Faith rather than works

[Ignatius]

Shibboleth:

Faith Alone was simply bad Biblical Language used by Luther. The Theology is sound but the language was a poor choice. Luther himself stated that “Oh faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, so that it is impossible for it not to be constantly doing what is good. Likewise, faith does not ask if good works are to be done, but before one can ask, faith has already done them and is constantly active” (Formula of Concord, SD, IV, 10-11).

Thanks to the Joint Doctrine of Justification and works by Jimmy Aken, “The Salvation Controversy” we now know that this really isn’t something that we need to spend too much time arguing about.

We all agree that Faith will produce works and if our faith fails to produce works then it is not faith at all… or in the words of James it is dead.

We are justified by faith apart from works but faith does not come apart from works

Unfortunately most Baptists, Campbellites, Evangelicals, and others are ignorant of the falsehood of this doctrine and adhere to a very strict Sola Fide doctrine in which faith and faith only is what gives salvation. This type of believe is an error to which those who desire the Truth cannot acquiesce. Propagating this type of error will cause danger to the salvation of many.

If, on an individual basis, we can agree that we see then, “that we are justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24) then we are in agreement and can continue to work on closer communion.

May the peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

 

[Shibboleth]

They don’t believe that Faith gives Salvation - Sola Fide is related to justification. In the end though the distinction hardly matters because both are by way of God’s Grace albiet one more indirect than the other.

Sola Fide isn’t a false doctrine as pointed out by the Joint Doctrine of Justification we just have a few linguistic differences and some outstanding other things but are minuscule in comparison to that which we thought we disagreed.

The huge difference that still stands in relationship to Faith and works exists in the idea of Venial vs. Mortal sin. A Protestant will tell you that Jesus died for all our sins and as long as we have faith no sin will separate us from the lamb. Of course the Catholic Stance is that we are not in God’s good Grace when in a state of Mortal sin and therefore in harms way.

Even this is not too much of a problem when one gets down to the nitty gritty. From that Catholic Standpoint even when one is not in God’s good Grace it does not mean that we do not have any of God’s Grace within us else the act of confession would be something to boast about. Confession is motivated by God’s Grace though faith… furthermore if one cannot, because of extreme reasons, make it to confession the act of perfect contrition is enough.

This does not contradict Protestant Theology in that Luther stated that contrition always exists when one has faith but it is passive in that we are not the motivators but the faith within us that comes by way of God’s Grace.

In the end I think we should throw out Sola Fide and just hold onto Sola Gracia