Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. [Matthew 27:55-66 NASB]
Jesus was in the tomb for three days. It is interesting to me that the chief priests and the Pharisees were concerned about Jesus' words, "After three days I am to rise again." They remembered His words while the disciples apparently did not. They acted on His words, while the disciples went into hiding.
It is well known that Satan can quote scripture. There are some atheists who can quote the Bible better than many Christians. Hollywood puts Bible quotes in many of its movies and TV shows; even while they are mocking God and/or glorifying evil.
There are many movies about the life of Jesus, full of quotes from Jesus. Yet, as you look at the life of the actors, you see no evidence that they are Christian, even though they have been exposed to the life and teaching of Jesus. They merely played a role, and repeated lines.
Hearing the Word of God, apart from faith, doesn't make a person a believer. Being able to quote the scriptures doesn't do it either. Jesus said,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” [Matthew 7:24-27 NASB]
It is not enough to merely hear the Word; we must act on it. I can quote Paul, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;" [Romans 10:9 NASB] and never be saved. I can quote, but never choose to believe. Or I can say, "I'm a private person" and never make a confession of faith.
Remember, Jesus said,
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 10:32-33 NASB]
I am firmly convinced of this teaching;
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB]
But what does that faith look like? James says,
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. [James 2:14-19 NASB]
So it is clear that we are not saved by works, but by faith. But true faith will produce good works. Giving to charity will not save you. There are many unbelievers who give generously to some marvelous charities. But if your giving doesn't come from a place of faith in Jesus as Lord, then your giving is ultimately useless.
We are told,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23 NASB]
Most of these attributes of the fruit of the Spirit involve relationships with others. If you love, you will give and help people. You will be patient, kind and gentle. These are not things to be forced, but will grow out of your relationship with Jesus.
Don't rely on scripture memorization and good works for your salvation. Only draw near to God, and He will draw near to you, and all these other things will follow.
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