Sola Fide (Faith Alone) Sets the Record Straight

Danthemailman said:

Jesus and His followers do not teach salvation by faith and works.

(John 3:15,16,18; 6:29,40,47; Acts 10:43; 16:31; 26:18; Romans 1:16; 3:22-28; 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9 etc..).

Man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-24).

*Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works.*

It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24) *Perfect Harmony* View attachment 258324

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"...yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works"

Grip Docility said:

Okay, so here it is, again. The God of all “partially saves us”.

Do tell.

Jesus said it is finished, but apparently He meant, “almost finished”!?!

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There is nothing in what I shared that refers to these two points.

Jason0047 said:

Nope. James says we are justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24).

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Nope. Justified by works does not mean saved by works. In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" to mean "accounted as righteous" but is shown to be righteous. *James is discussing the evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3).

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works will be evidences for, or against a man being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, “acknowledged that God's way was right.” The ESV reads, "they declared God just.." This is the "sense" in which God was “justified.” He was shown to be righteous.

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

Until you get this right your doctrine will remain a house of cards. When James says that man is not justified by faith alone, he is talking about an empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains alone - “barren of works” (James 2:14) and not authentic faith that trusts in Christ alone for salvation. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 5:1) *Notice that Paul did not say saved through faith and works in Ephesians 2:8,9 or justified by faith and works in Romans 5:1.

Unlike your position, my position is in perfect harmony. Works are the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of saving faith in Christ, but not the essence of faith and not the means of obtaining or maintaining salvation. Man is saved apart from the merit of works, yet authentic faith is not apart from the presence of works. This does not mean that works play a part in salvation as if Jesus needs our works to help Him save us in part. Christ’s finished work of redemption is sufficient and complete to save believers. No supplements needed. (Romans 3:24-28)

Gracia Singh said:

I would suggest reading the canons of the Council of Trent, Sir. Attributing the grace needed to obey and live for Christ to God does not mean that faith alone is viewed as neccesarily for our salvation. Simply that faith and works, both of which we need to be saved, are fueled by God's grace.

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The Catholic Church Teaches Salvation by Works

ralfyman said:

"...yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works"

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Amen! Yet this still does not mean we are saved “by” works, not even in part.

Gracia Singh said:

Sure. Nothing we do can merit our trusting in Christ. Nothing we do can merit our saving faith in Christ. While this is true, it is not faith alone which saves. Faith is a gift of God, who also calls us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, by grace. Faith, and works.

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OXYMORON which is the result of confusing justification with ongoing sanctification. Work out does not mean work for.

Gracia Singh said:

I don't know who first said it, but it has been said that we have been saved, we are being saved, and we shall be saved. By grace, through faith, and through works. Not any works, but works of loving obedience to Christ, and to the Triune God in general.

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So saved by “these” works and just not “those” works is what you are teaching, but that is not what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 2:8,9. There are 3 tenses to salvation that often get confused by works-salvationists. 1. We have been saved from the PENALTY of sin (justification) 2.We are being saved from the POWER of sin (ongoing sanctification) 3. We will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin (glorification)

Grip Docility said:

Romans 4:5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

Hebrews 6:19 We have this [hope]-like a sure and firm anchor of the soul-that enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

Brother, in my opinion, words such as those emboldened in the quote, are a direct affront to the Good News of Jesus Christ, and are literally aligned in opposition to extremely important scripture.

Please take the time to compare what you wrote to literal passages of scripture that is posted, beneath.

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Will you please answer my question in post 501?

Grip Docility said:

Okay, so here it is, again. The God of all “partially saves us”.

Do tell.

Jesus said it is finished, but apparently He meant, “almost finished”!?!

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We don’t do works for atonement of sin we do works because we choose to abide in Christ. Anyone who abides/remains in Him WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT, not might bear fruit, or might bear a little fruit. They will bear much fruit. Anyone who does not abide in Him will be cast away to wither and cast into the fire to be burned.

Grip Docility said:

Okay, so here it is, again. The God of all “partially saves us”.

Do tell.

Jesus said it is finished, but apparently He meant, “almost finished”!?!

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Your contradicting yourself my friend.

Grip Docility said:

We are all unfinished work.

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Grip Docility said:

Luke 22:54-62 <~ before you go and say, yeah but this isn’t about denying Jesus and those circumstances were way different... really take in what is happening in these verses.

We are all unfinished work. God will clutch Rick, convict him more deeply and use the bad to bring about the good.

I’m sincere, here. Name any scenario you desire and I bet there’s a person out there that’s been there and God has led them away from their struggles.

The problem with making up scenarios is that they are blind to the fact that only God knows the heart.

God doesn’t just come into a life and wince at stupidity, then abandon a person...

I’ll even be real! You have identified several things going on...

Rick is drinking... (Jesus turned water to wine)

Rick is seeing naked women... (David Saw a naked wife, knocked her up and had her husband killed)

Rick is speaking about Jesus... (Peter denied Jesus 3 times)...

The judging by human standards gig is a slippery slope.

Did I mention Judah knocked up His daughter in law, because he thought she was a prostitute?

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Jesus said you can identify a tree by it’s fruit. Rick didn’t simply stumble in sin he willingly indulged in it mocking Jesus’ sacrifice. According to 1 John 2:3-6 Rick is a liar.

“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
‭‭1 JOHN‬ ‭2:3-6‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Grip Docility said:

Luke 22:54-62 <~ before you go and say, yeah but this isn’t about denying Jesus and those circumstances were way different... really take in what is happening in these verses.

We are all unfinished work. God will clutch Rick, convict him more deeply and use the bad to bring about the good.

I’m sincere, here. Name any scenario you desire and I bet there’s a person out there that’s been there and God has led them away from their struggles.

The problem with making up scenarios is that they are blind to the fact that only God knows the heart.

God doesn’t just come into a life and wince at stupidity, then abandon a person...

I’ll even be real! You have identified several things going on...

Rick is drinking... (Jesus turned water to wine)

Rick is seeing naked women... (David Saw a naked wife, knocked her up and had her husband killed)

Rick is speaking about Jesus... (Peter denied Jesus 3 times)...

The judging by human standards gig is a slippery slope.

Did I mention Judah knocked up His daughter in law, because he thought she was a prostitute?

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Now your saying we have no free will after we believe in Christ.

Grip Docility said:

We are flesh / God is Spirit!

The Holy Spirit resides within our sinful flesh!

No contradiction. In witness, we can speak in the Spirit... (Saved/Sealed/Sanctified)

We can also speak in the flesh (Romans 7)... to illustrate sincere struggle... for the cause of combatting Carnal Judgment.

I do this most of the time, because people act as if Carnally judging other Christians is more profitable than seeking out lost souls!

So, I confess my sins and quote scripture that is caustic to the soul of the carnally judgmental, in hopes their witness will become more wise!

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Paul disagrees with you friend.

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
‭‭ROMANS‬ ‭8:9‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Grip Docility said:

Not only did I not say that, I am the last person you could corner on this theological routine of “no free will”. As in... if you want to go there we can, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have free will laid out more strongly than you assumed.

I’m saying God can Part red seas in our life! I’m saying God will allow Pharaoh to chase his people, then open the Red Sea for them, to give them a choice.

Rick May have thought consequences weren’t coming his way, but Rick is wrong! God will teach Rick and use Ricks surroundings to do so!

People underestimate the Power Of God to Dave, Teach, Correct and Guide!

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If they have the choice they can choose to fall away from God otherwise there is no choice.