5 "SOLA"'S: whence cometh??

[Ron Gurley]

RCC: 5 "SOLA"'S: whence cometh??

1 Sola Fide (Faith/(BELIEF) alone) is one of the "battle flags" of the Reformation to set it off from Roman Catholic teaching.
The other "Solas" were
2 Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone),
3 Sola Gratia (Grace alone),
4 Sola Christus (Christ alone) and
5 Sola Gloria Dei (to God's glory only).

The notion that we are saved by Grace alone through spirit-led FAITH / BELIEF alone in Christ alone is foundational to NON-CATHOLIC theology.
SEE: John 3 explained in Ephesians 2

Another point: SUPREMACY of Scripture over Sacred Tradition and/or Papal Magisterium is just as vital to NON-CATHOLIC theology.

Remove any of the 3 pillars of the RCC "belief system", and its theology will collapse.
The denial of any or all of these points places one outside the EVANGELICAL Camp.

The five "solas".....= "alone's....We are :..SAVED (spiritually re-born)
1. by grace alone
2. with faith alone
3. in Christ alone
4. to the glory of God alone
5. according to the authority of Scriptures alone

SEE: http://www.anevangelicalmanifesto.com/

What are the five solas? | CARM.org

What are the five solas? | CARM.org

Five solae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Five solae - Wikipedia

What are the five solas - GotQuestions.org

https://www.gotquestions.org/five-solas.html

Question:
Please provide Scripture (copy + paste):
FOR!
AGAINST!

 

[thecolorsblend]

The notion that we are saved by Grace alone through spirit-led FAITH / BELIEF alone in Christ alone is foundational to NON-CATHOLIC theology.
SEE: John 3 explained in Ephesians 2

Citing St. John 3 as support for sola fide is amusing to me.

Another point: SUPREMACY of Scripture over Sacred Tradition and/or Papal Magisterium is just as vital to NON-CATHOLIC theology.

Is there a REASON why certain words in YOUR post up there are ALL-CAPS while certain OTHER words are NOT?

The kind of funny thing is that a lot of fire-breathing evangelicals seem to think that Catholics object to all five "solas". Not so.

In fact, the only two the Church categorically rejects are "sola scriptura" (which is so illogical that it's kind of self-refuting anyway) and "sola fide"... depending on how it is defined.

Mind you, "believe" is a verb, an action, a work, so the evangelical understanding of "sola fide" is also self-defeating but you get the idea.[/QUOTE]

 

[Kenny'sID]

Her we go again with the do as you wish you're saved regardless.

Old scratch must be getting an itch lately to do some recruiting.

 

[Chesterton]

The five "solas".....= "alone's....We are :..SAVED (spiritually re-born)

Five solas. Five things together and alone. The contradiction is so glaring I gotta wear shades.

 

[Ron Gurley]

(SAVING spirit-led) "Faith" (/ Belief) without (following spiritual good) "works" is "dead" (judged to be spiritully useless.) ...a paraphrase of James. FAITH and WORKS go hand -in- hand! Jmaes 2: 22

Believers are SAVED UNTO "good works"....Ephesians 2.

Only their "works" will be JUDGED...NOT their spiritual POSITION in the "Body of Christ"

2 Corinthians 5: 1-15 (NIV) + 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV)
10 For we (BELIEVERS) must all appear before the "judgment (bema = awards platform) seat of Christ",
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done (WORKS) while in the BODY, whether good or bad....

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV)...>>Judgment of the BELIEVER'S WORKS<<...SEE ALSO: Romans 14:1-23
1 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
which is Jesus Christ.(salvation)
12 If any man BUILDS on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13 his WORK will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it (WORKS) to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's WORK.
14 If what he has BUILT survives, he will receive his REWARD.(CROWNS)
15 If it (WORK) is burned up, he will suffer LOSS;
he himself will be SAVED, but only as one escaping through the flames.(miraculous delivery)

FAITH / BELIEF...spirit-led BEFORE and AFTER salvation

WORKS...spirit-led BEFORE and AFTER salvation VERSUS
Man's works alone to commend himself to God

To me, "Belief" and "Faith" as used in the New Testament are almost identical in meaning and synonomous.

"Believe" occurs 152 times in 140 verses in the NASB...mostly in the NT.

G4103 pistos ~= faithful, believe, believing, true, faithfully, believer, sure
G4100 pisteuo = ~believe, commit unto, commit to (one's) trust, be committed unto, be put in trust with, be commited to one's trust, believer

John 1:12 (NASB)
...But as many as RECEIVED Him (spiritually!), to them He gave the right to become children of God ,
even to those who BELIEVE (G4100) in His NAME,...

Romans 10:9,13-15 (NASB)
...that IF you confess (agree with God) with your mouth (mind) Jesus as LORD, AND
BELIEVE (G4100) in your heart (spirit) that God (the Father) raised Him (God the Son) from the dead,
you will be SAVED (from eternal estrangement);
....for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not BELIEVED?
How will they BELIEVE in Him whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear without a preacher?
How will they preach unless they are sent?

"Faith" occurs 250 times in 232 verses in the NASB ...all but 4 verses in the NT.

G4102 pistis = ~faith, assurance, believe, belief, them that believe, fidelity

Hebrews 11 (NASB) ...Biblical examples of The Triumphs of FAITH,,,DEFINITION

1. Now FAITH is the (spiritual) assurance of things HOPED for,
the CONVICTION of things (+ truths) not seen.(nor proven!)
For by it (faith) the "men of old" (OT heroes) gained approval. ( AND mankind today gains salvation)

John 6: 28-29
28 Then they (disciples) asked him, "What must we do to do the WORKS God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to BELIEVE in the one he has sent." ...

John 3 ...extracts...Jesus to the inquiring Nicodemus
'You must be born again (spiritually).'
The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit....(NEED fulfilled...a NEW LIFE... CHANGED SPIRIT)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,
so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (cruxified ?)
that everyone who BELIEVES in him may have eternal life.

I believe / rely on an excellent Bible scholar's statement:

"The CONDITION(S) for SALVATION...
Salvation is conditioned solely on FAITH / (BELIEF) in Jesus The Christ.
("repentance" may be a SYNONYM when understood to be a "re-thinking and a "turning around")
Nearly 200 times FAITH (or BELIEF) is stated as the single condition in the New Testament.
That FAITH must be placed in The Christ as one's substutute for and Savior from sin (/sins)...
There are some FALSE additions to FAITH...e.g. ritual water baptism, repentance by works, confession / purification, lordship, etc
REF: Ryrie Study Bible...expanded NASB...p. 2073

(Jesus to woman caught in sin):.... "Your FAITH has saved YOU; go in peace."...

 

[Ron Gurley]

Which is theologically SUPREME if there is irreconcilable spiritual interpretational conlict?

1. Scripture
2. Sacred Tradition
3. Papal Magisterium

 

[~Anastasia~]

Citing St. John 3 as support for sola fide is amusing to me.

Is there a REASON why certain words in YOUR post up there are ALL-CAPS while certain OTHER words are NOT?

The kind of funny thing is that a lot of fire-breathing evangelicals seem to think that Catholics object to all five "solas". Not so.

In fact, the only two the Church categorically rejects are "sola scriptura" (which is so illogical that it's kind of self-refuting anyway) and "sola fide"... depending on how it is defined.

Mind you, "believe" is a verb, an action, a work, so the evangelical understanding of "sola fide" is also self-defeating but you get the idea.

It's kind of ironic. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick has done a lot of work comparing theology and tracing differences held by various denominations and how they came to be.

Orthodoxy in many ways is actually in agreement with Luther on various parts. The irony is that today's Evangelicals and radical reformers have redefined the Solas to the point where Luther would in many points strongly disagree with what is being taught.

If Luther were being followed, it would be more accurate that many who cite him.

(And I'm not just quoting a podcast - I read Luther's own comments on Sola Scriptura, and they are nearly identical to what Orthidoxy believes.)

Lord have mercy on us all.

 

[Ron Gurley]

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through (spirit-led faith(/belief); and that not of yourselves, it is the (spiritual)gift of God;

 

[St_Worm2]

.

 

[Ron Gurley]

Hebrews 4:12
For the "word of God" (scripture) is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

 

[Ron Gurley]

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

[Ron Gurley]

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

 

[~Anastasia~]

p.s. - why are we discussing theology in the Junk Drawer?

That's a very good question ...

 

[thecolorsblend]

Hi TCB, why do you say that, it doesn't seem so far-fetched to me? For instance, there is this passage to consider:

John 3
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Hm. Very interesting.

Speaking of...

Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
-- St. John 3:5 (DRA)

So baptism with water is a prerequisite for entering the kingdom of God. Baptize is a verb, an action, a work. So it looks like at a minimum one must believe and be baptized in water, yes? And so far, both of those are verbs. "Sola fide" is getting stretched a bit thin by now, isn't it?

While it's true that we are the ones who choose to believe/do the believing, it is also true that our believing would not be possible apart from the "gift" of saving faith (Ephesians 2:8) that God gives to all who are His, and further, that those who receive this wondrous gift from God always choose to use it, because this gracious gift of His is simply irresistible

So while we do the work/make the choice (do the "believing"), we get no credit for doing so, because apart from God's gift to us (Ephesians 2:8; cf John 6:29), we could not/would not do so.

Catholics tend to view the matter as participatory. God, by His grace alone, offers salvation to men. In turn, men choose either to accept or reject it.

p.s. - why are we discussing theology in the Junk Drawer?

Your guess is as good as mine. The most I can figure is the OP might've accidentally clicked on the wrong forum unintentionally by accident without meaning to by mistake.

 

[BNR32FAN]

(SAVING spirit-led) "Faith" (/ Belief) without (following spiritual good) "works" is "dead" (judged to be spiritully useless.) ...a paraphrase of James. FAITH and WORKS go hand -in- hand! Jmaes 2: 22

Believers are SAVED UNTO "good works"....Ephesians 2.

Only their "works" will be JUDGED...NOT their spiritual POSITION in the "Body of Christ"

2 Corinthians 5: 1-15 (NIV) + 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV)
10 For we (BELIEVERS) must all appear before the "judgment (bema = awards platform) seat of Christ",
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done (WORKS) while in the BODY, whether good or bad....

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV)...>>Judgment of the BELIEVER'S WORKS<<...SEE ALSO: Romans 14:1-23
1 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
which is Jesus Christ.(salvation)
12 If any man BUILDS on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13 his WORK will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it (WORKS) to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's WORK.
14 If what he has BUILT survives, he will receive his REWARD.(CROWNS)
15 If it (WORK) is burned up, he will suffer LOSS;
he himself will be SAVED, but only as one escaping through the flames.(miraculous delivery)

FAITH / BELIEF...spirit-led BEFORE and AFTER salvation

WORKS...spirit-led BEFORE and AFTER salvation VERSUS
Man's works alone to commend himself to God

To me, "Belief" and "Faith" as used in the New Testament are almost identical in meaning and synonomous.

"Believe" occurs 152 times in 140 verses in the NASB...mostly in the NT.

G4103 pistos ~= faithful, believe, believing, true, faithfully, believer, sure
G4100 pisteuo = ~believe, commit unto, commit to (one's) trust, be committed unto, be put in trust with, be commited to one's trust, believer

John 1:12 (NASB)
...But as many as RECEIVED Him (spiritually!), to them He gave the right to become children of God ,
even to those who BELIEVE (G4100) in His NAME,...

Romans 10:9,13-15 (NASB)
...that IF you confess (agree with God) with your mouth (mind) Jesus as LORD, AND
BELIEVE (G4100) in your heart (spirit) that God (the Father) raised Him (God the Son) from the dead,
you will be SAVED (from eternal estrangement);
....for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not BELIEVED?
How will they BELIEVE in Him whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear without a preacher?
How will they preach unless they are sent?

"Faith" occurs 250 times in 232 verses in the NASB ...all but 4 verses in the NT.

G4102 pistis = ~faith, assurance, believe, belief, them that believe, fidelity

Hebrews 11 (NASB) ...Biblical examples of The Triumphs of FAITH,,,DEFINITION

1. Now FAITH is the (spiritual) assurance of things HOPED for,
the CONVICTION of things (+ truths) not seen.(nor proven!)
For by it (faith) the "men of old" (OT heroes) gained approval. ( AND mankind today gains salvation)

John 6: 28-29
28 Then they (disciples) asked him, "What must we do to do the WORKS God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to BELIEVE in the one he has sent." ...

John 3 ...extracts...Jesus to the inquiring Nicodemus
'You must be born again (spiritually).'
The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit....(NEED fulfilled...a NEW LIFE... CHANGED SPIRIT)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,
so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (cruxified ?)
that everyone who BELIEVES in him may have eternal life.

I believe / rely on an excellent Bible scholar's statement:

"The CONDITION(S) for SALVATION...
Salvation is conditioned solely on FAITH / (BELIEF) in Jesus The Christ.
("repentance" may be a SYNONYM when understood to be a "re-thinking and a "turning around")
Nearly 200 times FAITH (or BELIEF) is stated as the single condition in the New Testament.
That FAITH must be placed in The Christ as one's substutute for and Savior from sin (/sins)...
There are some FALSE additions to FAITH...e.g. ritual water baptism, repentance by works, confession / purification, lordship, etc
REF: Ryrie Study Bible...expanded NASB...p. 2073

(Jesus to woman caught in sin):.... "Your FAITH has saved YOU; go in peace."...

Pistis doesn’t only mean to believe it also means faithfulness, and fidelity which has to do with obedience. That’s the difference between having faith and believing. Here’s an example of someone who believes but doesn’t have faith.

““So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:46-49‬

Another example

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2:14-26‬

These passages are two examples of people who believe but don’t have faith. So many people are either afraid or too lazy or lacking in pistis (fidelity, faithfulness) to be obedient and do good works. We are not saved by works or obedience we are saved by faith. Works and obedience are both fruits and evidence of having faith. If a person has faith they are born again. They receive the Holy Spirit and are compelled by the Spirit to do good works and repent of sin. If they are ignoring the Holy Spirit that is evidence of a lack of faith (pistis, faithfulness, fidelity). That doesn’t mean they won’t stumble but they will hate sin and are not a slave to sin. Meaning they don’t indulge in sin. It’s much easier to say we are saved by simply believing. That doesn’t require much effort. Unfortunately that also makes a REALLY wide gateway to heaven. In fact it can’t get much wider than simply believing with no effort.

““Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭13:24‬

““You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:13‬

 

[St_Worm2]

.

 

[redleghunter]

Her we go again with the do as you wish you're saved regardless.

Old scratch must be getting an itch lately to do some recruiting.

Where did the OP indicate such?

 

[redleghunter]

Orthodoxy in many ways is actually in agreement with Luther on various parts. The irony is that today's Evangelicals and radical reformers have redefined the Solas to the point where Luther would in many points strongly disagree with what is being taught.

I believe that is due to some not knowing the difference between Sola and Solo.

 

[redleghunter]

That's a very good question ...

Where else can a Non-denom discuss theological issues? Truly I don't know as all the theology threads save CCT are Christian only areas.

 

[redleghunter]

Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
-- St. John 3:5 (DRA)

So baptism with water is a prerequisite for entering the kingdom of God. Baptize is a verb, an action, a work. So it looks like at a minimum one must believe and be baptized in water, yes? And so far, both of those are verbs. "Sola fide" is getting stretched a bit thin by now, isn't it?

Who says Jesus was speaking of baptism? He was talking with a Jewish Pharisee. The only baptism he would be familiar with would be John's baptism of repentance not Christian baptism.

The other possibility is Jesus mentions Nicodemus is a Teacher of Israel. If we consider this within the historical context of what Jesus and Nicodemus both knew (TaNaKh) then Ezekiel 36 would apply:

Ezekiel 36: NKJV

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

In the OT water signified purity and cleansing. In order for the Levite priests to approach the altar they had to be washed clean. In the New Testament what washes us clean? The Blood of Christ:

If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

Therefore, within the context of the setting, we either conclude Jesus is referring to John's baptism and thus the water signifies repentance. Or we conclude He is teaching Nicodemus one must be washed clean of sin and the water signifies His own blood which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins.

Remember, in chapter 1 and later in chapter 3 John the apostle uses the actual word baptism, yet not in this conversation with Nicodemus.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)