Sola Fide (Faith Alone) Sets the Record Straight

[MDC]

So a believer who has generally lived a holy life can temporarily fall into being a inappropriate content star for a few months and be saved while doing so? How about a believer who generally lived a holy life but he murdered a bunch a people for a few months? Is he saved during the time he was a murderer? What would be the incentive for these believers to not pick up those sins again? Chastisement? Lack of fellowship? Do murderers stop being murderers because they are slapped on the wrist? What if their own life was at risk? Would they stop? I believe the chances are better (in them stopping) if they knew that their own life was at risk.

Well Jason I guess you better hope your deeds are good enough and you measure up to your standard of righteousness. Because in the end, the only rest a laden down sinner can rest his hope in for deliverance and salvation, is Christ and He alone! In the end, you will find that your works will never measure up to Gods righteousness in Christ. Luke 5:31-32.

 

[Grip Docility]

Grip
I was puzzled for a while about the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, until i came upon Arnold Frunchabaume's teaching on that sin.
He has, i believe the best teaching on what that sin actually is.

This is a short writting from Dr Frunchabaume about this, a longer study can be found in His book Footsteps of The Messiah.
by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Ariel Ministries

"…[W]hat exactly is the nature and content of the unpardonable sin or the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?"

"First, it is not an individual sin, but a national sin. It was committed by the Jewish generation of Jesus' day and cannot be applied to subsequent Jewish generations."

"Secondly, the content of the unpardonable sin is the national rejection by Israel of the Messiahship of Yeshua while He was present, on the grounds of being demon possessed…"

"…t was not an individual sin of that day, nor is it a sin anyone can commit today. On this point the Bible is very clear: no matter what sin anyone commits, then or now, every sin is forgivable to that individual who will come to God through the Messiah. But for the nation of that generation, as a nation, it was unpardonable… judgment was set against that generation. Judgment came in A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and with the world wide dispersion of the Jewish people."

"There were two results of this unpardonable sin. First, the offer of the Messianic Kingdom was withdrawn. It would not be set up in their day, but will be re-offered to a future Jewish generation that will accept it. And secondly, the A.D. 70 judgment was certain and nothing could alter it."

Acts of the Apostles 7:54-60 and John 19:15

 

[MDC]

Most Belief Alone Proponents I have talked with give me the impression that after one is saved by God's grace, there needs to be some level of fruit, holiness, or works (no doubt as they define it). This needs to come into play after one is saved by God's grace. Many here will say that this is the proof that one has been saved, but the works in themselves is not done for salvation. But they must have some kind of work to prove that they have been saved. This sounds like a circular contradiction. You don't need to have works, but yet you do? If one is not saved by works, then there should be NO works of any kind at any point. Some Eternal Security Proponents actually believe this way. Some Belief Alone Proponents I have talked with think you can sin as much as you like and you can still be saved by having a belief on Jesus. But their message sounds no different at first glance than those who say that a believer will not live in gross amounts of sin. At least this has been my experience with talking with Belief Alone Proponents over the many years.

The difference is that you believe fruit is the basis for justification. Not the result. In other words you believe ones sanctification is the means to justification, like popery. This is why you believe in the gospel denying doctrine of losing eternal life in Christ. Sola fide glorifies Christ alone in salvation. Those who deny Christ’s sufficiency in salvation will hate sola fide

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Well Jason I guess you better hope your deeds are good enough and you measure up to your standard of righteousness. Because in the end, the only rest a laden down sinner can rest his hope in for deliverance and salvation, is Christ and He alone! In the end, you will find that your works will never measure up to Gods righteousness in Christ. Luke 5:31-32.

You don’t understand.
I believe Christ does the good work through me. So it is not my righteousness alone. Jesus saves both in Justification and in Sanctification.

 

[def]

Justification is through faith alone apart from your works. Romans 3:24 speaks of Gods grace in the redemptive work of Christ that justifies and saves. This is what faith lays hold of. See all three apart from your works! Faith rest in the merits of Christ rather than ones own merits of works as the basis for justification. All of grace! Sovereign grace! Romans 3:20-23 and Romans 4: 4-5 Ephesians 2:8-10 also expresses this truth. James just speaks against a fruitless profession of faith.

'By faith alone' suggests that there are no other justifications, but believers are also justified by His blood. Therefore, logic dictates that faith alone cannot be true and James says so. Justifications are related to the New Covenant and understanding these relationships is the key to understanding the gospel.

Norman Shepherd, a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, taught faith and works and was sacked. By eliminating dissent, the false teaching is perpetuated.

 

[Loversofjesus_2018]

'By faith alone' suggests that there are no other justifications, but believers are also justified by His blood. Therefore, logic dictates that faith alone cannot be true and James says so. Justifications are related to the New Covenant and understanding these relationships is the key to understanding the gospel.

Norman Shepherd, a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, taught faith and works and was sacked. By eliminating dissent, the false teaching is perpetuated.

Is it possible..... I’m asking is it at all possible that you could be the one mistaken?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

The difference is that you believe fruit is the basis for justification. Not the result. In other words you believe ones sanctification is the means to justification, like popery. This is why you believe in the gospel denying doctrine of losing eternal life in Christ. Sola fide glorifies Christ alone in salvation. Those who deny Christ’s sufficiency in salvation will hate sola fide

*Sigh*

When you say I believe in popery when I said I am clearly not Catholic, it makes me feel like I am in one of those movies where a bunch of farmers with pitchforks and torches are yelling outrageous claims that are not true against an innocent group of people. Again, I am strongly against Catholicism and the papacy. They don’t believe in Sola Scriptura like I do. They believe church traditions play a part in salvation. I do not believe that. So their version of works is not about obeying the New Testament Commandments as their primary focus. Works for them includes their church traditions in a big way.

Anyways, how do you explain James 2:24?
It clearly says we are justified by works and not by faith alone.

 

[def]

If you read the first chapter of James... you cannot come to that conclusion.

You are 100% correct. Forming a conclusion from just a part of the Bible is reductionism and this strategy is a cause of the chaos we have today. Chaos theory suggests we look for the attractor, an item that influences the teachings of Jesus, His disciples, and Paul. Christianity is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and that relationship is founded on the New Covenant. The attractor is the New Covenant, and it is the basis of my conclusion.

 

[Grip Docility]

You don’t understand.
I believe Christ does the good work through me. So it is not my righteousness alone. Jesus saves both in Justification and in Sanctification.

Jason... that’s faith Alone. If you are now agreeing with these verses... I recommend making a public profession.

Philippians 3:7-11

 

[Grip Docility]

*Sigh*

When you say I believe in popery when I said I am clearly not Catholic, it makes me feel like I am in one of those movies where a bunch of farmers with pitchforks and torches are yelling outrageous claims that are not true against an innocent group of people. Again, I am strongly against Catholicism and the papacy. They don’t believe in Sola Scriptura like I do. They believe church traditions play a part in salvation. I do not believe that. So their version of works is not about obeying the New Testament Commandments as their primary focus. Works for them includes their church traditions in a big way.

Anyways, how do you explain James 2:24?
It clearly says we are justified by works and not by faith alone.

Read whole books using an easy word paraphrase, then go back and connect to a more literal translation.

NEVER... doctrinally evaluate a book. Always read an entire book until it’s entire context is in your soul. 1 John 2:27

The first chapter starts out speaking about Faith.

I Love you so dearly in Jesus Christ, Brother Jason!

 

[def]

Is it possible..... I’m asking is it at all possible that you could be the one mistaken?

Yes, I am mindful of that having learned that the Church incorrectly charged Galileo for heresy. It cuts both ways, justification by faith alone advocates must also consider what did Paul really mean by justification. You can use a table as a chair and sit on it. No one can say you are wrong, but what was the original purpose of the design?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

'By faith alone' suggests that there are no other justifications, but believers are also justified by His blood. Therefore, logic dictates that faith alone cannot be true and James says so. Justifications are related to the New Covenant and understanding these relationships is the key to understanding the gospel.

Norman Shepherd, a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, taught faith and works and was sacked. By eliminating dissent, the false teaching is perpetuated.

All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yes, I am mindful of that having learned that the Church incorrectly charged Galileo for heresy. It cuts both ways, justification by faith alone advocates must also consider what did Paul really mean by justification. You can use a table as a chair and sit on it. No one can say you are wrong, but what was the original purpose of the design?

This reminds me of my porch chair example.

If Rick said that his old rocking chair on his porch was able to hold his weight, and he said he believed that with all his heart, would he truly be showing forth that his statement of faith was true if he never sat in the chair? Especially if he was asked to sit in it and yet he refused to do so? In other words, if Rick believed that his porch chair would hold his weight (and he told others this), he would no doubt take the action necessary by sitting in that chair to prove that such a statement was true. Otherwise it would just be an empty profession of faith. In other words, if a person says they love God, and they have no visible good fruit to show that such a thing is true, then it would be just an empty profession of faith that they love God. Meaning, they really do not love God. It would just be a paying of lip service. I mean, a man can say he loves his wife, but if he does nothing to please her in any way, then he really does not love her. Action shows forth whether one's faith is the genuine and the real article vs. it being fake.

 

[def]

Jason... that’s faith Alone. If you are now agreeing with these verses... I recommend making a public profession.

Philippians 3:7-11

"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."

The key is to understand which part of the New Covenant is Paul teaching.

verse 9: Paul's own righteousness is of the law, and he is saying that there is now a righteousness of God that comes through the faith of Christ. Verse 10: 'That' suggests the purpose, and it is 'to know him and the power of His resurrection'. Paul is explaining a promise that God made in the New Covenant - 'that they shall all know me'.

The righteousness of God is the will of God, and it is by doing the will of God (which comes by faith and achieved by the power of Christ) that we get to know God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. Jesus promised that if they hunger and thirst after it, they will be filled.

Do not confuse personal deeds (dead works) with the work that God has prepared for His people (Ephesians 2:10).

 

[def]

History tells me that justification by faith alone came from Luther's understanding of Romans 1:17. Luther reduced the gospel to this one passage of Scripture. No doubt, this passage emphasises faith. So when you study 'justification by faith' alone, you can only end up with the 'doctrine of justification by faith alone'.

Luther's approach to the gospel is known as reductionism, a strategy that will not work with a complex system like the Bible.

 

[Grip Docility]

History tells me that justification by faith alone came from Luther's understanding of Romans 1:17. Luther reduced the gospel to this one passage of Scripture. No doubt, this passage emphasises faith. So when you study 'justification by faith' alone, you can only end up with the 'doctrine of justification by faith alone'.

Luther's approach to the gospel is known as reductionism, a strategy that will not work with a complex system like the Bible.

Fortunately, I am SOLA Fide... By the Red letters.

 

[Grip Docility]

This reminds me of my porch chair example.

If Rick said that his old rocking chair on his porch was able to hold his weight, and he said he believed that with all his heart, would he truly be showing forth that his statement of faith was true if he never sat in the chair? Especially if he was asked to sit in it and yet he refused to do so? In other words, if Rick believed that his porch chair would hold his weight (and he told others this), he would no doubt take the action necessary by sitting in that chair to prove that such a statement was true. Otherwise it would just be an empty profession of faith. In other words, if a person says they love God, and they have no visible good fruit to show that such a thing is true, then it would be just an empty profession of faith that they love God. Meaning, they really do not love God. It would just be a paying of lip service. I mean, a man can say he loves his wife, but if he does nothing to please her in any way, then he really does not love her. Action shows forth whether one's faith is the genuine and the real article vs. it being fake.

Jason, people are not glorifying sin in faith alone... any work, not credited solely to Jesus Christ, that is good... and any work of the flesh... misses the mark. The mark is Jesus. Jesus is God.

Our righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees because it is God’s imputes Righteousness.

I know you Love Jesus... surrender to Him. Have faith in Him! (Ephesians 1:13 ; Romans 8:9) (Philippians 3:7-9)

He’s the Horse... the works are the Cart.

Let Him do the heavy lifting. Love of a gracious heart! Love! Do not lend though commandments of Sin. Let Him be your light, Alone.

Anyhow, I Love you Brother. Peace that passes understand, by Jesus, prayed to you.

 

[def]

The difference is that you believe fruit is the basis for justification. Not the result. In other words you believe ones sanctification is the means to justification, like popery. This is why you believe in the gospel denying doctrine of losing eternal life in Christ. Sola fide glorifies Christ alone in salvation. Those who deny Christ’s sufficiency in salvation will hate sola fide

1. Justified by faith and works - sanctification takes place, fruit is the result.
2. Faith and works allow us to know God, and that is eternal life (John 17:3). Eternal life is to know God and and Jesus Christ, and we need to play our part to know God.
3. Sola fide cannot glorify God because no one can see your faith. God states the objective of the New Covenant, 'I will sanctify my great name through you before their eyes' (Ezekiel 36). People must see your faith. And we make that pledge, 'hallow be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done on earth...'.

 

[Grip Docility]

1. Justified by faith and works - sanctification takes place, fruit is the result.
2. Faith and works allow us to know God, and that is eternal life (John 17:3). Eternal life is to know God and and Jesus Christ, and we need to play our part to know God.
3. Sola fide cannot glorify God because no one can see your faith. God states the objective of the New Covenant, 'I will sanctify my great name through you before their eyes' (Ezekiel 36). People must see your faith. And we make that pledge, 'hallow be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done on earth...'.

Sola Fide give all glory to God.

It says we have no confidence in our flesh. It says God is our only Hope! It says we’re the perishing and He is the Kinsman Redeemer.

I literally made this OP on what Faith Alone is and is not.

His workmanship awaits us to... See “His Chair” can support “our weight”.

The potter can only work with soft yielding clay. Nothing can be hidden from Him. He needs access to our hardened spots, so He can break, ground and rewater our “clay” (Soul).

 

[def]

Jason, people are not glorifying sin in faith alone... any work, not credited solely to Jesus Christ, that is good... and any work of the flesh... misses the mark. The mark is Jesus. Jesus is God.

Our righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees because it is God’s imputes Righteousness.

I know you Love Jesus... surrender to Him. Have faith in Him! (Ephesians 1:13 ; Romans 8:9) (Philippians 3:7-9)

He’s the Horse... the works are the Cart.

Let Him do the heavy lifting. Love of a gracious heart! Love! Do not lend though commandments of Sin. Let Him be your light, Alone.

Anyhow, I Love you Brother. Peace that passes understand, by Jesus, prayed to you.

One last try.
It is never our righteousness, which is like filthy rags. Paul speaks of a righteousness of God that come through the faith of Christ. Having believed Jesus is the Christ and was raised from the death, we are justified, and must continue to live by faith. Faith is all that is required from us, but God justifies the other aspects of the Covenant. He justified the show of grace, our entry into the kingdom of God, he justified His relationships with sinners, and justifies the forgiveness of sins.