Sola fide is the Latin shorthand for the Protestant claim that we are justified by faith alone. In this thread I want to hear why Protestants think we are justified by faith alone, but I am not interested in scriptural justifications. You might try to answer this question, "Why did God enact the principle of justification by faith alone?" What is the reason for such a doctrine? Why might God have given it to us? How does it help you in your faith? What truths does it safeguard, etc.?
To cite an example, John Piper gives some rationale for sola fide in [snip]. One of his basic reasons is this: sola fide gives us an assurance and certainty that pave the way for good works. Without sola fide we would not produce any fruits, any good works.
If you like, you can give scriptural justification for your answer. For example, if you were John Piper you could give scriptural support for the idea that good works are necessary, or that sola fide gives us assurance and certainty. I'm just not interested in proof texts for the doctrine of sola fide itself.
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The question is a very important one, but also deceptively deep.
I can not give a "Protestant" only answer, however, anymore then I could give a "Catholic" only answer, or an "Orthodox" only answer. Where the later was entirely ignored in the sixteenth century debate because they really did not even knew they existed.
And assuming all truth must either be Catholic or Protestant or Orthodox, or it does not exist... is like attempting to believe a tree might fall in the forest, and without anyone around to hear it, it really won't make any sound. No one can really believe that, though they often do try. Very hard.
What is the work we must do to be saved? "Believe in the One God sent", was the answer Jesus gave. And he meant, of course, Himself.
No other way is like this. Not in the past two thousand years, not in the years before this. Jesus has a sheer monopoly on this.
(Not unlike how he has a sheer monopoly on being non-judgmental, loving, and offering immortality.)
I do believe what is truly central to understanding salvation by faith via paper, via The Book, one should consider not only the above verse directly from Jesus... but, also the verse from John who pointed out 'if the word remains with you, then so does He, and if He remains with you, then so does everlasting life'. To paraphrase. Accurately.
And, thirdly, what Paul said very specifically when pointing out we are saved by faith and not works, immediately afterwards stating in no unsure terms that "no one may boast before the throne of God".
"God, look at what I did", or, as Jesus pointed out, "many will come to me on that Day and say, 'But, Lord I did so much for you'".
I would go so far as to say, if you ever find yourself saying anything like this to God, or even to others, then you should take that as a very big "red flag".
Which is a good question we should always consider for our own selves. As, in the world, which we do live, "doing things" is highly accounted for. We have resumes, we have accomlishments, we have skills and expertise.
For me, I have found all of that as merely language with which to interact with folks on the most superficial terms. It is worthless for salvation.
Rather, I find myself sure in my salvation literally through testing of my very faith, literally through "fear and trembling". In other words, I have passed through the fire of unsureness so often, and so often come out the other side... how? By some weird thing I did, or many weird things I did -- as do not forget many of the things the great ones of old did "by faith" were extremely strange, very alien..
No, by trusting in God. That relieves the fire. By God bringing forth mercy and hope, to pull me through.
Rinse, repeat.
I can certainly be open to mocking on saying such a thing, though, obviously, unfairly. I suppose I could bring forth a meaningless boast or two, as Paul did when sarcastically bringing up the external view of the absurd trials and tribulations the apostles went through...
I could say, I have walked through hell fire for God, and lived to tell of it. And the road behind me, *shakes head*, is not a road I would wish on even my most sore of enemies...
But, the truth is, I was able to walk through that because the light of the mercy of God brought me through it. There is no boasting of that. It was God showing me mercy.
I certainly had to let go of overly harsh judgments I had made. I had to let go of about everything. But, then, we are called to let go of all such things, to make it through to life. We are called to give up, everything, to find everything. And we find in "making our salvation sure" in "fear and trembling", when we can let go, we do so because there is simply a hand outstretched encouraging us to do exactly this.
All and everything in that road was in the heart and of the heart. Nothing had to do with external actions and words, except insofar as judgments or mercy in my heart sprung forth such words and actions. That is, if I judged something wrongly, I was shown that standard was wrong. As if I applied it to God himself. And, if I judged someone rightly, that standard was right, as if I had applied it to God himself.
The wrong judgments I had to throw out. The good judgments I was allowed to keep.
I had to correct the accuracy in my heart. No literal clothes given or refused to be given. Just mercy or not in the secret judgments of my heart.
In my own walk, anyway, I literally found myself, at turns, both sheep and goat. Both accepted virgin and virgin locked out. And the way, for me, was for God to show me where my thoughts themselves on others were wrong, and to correct those thoughts. And, so, forgiveness, and hope.
What's up with that? 
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