Salvation is through faith alone.

justbyfaith said:

See Romans 4:1-8, Romans 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:4-7.

You will see that works don't save in the slightest.

The transformation that takes place within a believer (2 Corinthians 5:17) cannot come about by anything we do. It can only come about through trusting Christ to give you a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27). It is through faith alone in the operation of God.

Click to expand...

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said that faith is one of the weightier matters of the Law, so obedience to God's instructions is about having faith in Him to guide us in how to rightly live. Living by faith is always associated with having a willingness to obey God's instructions, such as with the examples of saving faith listed in Hebrews 11, whereas disobedience to God's instructions is referred to as breaking faith, such as in Numbers 5:6. In James 2:17-18, he said that faith without works is dead and that that he would show his faith by his works, so obedience to God's Law is not about adding our own efforts on top of our faith, but rather it is what our faith looks like, which is why Paul said in Romans 2:13 that it is only the doers of the Law who will be justified. So we are not saved by our obedience to the Law, but rather we have received grace to bring about the obedience that faith requires (Romans 1:5), so the same grace and faith by which we are saved also requires our obedience, which is why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-10 that we have been saved by grace through faith, not by works, but rather we have been made creations in Christ for the purpose of doing good works.

David Cabrera said:

Because if the person is justified by regeneration, then it is not by faith alone.

Click to expand...

Did someone claim regeneration is faith?

justbyfaith said:

You will see that works don't save in the slightest.

Click to expand...

Salvation is through faith alone, if you can understand what "faith alone" means. If you go to the store, you can not find "faith alone" on any shelf. If you go to the dictionary, could you not find a definition to save your soul? Warren Buffett's father was a stock broker and member of Congress. Warren was delivering papers and started a business before he graduated high school. Warren went to a prestigious business school to study under one of the best investors of his day. He has read for hours a day for decades. He was saved from poverty. He gave billions to charity. How much reading would you need to do to save your soul? You may need to learn more than the two words, "faith alone."

If I do nothing all day, I will not be saved.

justbyfaith said:

See Romans 4:1-8, Romans 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:4-7.

You will see that works don't save in the slightest.

Click to expand...

Our works/actions/good deeds don't save
Jesus told the Pharisees that the works that God requires is to believe in the One that he sent, John 6:29.
THIS is the work that saves - belief in the Son who finished his work of salvation on the cross. And it is God's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him, has eternal life, John 6:40.

TheLostCoin said:

Why isn't the Devil saved? Surely he believes in God, and knows God will be victorious (from Revelation, "for he knows he has but a short time,") and he knows the Holy Scripture, as showcased in Christ's Temptation in the Desert.

What makes you different than Satan?

Click to expand...

Saving Faith is not a condition for salvation. It is evidence God saved a person or they would not believe.

Albion said:

Of course, it isn't alone in an absolute sense. All sorts of things probably can be said to accompany a lively or sincere faith. The slogan (Sola Fide) simply means that it alone is the mechanism by which individuals are saved.

Click to expand...

I still prefer when it's expressed as it's described in Scripture, as salvation being by grace alone, through faith alive with works. St. Paul's strong emphasis on justification by faith alone was due those who felt that by obeying certain parts of the Mosaic law (especially circumcision) they were justified in God's eyes, which of course is a lie. They may have been justified in their own blind eyes (blinded by the sin of pride). They weren't justified in God's.

truefiction1 said:

I still prefer when it's expressed as it's described in Scripture, as salvation being by grace alone, through faith alive with works.

Click to expand...

It's always a matter of the wording, but no matter how that's done, it still comes down to whether or not the works in themselves add to that person's chances (of being saved).

Albion said:

It's always a matter of the wording, but no matter how that's done, it still comes down to whether or not the works in themselves add to that person's chances (of being saved).

Click to expand...

Works flow from Grace (which is the power to Love God, and to Love others as we Love ourselves, that is given to us by the Holy Spirit). If we have faith with which we can move mountains, but have not Love that is communicated by grace, it avails us nothing. Grace saves, because it makes us as God is. Faith is the door through which we can receive it, and is also made possible by grace, as are our works, which are none other than the work of God being accomplished in and through us. When good deeds are done for Christ's sake, and not for some other reason, then the usual result is that the person doing them may receive more and more grace, and be transformed from glory to glory, as they become more and more like Christ. This is the testament of Scripture and of the saints of the Orthodox Church. For this reason it is very good indeed to work for the Lord.

Grace and faith and righteousness can never be separated from one another. True faith = works, otherwise it is dead faith, or really not faith at all. Righteousness = living in accordance with all of God's commands. Faith and righteousness are the immutable laws of God through which grace is administered.

I have said before on many threads (I hope this is not another destined for closure) that faith alone/grace alone demands one "work" associated with salvation (faith), and rejects all others (repentance, confession, baptism, etc.). It defies logic, common sense, and the Word of God.

112358 said:

Grace and faith and righteousness can never be separated from one another. True faith = works, otherwise it is dead faith, or really not faith at all. Righteousness = living in accordance with all of God's commands. Faith and righteousness are the immutable laws of God through which grace is administered.

I have said before on many threads (I hope this is not another destined for closure) that faith alone/grace alone demands one "work" associated with salvation (faith), and rejects all others (repentance, confession, baptism, etc.). It defies logic, common sense, and the Word of God.

Click to expand...

Are you saying that repentance, confession of sins, Baptism, etc. should not be done?

TheLostCoin said:

Why isn't the Devil saved? Surely he believes in God, and knows God will be victorious (from Revelation, "for he knows he has but a short time,") and he knows the Holy Scripture, as showcased in Christ's Temptation in the Desert.

What makes you different than Satan?

Click to expand...

The main reason is because Satan is a fallen angel and God didn't die for the fallen angels he died for humanity. Which means that salvation isn't available to the fallen angels they were lost from the moment they rebelled. Their purpose has always been the lake of fire so you can't make an argument against faith alone by saying even the demons believe because God didn't die for them so how can they even be saved in the first place.

justbyfaith said:

See Romans 4:1-8, Romans 11:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:4-7.

You will see that works don't save in the slightest.

The transformation that takes place within a believer (2 Corinthians 5:17) cannot come about by anything we do. It can only come about through trusting Christ to give you a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27). It is through faith alone in the operation of God.

Click to expand...

We are saved by faith alone but we are saved by a faith that is never alone. Its important to put that.

truefiction1 said:

I still prefer when it's expressed as it's described in Scripture, as salvation being by grace alone, through faith alive with works.

Click to expand...

I cannot disagree with you there.

There is nothing wrong with the wording, but different people interpret the words of scripture differently, as we all know.

If these words are interpreted correctly, then that's great. But we have seen how many times a phrase like "alive with works" gets misinterpreted.

112358 said:

Grace and faith and righteousness can never be separated from one another. True faith = works, otherwise it is dead faith, or really not faith at all. Righteousness = living in accordance with all of God's commands. Faith and righteousness are the immutable laws of God through which grace is administered.

I have said before on many threads (I hope this is not another destined for closure) that faith alone/grace alone demands one "work" associated with salvation (faith), and rejects all others (repentance, confession, baptism, etc.). It defies logic, common sense, and the Word of God.

Click to expand...

Faith, by definition, is not a work.

truefiction1 said:

Are you saying that repentance, confession of sins, Baptism, etc. should not be done?

Click to expand...

Quite the contrary, I am saying they MUST be done.

Albion said:

Faith, by definition, is not a work.

Click to expand...

Inasmuch as it is something one must do, or choose, it is a work. And my point is that there are other things one must choose and/or do in order to receive the saving grace of God, which "faith/grace alone" rejects.

112358 said:

Quite the contrary, I am saying they MUST be done.

Click to expand...

Okay, I reread your post, and can see where you're saying that these things must be done. The wording of your second paragraph just made it seem that you were saying these are of no importance.

112358 said:

Inasmuch as it is something one must do, or choose, it is a work.

Click to expand...

That's just the point. It is NOT something you must do. It is something that 1) is not of your own doing in the first place, and 2) is a disposition, a commitment, not an action.

And my point is that there are other things one must choose and/or do in order to receive the saving grace of God, which "faith/grace alone" rejects.

Click to expand...

"Faith alone" is an expression that refers to the role of and effects of faith, not how to get it.

Albion said:

That's just the point. It is NOT something you must do. It is something that 1) is not of your own doing in the first place, and 2) is a disposition, a commitment, not an action.

Click to expand...

Can you expand on these thoughts? As stated I think I would disagree. The object and source of our faith is not of our own doing, but our acceptance or rejection of that object/source is certainly our doing. Also a disposition and commitment are inseparable from actions that support the disposition and commitment. If I claim a happy disposition, but my actions demonstrate otherwise, do I truly possess a happy disposition?

Albion said:

"Faith alone" is an expression that refers to the role of and effects of faith, not how to get it.

Click to expand...

God's Word tells us both what faith is and how to get it. the vast majority of Christendom uses "faith alone" to mean our actions have nothing to do with our salvation.