We've heard it thousands of times, "Be good, or you'll be left behind!" The verses quoted by the "be good, or you'll be left behind" messages are well known:

Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Hbr 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

All of these do support the idea that if the person is not ready, then they will not make it. It is obvious that WORKS are a part of the salvation of these folks.

But here's the newsflash: None of those verses applies to Christ's bride, the Christians, in this dispensation!! WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE. The verses all apply to the Jews  (and gentile believers) during the tribulation. They are the "virgins" and those who must survive without taking the beast's mark.

If anyone is caught in the tribulation (Because you were not a believer in Jesus beforehand and missed the rapture of the Church), then you have to "keep the commandments" and "endure to the end" and "be ready" if you are going to make it. Merely having "faith" during the tribulation will not be enough. Hence James says to the tribulation Jews (to the 12 Jewish tribes - see James 1:1) that "faith without works is dead."  Doctrinally James' statement applies to a different group than the Church (although we make practical and spiritual application of it) - because we are under the opposite: Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.


- M


PS (Thanks go to Peter Ruckman for expounding this important distinction)