Last night I had the opportunity to talk to one of our separated brothers in faith who happened to be a friend of mine. I have known him for almost 7 years now and we met via the game of chess of which both of us are passionate players of the said sport. We used to play overnight just playing that game but never did we share our beliefs with each other and never had the chance to show our different views regarding doctrines and dogmas of each other’s Christian belief until recently last night we did the inevitable thing.
My friend is an affiliate of a Christian sect called born again Christians whose core beliefs lies on the premise that one can only be saved by grace through Faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ and having Him as your Lord and Personal Savior. As usual, he has reiterated the same line to me when I asked him about the role of good works in the salvation of one soul, if it is needed or not? My friend affirmatively claimed that no one can be saved unless one has the Faith on Jesus Christ. So I asked him how about those people who have not given the chance to know Christ? Are they still damned in hell? Well, he told me that he believe God has worked on them to know Christ. Fast forward, our conversation continued and it ended in a stalemate since none of us are going to back down on our own belief –typical debate between two different world views. To make the story short, our conversation ended in a very good way which I guess is a good example of how two Christians with a different set of beliefs should emulate. We are still friends by the way and no harm done, we laugh our difference off!
This conversation has led me to write a blog about this doctrine of faith held by most of our Protestant brothers, which of course is not new to me since during my college days I have been able to join this sect. It will also be an opportunity to address some issues as well as share what we Catholics believe regarding justification. I intend not to judge since I myself is subjected to judgment nor I intend to create a wall between our separated brothers rather just to clarify things out and to reach out to them about my stand as a Catholic.
Does Salvation Require “Faith Alone” Only? Or it needs something else to be completed?
For a start, we must clarify first the stand of the Catholic Faith regarding salvation through Justification, Catholic Soteriology or the Catholic teaching regarding salvation believed that by God’s grace we are saved. Most protestants including the Born again sect have held this belief but only differs in the area of justification since most of them held the views that we are justified by through faith alone compared to the Catholic belief that we are justified by our faith plus good works.
This conversation has led me to write a blog about this doctrine of faith held by most of our Protestant brothers, which of course is not new to me since during my college days I have been able to join this sect. It will also be an opportunity to address some issues as well as share what we Catholics believe regarding justification. I intend not to judge since I myself is subjected to judgment nor I intend to create a wall between our separated brothers rather just to clarify things out and to reach out to them about my stand as a Catholic.
Does Salvation Require “Faith Alone” Only? Or it needs something else to be completed?
For a start, we must clarify first the stand of the Catholic Faith regarding salvation through Justification, Catholic Soteriology or the Catholic teaching regarding salvation believed that by God’s grace we are saved. Most protestants including the Born again sect have held this belief but only differs in the area of justification since most of them held the views that we are justified by through faith alone compared to the Catholic belief that we are justified by our faith plus good works.
Our protestant brothers, most of them usually would use the verse on Ephesians 2:8-9 which states that
“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.” (NASB)
to support their stand on SOLA FIDE or the faith alone doctrine and to render works(good works) as invalid for justification or shall I say less significant since it is only needed for faith to be fruitful or manifestation of faith . But again I may ask, is faith alone enough? Does the verse really support the SOLA FIDE doctrine? Or was it really taken out of context by the first reformer Martin Luther and its follower up to now? A clearer study on that verse would lead me to a conclusion that unfortunately it doesn’t signify that it is through faith alone that we are justified because if you continue to verse 10 it says
“ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
We as a Christian are intended to do good works and we are made to do good works to walk with God. The work that has been stated there means the works of the law of which St. Paul was attacking through most of his epistle, it was perpetrated by the first schismatic group of Christians called the Judaizer –which teaches that in order to be a Christian one must follow first the Jewish customs. The work on that verse is also different from what we perceived as good works which bind together with our faith to attain justification.
Because if that word would be treated as the same “works” with “good works” then we would be facing more problems with the other verses of the bible that would contradict our understanding of the word specifically that of James which stated that Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
Also the only word “faith alone” which is insufficient enough to stand for justification can only be found on James confirming that it is not enough and we need good works (James 2:17). James on his epistle clearly states that Faith and Good works go together, hand in hand like the body and soul, they work together as one (James 2:26)
Another contradiction would come from the very same person who wrote the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul himself who wrote on the book of Romans 2: 6-8
“ He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”
“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.” (NASB)
to support their stand on SOLA FIDE or the faith alone doctrine and to render works(good works) as invalid for justification or shall I say less significant since it is only needed for faith to be fruitful or manifestation of faith . But again I may ask, is faith alone enough? Does the verse really support the SOLA FIDE doctrine? Or was it really taken out of context by the first reformer Martin Luther and its follower up to now? A clearer study on that verse would lead me to a conclusion that unfortunately it doesn’t signify that it is through faith alone that we are justified because if you continue to verse 10 it says
“ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
We as a Christian are intended to do good works and we are made to do good works to walk with God. The work that has been stated there means the works of the law of which St. Paul was attacking through most of his epistle, it was perpetrated by the first schismatic group of Christians called the Judaizer –which teaches that in order to be a Christian one must follow first the Jewish customs. The work on that verse is also different from what we perceived as good works which bind together with our faith to attain justification.
Because if that word would be treated as the same “works” with “good works” then we would be facing more problems with the other verses of the bible that would contradict our understanding of the word specifically that of James which stated that Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
Also the only word “faith alone” which is insufficient enough to stand for justification can only be found on James confirming that it is not enough and we need good works (James 2:17). James on his epistle clearly states that Faith and Good works go together, hand in hand like the body and soul, they work together as one (James 2:26)
Another contradiction would come from the very same person who wrote the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul himself who wrote on the book of Romans 2: 6-8
“ He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”
It would be interesting to know if St. Paul was contradicting himself, but of course we know that the assumption is false.
St. Paul clearly states on his epistle to the Christian communities in Rome the value of good works and its reward provided that we have already established our Faith to Christ.
What St. Paul have said in his letters to the Romans have also been affirmed by the Book of Revelation Chapter 20 verse 12 which states that
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to THEIR WORKS.”
St. Paul clearly states on his epistle to the Christian communities in Rome the value of good works and its reward provided that we have already established our Faith to Christ.
What St. Paul have said in his letters to the Romans have also been affirmed by the Book of Revelation Chapter 20 verse 12 which states that
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to THEIR WORKS.”
Another verse that they use to supplement the sola fide is John 3:16 which states that
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
But then again it does not signify faith alone because if we go backwards, we need to be born again of water and Spirit to see the kingdom of God ( John 3:3, 3:5) so therefore Faith alone is invalid even to the verses that they will quote.
Those verses that I have stated really affirmed that stand of the Catholic side of Justification that by the Grace of God we are saved and are justified through our Faith and good works. This notion has been clearly specify by Our Church Council at Trent headed by our council fathers whom it had clearly distinguished our stand that we are Justified not on faith alone
"If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema" (Session 6: can. 9).
Or Good works alone
"If anyone says that man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or by the teaching of the Law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be anathema" (Session 6; can. 1).”
but with Faith plus Good works as supported by Scriptures. (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 2:6-8, James 2:14-26, Revelation 20:12)
"If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema" (Session 6: can. 9).
Or Good works alone
"If anyone says that man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or by the teaching of the Law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be anathema" (Session 6; can. 1).”
but with Faith plus Good works as supported by Scriptures. (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 2:6-8, James 2:14-26, Revelation 20:12)
