Biblical Reference for Sola Fide

[Cruxis117]

I’d like to know what kind of scripture verses support Sola Fide. If you can explain why you believe in Sola Fide, it would be much appreciated.

 

[kepha1]

Acts of mercy are instinctive for any Christian. There are those who claim they are justified by faith alone, but it is an abstract idea. There is nothing concrete about it. In defense of my Protestant brethren, I think most of them are kind, forgiving peacemakers, just like most Catholics. It is their actions as Christians that nullifies JBFA to a large extent.

 

[DavidFilmer]

I’d like to know what kind of scripture verses support Sola Fide.

Well, the one that got the whole ball rolling was Romans 3:28. The Scripture says,

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

But that wasn’t quite good enough for Martin Luther, who, in his German “translation,” added the word “alone” behind the word “faith” to invent the doctrine of Sola Fide (this is sometimes referred to as the “Great Gloss.”)

Surely, though, you have access to Wikipedia, where you can find various passages lending support to the idea, as well as various passages contradicting it. Which, of course, further points out the folly of another protestant idea (namely Sola Scriptura) and reinforces the Catholic doctrine that the Scriptures come from the Church, and only the Church has the divine authority to validly interpret them.

 

[elvisman]

A couple of popular ones are:
John 3:16
**For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. **

Acts 16:31
They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved."

Of course - neither verse elaborates on what “believe” means. For that - you have to read Scripture in CONTEXT, because the Bible tells us the following are what define, “believe”:
- Being baptized (Matt. 28:19-20, John 3:5, Rom. 2:29, Col. 2:12-17, 1 Peter 3:21)

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- Picking up our cross daily to follow him (Matt. 16:24, Luke 9:23)

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- Works of mercy and charity (Matt. 19:21, 25:31–46, Luke 18:22)

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- Obeying his commandments (John 15:10)

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- Doing the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21)

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- Dying and being buried with him through Baptism (Rom. 6:1-11)

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- We must suffer with Christ (Matt. 10:38, 16:24, Mark 8:34, John 12:24, Rom. 8:17, 2 Cor. 1:5-7, Eph. 3:13, Phil. 1:29, 2 Tim. 1:8, 1 Peter 2:19-21, 4:1-2)

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- Eat and drink the flesh and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ (John 6:53-56).

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In the end, James 2:19 tells us that simply “believing” is NOT enough:
“You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble.”

 

[JRKH]

Well, the one that got the whole ball rolling was Romans 3:28. The Scripture says,

But that wasn’t quite good enough for Martin Luther, who, in his German “translation,” added the word “alone” behind the word “faith” to invent the doctrine of Sola Fide (this is sometimes referred to as the “Great Gloss.”)

Surely, though, you have access to Wikipedia, where you can find various passages lending support to the idea, as well as various passages contradicting it. Which, of course, further points out the folly of another protestant idea (namely Sola Scriptura) and reinforces the Catholic doctrine that the Scriptures come from the Church, and only the Church has the divine authority to validly interpret them.

Good answer here. Those are good links.

The biggest problem with the whole “faith alone” view is that it iether ignores or plays down other, equally relevent passages of the Bible. When ALL of Scripture is taken together, the idea of “faith alone” (without attendent works and other manifestations of a changed heart) falls apart.

Peace
James

 

[JonNC]

Good answer here. Those are good links.

The biggest problem with the whole “faith alone” view is that it iether ignores or plays down other, equally relevent passages of the Bible. When ALL of Scripture is taken together, the idea of “faith alone” (without attendent works and other manifestations of a changed heart) falls apart.

Peace
James

Hi James,
Faith Alone never downplays the passages that speak to the importance of evidence of a changed heart. For someone such as myself that believes we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, I am also aware that, as the Lutheran Confessions say, I am bound (required) to do the good works He has set before me. Failure to do these good works is sin, and repeated, unrepented sin leads to loss of faith, or is evidence of a dead faith.

Luther says in his preface to Galations:
Faith must of course be sincere. It must be a faith that performs good works through love. If faith lacks love it is not true faith. Thus the Apostle bars the way of hypocrites to the kingdom of Christ on all sides. He declares on the one hand, “In Christ Jesus circumcision availeth nothing,” i.e., works avail nothing, but faith alone, and that without any merit whatever, avails before God. On the other hand, the Apostle declares that without fruits faith serves no purpose. To think, “If faith justifies without works, let us work nothing,” is to despise the grace of God. Idle faith is not justifying faith. In this terse manner Paul presents the whole life of a Christian. Inwardly it consists in faith towards God, outwardly in love towards our fellow-men.

And in the Formula of Concord, the writers say:
Accordingly, we also believe, teach, and confess that when it is said: The regenerate do good works from a free spirit, this is not to be understood as though it is at the option of the regenerate man to do or to forbear doing good when he wishes, and that he can nevertheless retain faith if he intentionally perseveres in sins

Jon

 

[JRKH]

Hi James,
Faith Alone never downplays the passages that speak to the importance of evidence of a changed heart. For someone such as myself that believes we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, I am also aware that, as the Lutheran Confessions say, I am bound (required) to do the good works He has set before me. Failure to do these good works is sin, and repeated, unrepented sin leads to loss of faith, or is evidence of a dead faith.

Luther says in his preface to Galations:
Faith must of course be sincere. It must be a faith that performs good works through love. If faith lacks love it is not true faith. Thus the Apostle bars the way of hypocrites to the kingdom of Christ on all sides. He declares on the one hand, “In Christ Jesus circumcision availeth nothing,” i.e., works avail nothing, but faith alone, and that without any merit whatever, avails before God. On the other hand, the Apostle declares that without fruits faith serves no purpose. To think, “If faith justifies without works, let us work nothing,” is to despise the grace of God. Idle faith is not justifying faith. In this terse manner Paul presents the whole life of a Christian. Inwardly it consists in faith towards God, outwardly in love towards our fellow-men.

And in the Formula of Concord, the writers say:
Accordingly, we also believe, teach, and confess that when it is said: The regenerate do good works from a free spirit, this is not to be understood as though it is at the option of the regenerate man to do or to forbear doing good when he wishes, and that he can nevertheless retain faith if he intentionally perseveres in sins

Jon

Jon,
As always you provide a good explanation of the Lutheran perspective which in may ways mirrors the Catholic.
Unfortunately there are any number of “protestant traditions” who do not hold to the Lutheran understanding any more than they hold to the Catholic understanding. We’ve all seen them here…
These are the ones that I was refering to who either play down or dismiss the passages of the bible.
Sorry if I caught you and your lutheren brothers in the crossfire.

Peace
James

 

[JonNC]

Jon,
As always you provide a good explanation of the Lutheran perspective which in may ways mirrors the Catholic.
Unfortunately there are any number of “protestant traditions” who do not hold to the Lutheran understanding any more than they hold to the Catholic understanding. We’ve all seen them here…
These are the ones that I was refering to who either play down or dismiss the passages of the bible.
Sorry if I caught you and your lutheren brothers in the crossfire.

Peace
James

No apology needed, James. I suspected that was your intent, but I always wish to make a clear distinction when we talk about sola fide.

Peace also with you, James,
Jon