Gary Varvel: DNC: Stop playing by the rules

New Humor Me cartoon plus my essay: Clarifying Faith and Works in Salvation

At the DNC Summer Meeting in Minneapolis, Chairman Ken Martin said, “Now, look, folks, I’m sick and tired of this Democrat Party bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore.”

The Federalist’s Beth Belje writes, “Cheating is not an innovative Democrat strategy. It is the same old playbook.”

What Democrats don’t understand is that it’s not about fighting harder—it’s about promoting policies that voters actually want. For the past eight years, their only message has been that Trump is an authoritarian, a dictator, a racist, and a fascist. Voters didn’t buy it then, and they’re not likely to buy it now.

In the last 4 years, the Democratic Party lost 2.1 million voters. Why? I think it’s because of Letter People Fatigue. The woke identity politics has turned off many of the traditional democrat voters.

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PART 1

Clarifying Faith and Works in Salvation

My recent open letter to President Trump was specifically about how to get to heaven. In it, I shared several verses that emphasize salvation is through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

Many of you wrote to say you were encouraged by the explanation of the gospel. However, a few people questioned—and even disagreed with—my understanding of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation).

Some argued that faith plus works is required for salvation.

JAMES 2

One woman quoted James 2:19:

“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”

James equates simply believing in God to “demonic faith”—that is, knowledge without submission.

She argued, “Merely agreeing with theological truths is not enough to be saved.” I agree. Easy-believism is not saving faith.

She then quoted James 2:24:

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”

At first glance, this verse might suggest that works are necessary for justification. But when read in context, James is actually teaching that genuine faith in Christ produces a changed life that results in good works.

James 2:18 reinforces this:

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

James’ point is clear: true Christians demonstrate their faith through their works.

The Apostle Paul clarifies the order in Ephesians 2:8–10:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

1. Salvation is God’s gift, received by grace through faith—not by works. No one will be able to boast in heaven that they earned their way in.

2. Once we are saved, however, we are transformed into God’s handiwork, His “hands and feet” on earth—created in Christ to do the good works He prepared in advance for us to do.

COMING TOMORROW - PART 2 - Clarifying works and faith in Matthew 25

HUMOR ME

HUMOR ME: Fix my cartoon with a snarky remark. Email your entries to gary@garyvarvel.com. Winners announced in Friday’s newsletter for paid subscribers.

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CARTOON ARCHIVE

ARCHIVE 2020 - Five years later, they still can’t see riots, crime, violence, homeless tent cities, etc.

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