One Cannot Be Saved by Faith Alone

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Justification: Love and Faith

St. Mark 12: 28 One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first (“protos”: first in a succession of things) of all the commandments?” 29 Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ 33 And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that (he) answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

St. Matthew 22: 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them (a scholar of the law) tested him by asking, 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

I Corinthians 13: 13 So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I Corinthians 13: 7 It (LOVE) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I Corinthians 13: 1 If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Ephesians 6: 14 So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, 15 and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.

I Thessalonians 5: 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation.

Galatians 5: 6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working (“energeo”) through love.

St. John 16: 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world.

Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, 20 by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

II Corinthians 6: 3 We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.
 
Posts 84 through 99 are passages that helped my brother to see that we are not saved by faith alone.

The most central issue was: What does faith hear?

It hears God’s loving Word.

He still abhors the Roman Catholic Church, but he does see that faith alone is a false Biblical teaching.

He see that God’s gift of love is needed to save us.

He see that God’s gift of love is poured into our new hearts.

God’ gives us His love.
 
Concerning love is heard by faith, I could use help in finding saints that taught this, thanks.

Faith comes by hearing.

God’s Word is love.

The Holy Spirit is love of the Father and Son.

God speaks His loving Word to us through the Holy Spirit.

We hear this speaking with the gift of faith.

Which saints have taught this?

Thanks!
 
Any help, that is, which saints can I read that teach about this thread?

Thanks!
 
I am hoping that this is examined by those who believe in faith alone.
 
St. John 10: 27 The sheep that belong to Me listen to My voice;
I know them and they follow Me.

Faith hears God’s loving voice.
 
FCEGM

Thanks, once again.

Is it in English?

I guess it is, or you would not have the title in English.

Again, thanks!
 
Seamus_Sully said:
FCEGM

Thanks, once again.

Is it in English?

I guess it is, or you would not have the title in English.

Again, thanks!
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Seamus, this one will probably be very difficult to find; just now doing a search I could only find a copy in Latin for a LOT of money. If you know any Jesuits, you might ask them where a copy could be found/borrowed. I recommended St. Robert Bellarmine because your initial question is one that he dealt with in “disputing” with Protestants.

Although he doesn’t write in the same vein as St. Robert, St. John of the Cross and his writings on the spiritual life certainly touch on the necessity of obedience.
 
I am still hoping to find an English translation.

Any ideas from other readers?

Thanks!
 
Dear Sir,
Lets take a look at what the Bible is saying.
Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
NASU

The* have been saved * in verse 5 is in the perfect tense which expresses the present permanent state as a result of a past action. Because believers have been made alive (v.5a) spiritually with Christ, they have been and are saved. They can never lose that which has been given to them through faith in Christ, their permanent salvation.
NASU

The perfect tense expresses permanence not a temporary state. Salvation is a done deal to those who by faith accept God’s free gift of eternal life. God’s purpose in our redemption is not simply to rescue us from hell. His ultimate purpose in our salvation is that for all eternity the church might glorify God’s grace (Eph 1:6, 12,14). So, if God has an eternal purpose for us all to fulfill, He will keep us (not us trying to keep ourselves saved through self effort) for all eternity. Since we have not been saved by our good works, we cannot be lost by our bad works. Grace means salvation completely apart from any merit or works on our part. Grace means that God does it all for Jesus’ sake! Our salvation is a gift of God(The word that in Eph 2:8, in the Greek, is neuter; while faith is feminine. Therefore that cannot refer to faith. It refers to the whole experience of salvation, including faith.) Salvation is a gift, not a reward. 👍
Salvation cannot be “of works” because the work of salvation has already been completed on the cross. This is the work that God does for us, and it is a finished work (Jn 17:1-4; 19:30). We can add nothing to it (Heb 10:1-14); we dare take nothing from it. When Jesus died, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, signifying that the way to God was now open. There is no more need for earthly sacrifices. One sacrifice - the Lamb of God - has finished the great work of salvation. God did it all, and He did by His grace. :amen:

Darrel
 
I believe love.

Love is patient and kind…

God is Love.

I started this thread to ask: What does faith hear?

Faith must hear something or somebody.

Who does faith hear?

I have posted many Biblical passages.

I believe that they clearly show that love is heard by faith.

Or, faith hears love.

That is the message of this thread.

Love is heard by faith.

What is your opinion or teaching?

In God’s love, mercy and beauty, God Bless.
 
Michael_Howard said:
Good point! I guess what I’d like to know is this: if we are saved by “faith alone” why does Paul say that love is greater than faith and hope?
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Because the faith of “faith alone” is not being used to refer to the theological virtue​

  • so no interpretation of it that takes it as referring to the TF, is going to be more than a straw man.
AIUI Faith is alone, not because hope & love are excluded, but but because [fiduciary ?] faith includes them & all the other “riches of Christ”. It is the door to the house, or the key to it - to have the key & to enter by the door, is to have access to everything in the house. The rose grows from the seed - that is not a denial of the petals.

I read somewhere that burro in one language = donkey, & in another = butter. A lot of theological argument is clouded by similar confusions; result - no one gets anywhere, & everyone gets hot & bothered.
 
AIUI Faith is alone, not because hope & love are excluded, but but because [fiduciary ?] faith includes them & all the other “riches of Christ”. It is the door to the house, or the key to it - to have the key & to enter by the door, is to have access to everything in the house. The rose grows from the seed - that is not a denial of the petals.

I am not sure how to use the quote tool, sorry.

I am not sure if I understand what you are saying, sorry.

I think that biblically love includes them all.

I think that biblically love includes faith.

Love is first, in a cardinal sense.

Love is greatest.

Again, I have to say, if I have understood your post.

In God’s love and beauty.
 
The topic of this thread…is it supposed to read “we cannot be saved on the basis of faith alone”? If that is the case, this is a heresy. What most people in this forum do not realize is that we are saved on the basis of faith alone…what they do not seem to realize is that we are only saved by a certain KIND of faith. James talkes about it and so did Paul…

James 2 says that we cannot be saved by USELESS…DEAD…DEMONIC faith. Faith that is alone…faith that is dead. Paul said…

Galatians 5:6 KJV 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Faith is not conjured up by human means but is a gift from God - graciously given to the elect. All other “faith” is counterfeit.

Acts 18:27 KJV 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

What you would say to someone like myself is…we are saved by grace…by faith …but, we also must perform works, these works not coming from ourselves but by God’s grace. I will say…yes…we are to perform works and, yes, they are by the grace of God. BUT, they are not at all meritorious in our salvation. Once a person has been justified (which is followed by sanctification), they are saved FOR good works…

Ephesians 2:10 KJV 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

You say - we must cooperate with God’s grace in order to be saved. So, then, I ask you, in this case what does our salvation depend upon? God??? Or us??? We are promised this…

John 10:27-29 KJV 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

Philippians 1:6 KJV 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:5 KJV 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

So…we know that God will do His work in us to the end…

So, then what is left…Human cooperation? So, then it is then fully up to me, is it not? We know that God will do His part, right? We just have to worry about ourselves cooperating? This is unbiblical…we are reminded…

Romans 9:10-18 KJV 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)…15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Our election is not by works or by our own will…but of God…who chose the elect before the foundation of the world not against their will…but mysteriously saves us by an effectual calling…we have no grounds of boasting at all!

1 Corinthians 1:30 NAS95 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

Ephesians 1:4-5 NAS95 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…

1 Peter 1:3 NAS95 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

John 1:13 NAS95 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The underlying reason for the salvation of any person is God’s choice. The means by which they are brought to Him…by them falling on the rock…the stone that the builder’s rejected and being completely broken before Him…relying only upon God’s mercy and receiving HIS righteousness…repenting from pride and sin and turning to Christ as Lord and Savior…trusting in the work of Christ on the cross as the full payment for their sin…all the work of God raising that poor lost sould from the dead…making them receive sight…opening their ears…unloosening the tongue…making the feeble legs to walk straight. Salvation is ON THE BASIS OF faith ALONE…but not a faith that is alone. This is dead, useless, demonic faith.

In Christ…C. Linkowski
 
Michael_Howard said:
Well said brother, it seems that hvg has opted out on responding to this, I wonder why?😉
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partially because I was away for a week, but mostly because it is not really worthy of a response 😉

Randy has offered relatively well-thought out responses elsewhere, and after replying to them and showing the holes within, he has not tried to fix them, nor tried to show me where my responses were wrong. If he does not do this for those responses of his that had some good reasoning behind them, why would he do it for something like this? :rolleyes:

Let me give you some pointers: linking a word used in our language (english) that was translated from another (latin) to a similar (or the same) word in our language (english) that was translated from yet another language (greek), and then conducting a survey on said (greek) word to show it doesn’t match the (latin) usage…its terribly poor.

Compare this to someone using a greek word, and then conducting a survey on said greek word. This could work. What Randy has done doesn’t.

What he has done is cut up a small strawman of his own, and then built an even larger strawman to club the first one with.

The fact that you think this is “well said”…well, its likewise sad 😦
clmowry said:
Hmm again the formulation, “by grace…through faith”.

So why do we insist on saying “Faith Alone” when we don’t really mean “Faith Alone” again?
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You need to go right back to the basics and see what it all meant initially. It was never “Grace alone” without “Face alone”. The two always went together, along with “Scripture alone”. Maybe that is too complex for you to grasp - if so, I am sorry for the confusion. But if you are failing to see what is meant, and how three “X alone” statements can only make sense together, then you have a lot of research to do before you should try to argue against it 😉
Ignatius said:
At the risk of being repetative, If you don’t mean “faith alone” then why use that expression?
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we do mean it, but we don’t mean it as some people try to suggest we mean it. Faith alone means that we do nothing more than have faith to be saved. We do not work to be saved. We do not love to be saved. We do not follow God’s law to be saved. We do not take mass to be saved. We are not baptised to be saved. We do not take confession to be saved. We only have faith - that is it!

But “Faith alone” goes along with “Grace alone”. It is God’s grace that saves us. It is not some ritual, or some magic words, or some food, or some action, it is God’s grace alone. And it is our faith alone.

but, what people fail to see, is that ‘faith without works is dead’ or ‘faith without love is nothing’ does not mean you can have faith, but you have to do these other things. It means if you don’t do these other things, that shows that you have no faith. These things do not save us - they show that we are saved!

Faith alone, grace alone.

Anyway,I am out of here. It seems like this thread is now just a place for Seamus Sully to get his post count up, instead of actually reading and responding to others ideas 🤷 so I feel its going the way of the other threads here.

cya.
 
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