh, how I am praying that he come to realize that the only way to heaven is to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! He must accept there is nothing he can ever do to earn heaven, except to humbly bow before Jesus. Accepting and believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. I wish I could spend even 30 minutes with Him to tell Him that. Jonathan Pokluda prays for the same chance as he pointed out last week in His sermon. That sermon is attached below. Please listen to it.

In chapter 4 Paul presents the case for righteousness by faith alone by discussing both Abraham and King David. Now some will argue that this chapter conflicts with what James wrote in James 2:21-24

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. James 2:21-24

What at first sight might appear a difference, really is not. That I will begin to unpack for you.

Looking at Abraham’s Faith for Righteous-a Faith In Jesus that Gets into Heaven

When God first called out Abraham, He called him to leave Ur of the Chaldees and go to Canaan. He was to leave his father, forsaking everything. But he only made it to Haran to start with where he stayed until his father died. We know this. How? First, there is a note in Genesis 11 that he left for Canaan and then stayed in Haran. Also, please note the clarification of this by Stephen right before being executed.

“Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.” Acts 7:2-8 NKJV

God called Abraham who started in the right direction and then paused. He was 75 years old when he continued to Canaan where he was supposed to have headed. We also know that he did follow God in faith. But not perfectly. Many a stumble along the way. He lied and told both the King of Egypt and later Abimelech King of Gehrer that Sarai was his sister. Why? because he was afraid. (What happened to his faith here?) He had moments of great faith and then sometimes less. God spoke with him directly anyway. Essentially, Abraham did believe what God had promised. The covenant was that he would be the father of many nations. This despite his being barren. He had a child by Sarai’s handmaid, named Ishmael who became the father of the Arab nations.

Yet, Abraham was known as the friend of God who was clothed in righteousness due to faith.

Then We Have James Account—Works, Faith, or works resulting from Faith

As the years had passed and Abraham grew in his knowledge of God, his faith grew as well. One day that faith was brought to its greatest test. Namely, God told him to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise on an altar. At this point, he trusted God enough to believe God’s plan was perfect. He now finally believed t “God IS and God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him”. (paraphrase of Hebrews 12:6). He marched forward to do exactly as God commanded believing with all his heart, God had a perfect plan. That is when faith was demonstrated by his actions. A faith with no fruit, no actions is not a faith at all. That is what James means when you read it carefully. And Paul echos that sentiment with full explanation in the Ephesians 2 verses we just began this post with.

Some would say it was Abraham’s obedience in circumcision that sealed him as righteous. But it was in Genesis 15 that this was written.

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:5-6 KJV

But the covenant sealed with Abraham by circumcision concerning the Jewish nation occurred in Genesis 17. Abraham was 99 years old. So, faith was not sealed by works. Rather works came only because of faith.

David Another Example of Righteousness by Faith

Our only hope of heaven is to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus through faith. For King David it was a faith in the promises to come. He was to be the Father of the Messiah to come. A miracle he had to accept by faith alone. He would not be able to imagine how God would do it. Even though God revealed a lot to Him. Consider the Messianic Psalms Yet, was King David perfect. Anyone who knows his story can be assured otherwise. He did suffer earthly judgments that were harsh to his gentle heart; but God was faithful. This led to King David writing this Psalm which is quoted in Romans.

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. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Romans 4:6-8

Again, What About Works vs Faith, Does Faith In Jesus Get One into Heaven

Righteousness is imputed to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It was an imputed righteousness to Abraham before circumcision and in spite of his stumbling faith at moments. Although that faith did grow leading to works, not works leading to faith.

For the promise, that he (Abraham) should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith…. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Romans 4:13, 16-22

What is that to us Gentiles, Does Abraham matter?

Yes, a thousand times yes. Catch this. God told Abraham that he would be the Father of many nations. There is the Jewish nation via circumcision and all the covenants with them. Then there is the Gentile nations comprised of all who would be saved by faith and our promises. His faith was counted as righteousness before circumcision.

Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. Romans 4:9-12 (NASB).

And therefore, this is very important to us.

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Romans 4:21-25

If Faith in Jesus Gets One into Heaven, Why should we work?

Because we cannot do anything else but to work. Delight in Him demands we work and yet not us. Rather we are compelled each day more intensely to surrender everything into the hands of He who paid it all for us. Our love grows demanding we honor and glorify Him. We are a new workmanship created to good works. How can we do anything less? A faith without works resulting as the fruit of the Holy Spirit is a nonexistent faith.

Remember and Never Forget

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. Ephesians 2: 1-10 Berean Standard Bible

Please watch on Youtube this amazing sermon reflecting the truth Faith in Jesus Gets One into Heaven. It is Grace Alone, through Faith Alone in Jesus Christ Alone.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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