Saved by Grace Only?

It is with a heavy heart that I am led to write this post. A heavy but hopeful heart. There is sadly much backbiting and confusion regarding our blessed salvation through Jesus Christ.

God’s Word cannot contradict itself so how does one reconcile the Book of James with the Pauline epistles? James writes that faith without works is dead while Paul writes that salvation is by faith alone:

What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? - James 2:14 KJV

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. - James 2:17 KJV

OR

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: - Ephesians 2:8 KJV

Not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:9 KJV

The entire Bible is for our learning; HOWEVER—and that’s a big HOWEVER—it is not all written specifically to the ekklēsia or called out of God.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. - Romans 15:4 KJV

This is the case with the Book of James.

Just as the Pauline epistles are letters that were written to a specific audience, so is the Book of James. Who was James writing to?

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. - James 1:1 KJV

It is important to realize that this letter written by James was:

1—Written to Israel’s twelve tribes

2—Written before the Great Mystery of Grace was revealed

Scott Clarke recently posted a video that clearly explains this: The Great Paul & James Debate | Rightly Divided. 

You see, James wrote to the twelve tribes who were scattered. Why were they scattered?

It was due to the persecution that arose at the time of Stephen’s stoning in the Book of Acts:

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed [them] to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. - Acts 8:1-4 KJV

This proves the Book of James was written before the Mystery of the Age of Grace (the Church Age) was revealed through Paul, because at this time he was Saul “consenting unto his [Stephen’s] death”!

Saul Becomes Paul

Saul came to believe on Jesus as Yahshuah Ha Moshiach in Acts 9 on the road to Damascus.

As I read this account for the umpteenth time, the Holy Spirit hit me with this realization—Saul’s blindness represented the blindness that had come upon Israel!

Saul became Paul on the road to Damascus. So too will Israel’s eyes be opened during the time of Jacob’s Trouble soon after the annihilation of that city (Isaiah 17:1):

(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. - Romans 11:8 KJV

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: - Romans 11:25-26 KJV

The prophetic analogy goes further:

And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. - Acts 9:9 KJV

Saul was blind for three days. The Wedding of the Church Bride occurs upon completion of the third day and Israel’s blindness will end. Sandy Armstrong brought this to my attention in his video 2017 The 3rd Day Wedding.

There is probably even more significance to this account, but let’s move on.

How to Get Saved

Sometime after Paul’s conversion and years in the desert, the Great Mystery was revealed to him:

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:-Ephesians 3:1-6 KJV

It was also revealed to Paul what were the riches of this mystery:

To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: - Colossians 1:27 KJV

CHRIST IN YOU! OUR BLESSED HOPE! Because the Spirit of Christ is sealed within us until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), HE is our Blessed Hope!

The mystery and its riches defines the Age of Grace. Therefore, the correct books of the Bible to go to regarding how to get saved are Paul’s books:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. - Romans 10:9 KJV

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10:10 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: - Ephesians 2:8 KJV

Not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:9 KJV

Borrowing from Tim Henderson, “We are not saved by works, but because we are saved, we do good works!”

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10 KJV 

Pained Over Division

It was significant that Scottie dedicated this particular video to Paul Skotarski, better known for his Youtube Channel Zeuss Mossbender, who recently died. As Brad of Rev12daily Blogspot wrote in a tribute to this Brother in Christ, Paul was “pained over division in the watchmen community”.

My prayer is that understanding regarding salvation can come to not only the watchmen community, but to any who are unsaved. If you wish to live eternally with the God Who is Love, call on His Son Jesus Christ by making Him the Lord of your life and believe God raised Him from the dead. As a bonus, you will also escape the coming time of Jacob's Trouble!

7/23/19 Update: After finally getting around to reading Gary's article at Unsealed.org, I wanted to attach the link here for it is an excellent source related to this subject:
The Hebrew Roots Movement