St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in ‘Faith Alone’

[Michie]

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

St. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of St. John, according to St. Irenaeus (c. 130-c. 202) and Tertullian (c. 155-c. 220).

I’d like to examine his Epistle to the Philippians. It teaches us quite a bit about the doctrine of justification and the nature of saving faith in the very early Church.

He definitely did not believe in faith alone — one of the two “pillars” of the Protestant revolt. Protestants believe that works are the fruit of justifying faith, done in gratitude to God for a justification already achieved by faith alone through grace. This is the classic Protestant understanding of works, taught by both Martin Luther and John Calvin. It removes from good works any hint of merit or causal relation to salvation (even if understood as always in conjunction with works and soaked with and enabled by grace).

Sanctification is formally separated from justification and salvation in Protestant thought. Good works are promoted, but in the final analysis, they aren’t required for salvation. This is the meaning of faith alone.

Continued below.

St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in ‘Faith Alone’

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

www.ncregister.com

 

[WarriorAngel]

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

St. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of St. John, according to St. Irenaeus (c. 130-c. 202) and Tertullian (c. 155-c. 220).

I’d like to examine his Epistle to the Philippians. It teaches us quite a bit about the doctrine of justification and the nature of saving faith in the very early Church.

He definitely did not believe in faith alone — one of the two “pillars” of the Protestant revolt. Protestants believe that works are the fruit of justifying faith, done in gratitude to God for a justification already achieved by faith alone through grace. This is the classic Protestant understanding of works, taught by both Martin Luther and John Calvin. It removes from good works any hint of merit or causal relation to salvation (even if understood as always in conjunction with works and soaked with and enabled by grace).

Sanctification is formally separated from justification and salvation in Protestant thought. Good works are promoted, but in the final analysis, they aren’t required for salvation. This is the meaning of faith alone.

Continued below.

St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in ‘Faith Alone’

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

www.ncregister.com

St Polycarp was a student of St John the Apostle, and St John had ordained him as a bishop of Smyrna.

 

[SloopidyBoop]

Raised a protestant it seems to me that faith and works are inseparable. Faith alone does not work, and work alone does not faith. For a man speaks and acts out of his heart. And if God has given him a new heart he will both speak and act as a new man. A true religious will hold these truths, that day and night were given to both of us, the Catholics and the protestants. And that with both faith and the fruit of that faith being made evident through our words and actions we will be known and bonded as brothers and sisters by the power of the Christ and His Holy Spirit. We may be separated by denominational differences, but God has healed us from our old selves. And the Trinity will not be divided by the endeavors of men. Nor will faith and works be divorced by denominational politics. We can live as brothers and love one another as Christ loved us.

 

[RileyG]

Ora pro nobis

 

[Markie Boy]

Agree. Faith Alone has made a mess. I would say one's initial conversion may be of Faith Alone, but then we are to abide in Him, and endure to the end. Faith Alone really only works if you also believe in OSAS - my least favorite protestant doctrine.

I had a conversation with a Baptist pastor, where he insisted someone could "get saved", yet never his whole life show any good works or signs of it. So much for going by the Bible Alone, as it says what matters is "Faith working thru love - Gal 5:6".

Yet Faith Alone is the single doctrine protestants will unite on. Makes me sad.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Agree. Faith Alone has made a mess. I would say one's initial conversion may be of Faith Alone, but then we are to abide in Him, and endure to the end. Faith Alone really only works if you also believe in OSAS - my least favorite protestant doctrine.

I had a conversation with a Baptist pastor, where he insisted someone could "get saved", yet never his whole life show any good works or signs of it. So much for going by the Bible Alone, as it says what matters is "Faith working thru love - Gal 5:6".

Yet Faith Alone is the single doctrine protestants will unite on. Makes me sad.

Faith without works is dead.
It's useless.
It's pointless.
And the Lord said: One was given 1 talent... and he buried it and the Lord said go away.
IE - he had a gift to use for whole body... [St Paul] but he hid it and he did not convert or help others. Therefore; useless having the gift.
A gift meant to be used and shared to enjoin many. Instead he refused.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Also I am going to add, that the scriptures tell us the Holy Spirit [the Spirit of the Almighty] is a gift and in that gift is Grace.
So if the Lord gave us graces but we helped no one via that gift, we buried our talent.

Just adding that. That is all.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Irony:

You do not need works but let me 'help save you' by [teaching whatsoever they want to] but they do NOT see how they're own going out preaching and going out to 'convert' folks is works.

How they say to pray over others... but works are not necessary.

So irony is, what they preach vastly differs from their own actions despite erring, aka works they do.

But oddly this irony is lost even on them.

 

[fhansen]

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

St. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of St. John, according to St. Irenaeus (c. 130-c. 202) and Tertullian (c. 155-c. 220).

I’d like to examine his Epistle to the Philippians. It teaches us quite a bit about the doctrine of justification and the nature of saving faith in the very early Church.

He definitely did not believe in faith alone — one of the two “pillars” of the Protestant revolt. Protestants believe that works are the fruit of justifying faith, done in gratitude to God for a justification already achieved by faith alone through grace. This is the classic Protestant understanding of works, taught by both Martin Luther and John Calvin. It removes from good works any hint of merit or causal relation to salvation (even if understood as always in conjunction with works and soaked with and enabled by grace).

Sanctification is formally separated from justification and salvation in Protestant thought. Good works are promoted, but in the final analysis, they aren’t required for salvation. This is the meaning of faith alone.

Continued below.

St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in ‘Faith Alone’

Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation.

www.ncregister.com

A very good article, and in line with the teachings of the ancient churches as well as the other ECFs, as should be expected. Justification is a free gift as we turn to God in faith. But it's real justice/righteousness given, not merely declared of us. This gift of righteousness is taught in many places in Romans and elsewhere and is the reason why we may now overcome sin. It's the gift of the Holy Spirit by whom we must now walk, it's to be under grace, it's to begin to love as God does now that we're reconciled and in communion with Him. And it's a daily choice. Faith and grace are not eternal reprieves from the penalty of sin, rather they're the means to not only forgiveness of sin but to the overcoming of that sin that separates us from God, now in union with Him, and as we remain in Him.

 

[WarriorAngel]

So I was thinking...
[Yes I put out the fire too from thinking lol]

That Jesus said He paid the last hour the same as those who worked all day....
Worked.

Conclusion, He called and responding to Grace and the call is WORK. Faith is WORKS.
Faith is an action and in action we do works.
Speaking to the ignorant. Teaching people. Praying. Believing in the last hours...

Works.