Posts by Trailer Park Pioneer

29

Meaningful Study

by Awake at last in

i never thought i would be commenting, let alone starting a new topic in the category of bible research and study.

anyone reading my comments on this site would have realised that i am the most unspiritual person to have ever stepped foot inside a kh.

yet for the first time in my life, on saturday night, i did some meaningful bible study/research, on my own without a wtbts publication in sight, except the nwt bible.

When I first started to fade and use the Bible while dumping the Watchtower it was shocking to see how the Bible slam's the Watchtower's Perverted Teachings! The Watchtower and Bible collide, that's why Charles Taze Russell and Freddy Franz said "People need our literature more than the Bible" and "From our experience if you had the choice of having "Studies in the Scriptures" and "The Bible", you would be best off with "Studies" because the Bible only would lead you in to darkness!" Charles Taze Russell's words paraphrased.

Please read Galatians and than Philippians and notice how different the Bible's teaching is! As you move towards Romans and Corinthians it's painfully obvious we knew nothing about the Bible's true message! I have a few websites with great apologist if your interested in pure Bible and little of man's views, glad your spiritual!

The Watchtower "Question and Answer" method is great at inculcating Propaganda and force feeding wild speculation down people's throats and if you don't agree, your like Korah! No allowance for deep study and synthesis is permitted because their way of teaching is only to indoctrinate stagnate ideas from eight stale outdated religious fakes!

39

NEW LIGHT FROM SLO CIRCUIT OVERSEER "Warning, Blood on Doorposts", "The Couple who Missed One Meeting Died With Their Kids, Don't Miss Any!

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

sorry, i messed up before i could put the right title on this new light from our circuit overseer, his visit show's a great desperation in the organization's mindset, adding more anxiety and guilt to jws who already feel they don't measure up!.

hi, i attended the circuit overseers visit and got really angry because our c.o.

gave information coming from the governing body's chief apologists regarding "meeting attendance" and "the couple who missed one meeting and lost their entire family because they did not get the "411" when armageddon was coming!

Trailer Park Pioneer

Searcher, your posts have been lots of fun, the intense scriptures posted demonstrate they are not following the Bible, I got a video you might enjoy looking at if you don't mind hearing a Hong Kong Preach say lots of "Hallelujahs!"

Finkelstein
Watchtower is very much about fear mongering, its been its greatest marketing ploy , is that obvious or not ?
kaik
Entertaining. This kind of talk brings me back to 1980-1985 where the Angel of Death was imminent and these who would not be warned by message from the elders will die.

Excellent writings, they are totally fear mongers! Kaik, do you remember those stupid Wash-Paper-Towels dealing with the UN's "Year of Peace" in 1986 and the nasty attack's against Christendom soon to follow? I got yelled out and had the water almost turned on me by using those idiots literature to insult people I did not personally know. I know lots of JWs and honestly, a good portion are very shallow and turn on you faster than a Snake! You know were I'am coming from, those Rags got us in trouble, what were we thinking handing out that written fecal-matter attacking people who probably had more morality than many of the people we called Brothers?

The Watchtower must keep people reading these forums trying to stay one step behind because there is no way they can keep up with your logic skills, your tearing them up while they cash out all their real estate holdings, this move is prudent because they might get top dollar again on all their holding. Jehovah is providing lots of funds to pay off all the plaintiff attorneys so the Watchtower know's it's him punishing them for False Prophecy and abusing little boys and girls and telling them the Big Whooper, "Just Wait On Jehovah, Don't be depressed, get your butts out in Field Service with Brother Chester and feel the love of our god!"

I wonder if it was intentional they made it hard for the really smart people (so many great friends on JWN with extensive Bible and Watchtower knowledge whether their atheist or Christian, your posts are a threat to their Waffle Doctrines.) So I am at the Grocery Store and I see a weak JW who see's herself as better than me even though she knows nothing about the Bible or Watchtower Theology. She shun's me and this is after years of listening to her tell me how bad the elders treated her kids and stumbled them out of the Twooth." For long-term Elders here who stepped down, it must feel like betrayal after giving your heart, life and soul for idiots who can't see your good qualities, your kindness and all the time you spent when some were breaking down from emotional or Kingdom Hall conflicts!

"Next, why are they giving advice that is way out of date? Now, suppose I am totally right about hyperinflation and silver reaches 7,000 [1/2014] toilet papers an ounce, real estate prices plummet versus silver, and anyone that has significant silver is rich and everyone else is destitute and starves. Of what importance is that going to be some 4,000 years from now? Amassing all that silver at that time might not be of any benefit, especially if prices are stable and based on gold. By that time, a new find of silver might be imminent and it might be bad advice for that time. Likewise, what may have happened in ancient Israel (and I believe the whole thing is a lie) is not pertinent now, and following this advice will give bad consequences this time. And I mean consequences like communism.

Finally, so what if you skip the boasting session? The washtowel rags are posted online. Just download them if you wish to keep up with what is going on, and look at the posts that appear right here. Even the Kingdumb Misery rags are posted on their official jw dot org site. If you know the congregation number, you can probably find everything you need to know right online--right from their own site."

DesirousOfChange
I know a lovely, older couple who were devout JWs but who were killed in an auto accident because they made the poor decision to go to the Cir Assm despite the warning of hazardous weather.
I'd like your CO to explain that.
Why do some JWs die for missing the meeting yet others die because they trusted in Jehovah and refused to stay home when the roads were treacherous?
Doc

DOC, the New JWs are not very good at studying their Watchtowers and I think the WT has no problem with ignorant people who can't hold a educated conversation now with householders so who are they looking for to keep the growth going? Kids are demanding more information and don't follow any example now with lots of JW Facts information to smash all the lies. We are seeing the final Watchtower Generation that has any education from studying the Organizations literature and lots of worthless outdated books with no self improving ability. The new books are designed for people with Attention deficit Disorder, nobody can stand reading these Rags and books!

Doc, I notice they never talk about the Regional Builders who died in a plane crash in the Middle East or the busloads of Witnesses not only in Spain but several countries now that got killed going to Assemblies, if they stayed at home would that mean Jehovah blessed them? One of the JW Pal talk chats spread lies about some J.W.s were spared by missing the Malaysia Airline because Jehovah spared them! It's all lies I think, how many stories have ever been authenticated or validated?

39

NEW LIGHT FROM SLO CIRCUIT OVERSEER "Warning, Blood on Doorposts", "The Couple who Missed One Meeting Died With Their Kids, Don't Miss Any!

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

sorry, i messed up before i could put the right title on this new light from our circuit overseer, his visit show's a great desperation in the organization's mindset, adding more anxiety and guilt to jws who already feel they don't measure up!.

hi, i attended the circuit overseers visit and got really angry because our c.o.

gave information coming from the governing body's chief apologists regarding "meeting attendance" and "the couple who missed one meeting and lost their entire family because they did not get the "411" when armageddon was coming!

Trailer Park Pioneer

Do you think this was his own personal embellishment on Exodus or coming from the Organization? In Field Service I was with my mother talking with a Christian fundamentalist, honestly she said "We fired our Preacher because he said "Your all going to Hell" with a smile on his face." next she said "Our new Preacher tells us we all are going to Hell with tears in his eyes, we like him!" Do people enjoy being told their going to be destroyed unless they obey? Grace is detestable to the Watchtower Organization because it destroy's their key premise, "It's not what God gave you, it's what you've done for God today that matters!"

Over the past we had many Circuit Overseers who had said some of the most crazy excrement, they go above and beyond what is written in the Bible. Elders were happy when we had COs with drinking problems, "He's down to earth and love's drinking gin and tonics, lots of them!" What in the Hell is wrong with our Elders, and Publishers who are not questioning our constant 180 degrees belief changes? If only the we could put Billy up against the Newbie C.O., I would pay to see Billy rip through his bogus theology, I am tired of the guilt!

39

NEW LIGHT FROM SLO CIRCUIT OVERSEER "Warning, Blood on Doorposts", "The Couple who Missed One Meeting Died With Their Kids, Don't Miss Any!

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

sorry, i messed up before i could put the right title on this new light from our circuit overseer, his visit show's a great desperation in the organization's mindset, adding more anxiety and guilt to jws who already feel they don't measure up!.

hi, i attended the circuit overseers visit and got really angry because our c.o.

gave information coming from the governing body's chief apologists regarding "meeting attendance" and "the couple who missed one meeting and lost their entire family because they did not get the "411" when armageddon was coming!

Trailer Park Pioneer

We had a Circuit Overseer blast Dr. Harold Camping for False Prophecy and "Jehovah's People are blessed because they don't allow hucksters or tricksters to suck their finances dry or preach a false message like Harold Camping's 5-21-2011 campaign did! Is this the new generation of Jehovah's Witnesses, people who don't know the Bible or any Watchtower historical events?

"History is not what really happened but what people were told happened" or "History is not what really happened but what people think happened!"

Don Quixote

"History: is gossip well told" Elbert Hubbard "The Royal Dictionary

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Biblical-scholar-s-date-for-rapture-May-21-2011-3204226.php

39

NEW LIGHT FROM SLO CIRCUIT OVERSEER "Warning, Blood on Doorposts", "The Couple who Missed One Meeting Died With Their Kids, Don't Miss Any!

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

sorry, i messed up before i could put the right title on this new light from our circuit overseer, his visit show's a great desperation in the organization's mindset, adding more anxiety and guilt to jws who already feel they don't measure up!.

hi, i attended the circuit overseers visit and got really angry because our c.o.

gave information coming from the governing body's chief apologists regarding "meeting attendance" and "the couple who missed one meeting and lost their entire family because they did not get the "411" when armageddon was coming!

Trailer Park Pioneer

Sorry, I messed up before I could put the right title on this New Light from our Circuit Overseer, his visit show's a great desperation in the Organization's mindset, adding more anxiety and guilt to JWs who already feel they don't measure up!

Hi, I attended the Circuit Overseers visit and got really angry because our C.O. gave information coming from the Governing Body's Chief Apologists regarding "Meeting Attendance" and "the couple who missed one Meeting and lost their entire family because they did not get the "411" when Armageddon was coming! He start's out with a illustration about the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, the 10th Plague and mentions that faithful Israelite were attending every Meeting that Moses and Aaron were delivering every Wednesday and Sunday. Than after the 9th plague of "Darkness" the couple get's too self-confident, too self-assured their going to make it through Jehovah's Final Plague! Everyone in the audience shook their head in agreement thinking of that family or single mother who missing Meeting because she has to pay for the dead-beat JW father who won't help with child support. Some were thinking of this really cool sister who is attending University because she want's to be a architect, how do I know, some of the friends told me "You need to make more meetings or you will end up like the family in his example, sister-so-and-so and young-college sister so-and-so miss too many meetings, don't be like them!

"Let's put what happen to the ancient Israelite s in terms we can understand today, ok? There is a couple with flickering meeting attendance, they seem to think missing one or two meetings a month is permissible. When the Jehovah's Final Judgement comes, they decided to stay in and miss the most important Meeting ever! They miss the day when Jehovah's Faithful Slave tell's them "its time to go in the secret room and put blood on your front-door (be at the Kingdom Hall where the Elders put blood and it's the safe place".. Here's the kicker!

By chance a group of people attended the Meeting because witnesses doing their job put them on their door, handed them out with trolleys, gave them at work (The Great Mixed Company that left with Isreal from Egypt's bondage, they left their financial riches and life-styles to join because they had good hearts and Jehovah drew them out of that wicked world!) not slacking or taking it easy on the most important preaching work ever! Imagine the joy those brothers and sisters who were out in Field Service felt to see their works saved all this people who attended the meeting when that blood was put on the doorposts, their works saved them and the people who attended the Kingdom Hall meeting that night!" Great job on making everyone accept brother and sister Pharisee feel even more anxiety and guilt than we already do! Those of us trying to make it in this Economy working two or three jobs might as well throw in the towel because his message was not pretty!

The couple who were witnesses for decades slowed down during the last stretch of this Wicked System, they decided Meeting was not convenient or allowed tiredness to keep them from gaining life! "Can you imagine brothers how that couple felt and how they had to tell their children they all were doomed? One Meeting really counts! That Meeting can be the last one before Jehovah ends this Wicked World!" and he said "Don't miss any Meetings, your playing with life or death, when the Governing Body give the Signal "It's Time! or The End is now, "We need to be like the faithful Ancient Israelites who saw and obeyed Jehovah by not missing a single meeting because they knew it was life or death! We too will get this information from the Modern Moses (Faithful Slave, Governing Body) and it might be at the Meeting you decided to miss! We should never miss any meeting because it could be the final meeting Jehovah locks the doors (think of Noah's Ark) of the Ark (Kingdom Hall) so let's not be like this couple who lost their Eternal Life and their kids because they decided to stay home before the "Safe place" and "Blood poured on the Doorposts were announced at Meeting" applause while thinking about "Am I going to make it in to God's New World if I am not jumping through all these hoops and obeying like some Circus Dog? I left that meeting with a sour taste in my mouth, these COs are totally not in touch with reality, what say you?

180

Please post new forum feedback or questions here

by Simon in

well, the switchover happened - there were a couple of things i had to fix which meant the posting was disabled for longer than i planned but it's now enabled and some people have already posted.. if you have any questions about the new format or suggestions on how to improve it, please post them here.. if you are having trouble signing in or posting then you'll need to email me instead.. many thanks to everyone for their patience during the changeover !.

Trailer Park Pioneer

Hi Simon! When will I be able to post on JWN? The Board allows me to start a thread but won't go past stage two, it's the same with the "Like" button, won't allow me to click "like" on all the good threads.

16

Are Jehovah's Witnesses ever "good enough", must they remain anxious and fragile for fear they will not be saved by their works?

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

as a jehovah's witness you know you can never do enough without hearing stories of another witness doing twice what your doing and living off half the money your living on because they give all their time and money to the watchtower.

this is totally bunk, reading romans 7:21-24 paul knew his condition was hopeless without the free gift from god.

paul put all his emphasis on jesus christ, not some self-appointed apostles whose proof offered up is over 150 years of failed prophecy!

Trailer Park Pioneer

Lisa, it's never enough according to the Watchtower's commandments, is it any wonder anxiety, depression, fear and mental illness plague lots of witnesses? The Governing Body is hoarding all the joy for themselves and after reading C.O.C. and I.S.O.C.F the boss Men designed the Watchtower's Corporate Mission Statement to keep all their members in a state of fear, create a sense of worthlessness and for God's sake, don't use your brain or your being proud with ego. Looking back it's obvious we never belonged in the Group because we are valuable, each person has intrinsic value and worth in Gods eyes, the Watchtower's teachings are not Bible-based, they are Law based trying to find the splinter in each of our eyes while ignoring their long history of Failed Prophecy!

16

Are Jehovah's Witnesses ever "good enough", must they remain anxious and fragile for fear they will not be saved by their works?

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

as a jehovah's witness you know you can never do enough without hearing stories of another witness doing twice what your doing and living off half the money your living on because they give all their time and money to the watchtower.

this is totally bunk, reading romans 7:21-24 paul knew his condition was hopeless without the free gift from god.

paul put all his emphasis on jesus christ, not some self-appointed apostles whose proof offered up is over 150 years of failed prophecy!

Trailer Park Pioneer

Jehovah's Witnesses and their push for Works using James Chapter 2, good article written by CARM.

Question: What about Jehovah's Witnesses and works' salvation?

Answer: Speaking with Jehovah’s Witnesses about Salvation by Grace Alone

Today I spoke with a JW who agreed with me that we are in need of grace to cover our sins, yet he added that we also have to follow God’s law in order to be saved--in accordance with JW theology. After admitting that he cannot always follow the law correctly, his view was pared down to "Don’t do the really bad things and at least try." What we are left with is a salvation that depends upon human effort at least as much as divine grace. He admitted that we need to have an attitude of humility, but that works are necessary for salvation. Salvation, in JW theology of course, means something different; but for this article we will have to shelve that discussion.

Scripture clearly teaches salvation by grace through faith alone. However, it also teaches good works. So, in the JW mindset, the two apparently become confused. The following is an argument that could possibly be used to help the open-minded JW (or anyone struggling with the interplay between faith and works).

In John 14:21, Jesus said that whoever loves Him will obey His commands. But surely this demands that we obey at all times--not only some of the time. One theologian made this observation: "Genuine love for God leads to wholehearted obedience. If you told your spouse that you loved her (or him) at certain times but that you struggled to love her at others, your relationship would be in jeopardy. Yet we assume that God is satisfied with occasional love or partial obedience. He is not."

If God is not satisfied with partial obedience, then none of us can satisfy God. None of us can please Him since we are all disobedient at times. If our love for God is dependent upon our obedience, as Jesus said, and if His acceptance of us depends upon our love for Him, then we cannot be accepted because we all disobey. But what if we sincerely try? Surely God would accept that. What if I told my wife I really try to love her, but I can’t always do it?

So then, how is anyone accepted? It is not by our love for God but His love for us (1 John 4:10). We are accepted by grace through faith alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 andRomans 3:28 say that grace alone brings justification before God. Our efforts to obey could not satisfy Him as Blackaby pointed out. Only Christ’s finished work on the cross could do that (Romans 3:21-25). It would be arrogant to say that we can add anything to Christ’s finished work.

But doesn’t James say that faith without works is dead (James 2:26)? What role do works play in God’s acceptance of us? None! We have already seen that. So, how do good works fit in then? First, they are an outward sign of the faith that has already saved the one who has it. In the "faith-without-works-is-dead" passage, James used Abraham’s work of offering his son to God as an example (James 2:20-23). But this act of righteousness did not do anything to bring him righteousness. That had already been granted.

Not only do works point to the saving grace in us but they also earn us the rewards--among them a greater quality of life, especially in the life to come.

Good works are the result of our salvation; God saves us to do good works. It is not that He saves us by them (Ephesians 2:10).

To summarize the argument:

To love God means to obey Him.
But we do not always obey Him.
God is not pleased with our occasional love any more than our spouse would be.
Therefore, we cannot gain God’s acceptance through our obedience.
Christ’s sacrifice wins God’s acceptance for us when we put our faith in Him.
Good works follow as a sign to other people that we are God’s people, and we are rewarded for our good works.

http://carm.org/works-salvation

13

Is the Watchtower Shifting All Financial and Legal Risk to Local Elders, are they 100% liable for Negligence?

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

what is the watchtower organization leaving behind for all the kingdom halls after their done siphoning them dry?

who is going to pay for a lawsuit or damages when some incompetent elders or three are busted for something very bad?

will the watchtower help or leave them alone for the sharks to shred to pieces?

Trailer Park Pioneer

I agree with all of you the Watchtower is not being honest with the Elder's Body, if only the Elders thought this one through! I know Elders taken to court over disfellowshiping, the Watchtower helped with that case but others the Watchtower let their Elders wiggle and get a court appointed solicitor or defender. Their goal is to keep all the green backs, donations and Estates free from Satan's Lawyers. More examples of "Money above the Congregation and "Be the Fall Guy for Jehovah, he's protect you in those prison showers!"

Watchtower should make all their Elders watch Shaw-shank Redemption and say, 'see, that's you if you don't follow our rules and obey!" Thanks for considering this thought, feel really bad for the Elders who might get rolled on this and think "Oh Jehovah is really protecting the Slave from Satan", NO, it's the Slave is putting the Elders in front of the Train while they jump back on the platform. There are solutions to these legal puzzles and layers of protection, Big Tobacco once thought they were immune from lawsuits, after $1 Billion plus in defense costs they paid out huge!

"They want the best of both worlds- all the money from the local congregations and the property but none of the responsibilities for actions. It won't work in the vast number of cases"

Chase

16

Are Jehovah's Witnesses ever "good enough", must they remain anxious and fragile for fear they will not be saved by their works?

by Trailer Park Pioneer in

as a jehovah's witness you know you can never do enough without hearing stories of another witness doing twice what your doing and living off half the money your living on because they give all their time and money to the watchtower.

this is totally bunk, reading romans 7:21-24 paul knew his condition was hopeless without the free gift from god.

paul put all his emphasis on jesus christ, not some self-appointed apostles whose proof offered up is over 150 years of failed prophecy!

Trailer Park Pioneer

As a Jehovah's Witness you know you can never do enough without hearing stories of another witness doing twice what your doing and living off half the money your living on because they give all their time and money to the Watchtower. This is totally bunk, reading Romans 7:21-24 Paul knew his condition was hopeless without the Free Gift From God. Paul put all his emphasis on Jesus Christ, not some Self-Appointed Apostles whose proof offered up is over 150 Years of Failed Prophecy! Think of all the guilt JWs are subjected to, the Watchtower avoids using all the Scriptures that say

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 7:21-24)

Discerning False Prophets

1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (1 John 4:1)

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ a has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5)

Fantastic Article written by this author, wow!

http://thewatchtowerfiles.com/salvation/

The adherent follows a strict set of rules and code of conduct. He or she works tirelessly to please the leadership of the organization which operates under the guise of God Himself.

Unfortunately the cult member is never granted 100% confirmation that he or she is “saved”. Whether they’ve been working for six months, a year or fifty years, there is always some question or seed of doubt placed in their minds by the leadership. There is always some new plateau of perfection to attain to.

With Scientologists they have to get to “clear” (their term for perfection) by paying through the nose for countless auditing sessions.

With Jehovah’s Witnesses, they have to maintain a level of performance inside the group while observing hundreds of written and unwritten rules regarding dress, grooming, employment, health, social status and associations as well as regular meeting attendance and spending countless hours in “field service” recruiting others for the cause and selling books and magazines for the mother organization. However the “perfection” they seek is still yet unattainable. They have to wait for Armageddon (the end of the world) to come so that they can spend the next thousand years seeking physical perfection. Even then they aren’t guaranteed their salvation. At any point during that thousand.

Question: What about Jehovah's Witnesses and works' salvation?

Answer: Speaking with Jehovah’s Witnesses about Salvation by Grace Alone

Today I spoke with a JW who agreed with me that we are in need of grace to cover our sins, yet he added that we also have to follow God’s law in order to be saved--in accordance with JW theology. After admitting that he cannot always follow the law correctly, his view was pared down to "Don’t do the really bad things and at least try." What we are left with is a salvation that depends upon human effort at least as much as divine grace. He admitted that we need to have an attitude of humility, but that works are necessary for salvation. Salvation, in JW theology of course, means something different; but for this article we will have to shelve that discussion.

Scripture clearly teaches salvation by grace through faith alone. However, it also teaches good works. So, in the JW mindset, the two apparently become confused. The following is an argument that could possibly be used to help the open-minded JW (or anyone struggling with the interplay between faith and works).

In John 14:21, Jesus said that whoever loves Him will obey His commands. But surely this demands that we obey at all times--not only some of the time. One theologian made this observation: "Genuine love for God leads to wholehearted obedience. If you told your spouse that you loved her (or him) at certain times but that you struggled to love her at others, your relationship would be in jeopardy. Yet we assume that God is satisfied with occasional love or partial obedience. He is not."

If God is not satisfied with partial obedience, then none of us can satisfy God. None of us can please Him since we are all disobedient at times. If our love for God is dependent upon our obedience, as Jesus said, and if His acceptance of us depends upon our love for Him, then we cannot be accepted because we all disobey. But what if we sincerely try? Surely God would accept that. What if I told my wife I really try to love her, but I can’t always do it?

So then, how is anyone accepted? It is not by our love for God but His love for us (1 John 4:10). We are accepted by grace through faith alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 andRomans 3:28 say that grace alone brings justification before God. Our efforts to obey could not satisfy Him as Blackaby pointed out. Only Christ’s finished work on the cross could do that (Romans 3:21-25). It would be arrogant to say that we can add anything to Christ’s finished work.

But doesn’t James say that faith without works is dead (James 2:26)? What role do works play in God’s acceptance of us? None! We have already seen that. So, how do good works fit in then? First, they are an outward sign of the faith that has already saved the one who has it. In the "faith-without-works-is-dead" passage, James used Abraham’s work of offering his son to God as an example (James 2:20-23). But this act of righteousness did not do anything to bring him righteousness. That had already been granted.

Not only do works point to the saving grace in us but they also earn us the rewards--among them a greater quality of life, especially in the life to come.

Good works are the result of our salvation; God saves us to do good works. It is not that He saves us by them (Ephesians 2:10).

To summarize the argument:

To love God means to obey Him.
But we do not always obey Him.
God is not pleased with our occasional love any more than our spouse would be.
Therefore, we cannot gain God’s acceptance through our obedience.
Christ’s sacrifice wins God’s acceptance for us when we put our faith in Him.
Good works follow as a sign to other people that we are God’s people, and we are rewarded for our good works.

http://carm.org/works-salvation