Matthew 23:13, New International Version

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”

While there are still many who like to use their time to argue about grace or works, here is a true statement: Salvation comes by God's grace through faith, and that faith is made manifest in good works. How did this statement come up? The Apostle Paul observed how this argument dividing Jews, God’s people, so he wrote his thoughts about it according to the inspiration from the Lord in the book of Romans. James, brother of Jesus, also enhanced the relationship between faith and good work, “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, “’How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’” (James 2:18, NLT)

If anyone teaches the word of God, yet only mentions grace without deeds they are not teaching the complete gospel. And also if they teach works without including grace, they have in a way wiped Jesus, the only Way, from the picture. They are misleading those who hear them into believing their good works can take them to heaven, everlasting life. Listen to what had Jesus said to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who bought grief and indignant to His heart! (Matthew 23:13)

Jesus taught, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” Good work is the evidence of what is in your heart. So, if the Lord Jesus is the One who sits at the throne of your heart, His word (truth) will be the lamp and guide of your life and He will prepare you to do good works. However, His truth will also humble you by knowing who Jesus is and who we are – the Savior and a sinner and knowing that without Him we can do nothing. “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NLT)

“…and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’” (romans 11:26-17, NIV)

Jesus is the Deliverer of His people, all who believe in Him. He made a promise, a covenant with those who believe, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV) Jesus emphasized, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:21, NLT)

Not everyone, but only His people, those who are in the covenant! My dear friends, do not lose heart or take it lightly. You must fight a good fight and go and finish the race. Do not become a stumbling block for those who are trying to enter it. May the Spirit of truth guide us into all truth.