20 Aug '14 21:39>
Originally posted by checkbaiterSo those verses :
Matt 23:23-24
23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
NKJV
Matt 23:25-26
25 "W ...[text shortened]... first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
NKJV
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:23-27 KJV)
show that Christ is saying that
"works" (holiness) is not a means to salvation.
Can you explain that clearly? To me the passage you quoted says nothing along those lines. To that passage condemns what YOU believe, that there is such a thing as once saved always saved. The Pharisees were HOLY ON THE OUTSIDE, THEY APPEARED TO BE HOLY, THEY WERE MOUTH WORSHIPPERS, PRAISED GOD WITH THEIR MOUTH.
The Pharisees did not do good works that Christ spoke of .. such as the love, charity and compassion for the poor and needy.