Faith & Works vs. Sola Fide

  • Thread starter Thread starter AdonaiSeeker83
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AdonaiSeeker83

Guest
contained within the Smiley’s is an introduction below the smileys my first question posted to forum*
:D:D:D:D
Peace be with you all. First time poster here. Born/Baptized/Bred/Confirmed/Soon to be married Roman Catholic here.

For a while in my life (circa 2007-2008) I heavily waved in my faith, attened a non-denominational church for a while while still attending Mass. For a while some of their precepts made more sense.

Fast forward… I was a lapsed Christian (not just Catholic) for a few years and have now found my way back into the Blessed Fold.
:D:D:D:D

I just finished reading John Bergsma’s - Bible Basics for Catholics. I have to say that summarize the Bible from the Catholic standpoint of salvific covenant theology opened by worldview to how much God loves us. Read the book twice.

Suffice to say I accept the teachings of mother Church as my own. But in my continuing personal journey I opened up an old journal from my day’s attending the non-denominational church and found a talk basically about sola fides.

sola fide - through faith alone are we saved (primary Protestant belief).
kind of goes hand in hand with sola scriptura - through the Bible/written word alone can we know God’s will (this will not be discussed here)

two passages cited in defense of sola fide
Romans 4:1-8 & Ephesians 2:8-9

John Bergsma in citing a defense for faith AND (good) works as necessary for salvation used John 2:14-26.
  • This scritpure alone would win an argument of “proof texting” in my opinion but that’s not what we Catholics do right?
I know there’s a way to reconcile the Romans & Ephesians readings in the appropriate whole context of the Bible. If any learned scholars can help point me in the right direction I would be greatly appreciative.
 
I believe it is written that our faith is animated by our works. Our faith comes to life by our works.

Works bring back the charity that we have lost through sin. Since God is the soul source of charity and charity itself, we need works to bring God back into our lives.
 
I look at it this way. Jesus said he doesn’t want lip service. To be obedient as we are commanded can only be done through works. To say I follow the Lord and turn and do my own thing is not acceptable. We are all guilty of failing in our works. We must as St Paul urges stay in the race until the end. Working out our salvation with fear and trembling.

May the good Lord have Mercy on us all.
 
Catholic Answers Live shows perfect for you:

catholic.com/radio/shows/are-you-saved-8753
catholic.com/radio/shows/are-works-necessary-for-salvation-8636
catholic.com/radio/shows/working-out-your-salvation-28221

Don’t forget: It’s by GRACE ALONE we are saved - given to us in Baptism. There’s nothing we can do to earn this initial gift of Grace.

Once we have Sanctifying Grace we must believe and do good works. Dr. Barber does a GREAT job of explaining all of this in the three pod-casts above.

I like doing this thought experiment: Take Noah and the Flood. Did God set it up that Noah HAD to build the ark in order that he and his family were saved by the flood? Or did Noah just intellectually assent to believe in God, so God took him up away from the flood and when it was over, God gave Noah the Covenant, THEN Noah spent 120 years building the ark out of gratitude towards God?

In the system that God set up, did Abraham have to actually get up and move his family in order to inherit the Promised Land? Or did he just intellectually assent to belief in God and God plopped the Promised Land down infront of Abraham?

Literally on every page of Scripture, God sets it up so we have to obey (do something) in order to obtain His promises - even if it’s physically move to where Jesus is, or call out, or ask, or whatever…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top