Sola Fide

[JB_Brother_4446]

Which allows for the Baptism of Desire.
Scripture tells us Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Light” and nobody comes to the Son unless the “Father draws him.” What we do not know is the many ways in which the Father has of drawing an individual to the Son.
Nowhere does Scripture say that a person has to be literate.

That basically debunks sola fide for me.

 

[thecolorsblend]

That basically debunks sola fide for me.

When it comes to Sola Fide (interesting how they keep going back to Latin, eh?), what I’ve come to realize is that Catholics and Protestants say they disagree over the “sola” part. But in actuality, what they disagree about is the “fide” part. They have different notions of what faith is. Pope John Paul II (as well as probably others) understood that and I think that’s why so much ecumenical progress was made on his watch. He knew how the Protestants define “faith”.

 

[mortimer15]

Isn’t the issue with “Sola Fide”, the misinterpretation of “works”?

The verse below, is where Martin Luther translated from Latin into German, and added the word “sola fide” (faith alone).

“For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the Law” - Romans 3:28 (Douay-Rheims)

According to Luther’s notes on St. Paul’s letter to the Romans:

“It is as impossible to separate (good) works from faith as burning and shining from fire” - Martin Luther, ‘Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans’, 1483-1546

He himself, also, believed that faith and doing good works go hand-in-hand.

The doctrine of: “Faith alone justifies, and not works (good works)” is a misinterpretation of “Faith alone justifies, and not works (of the Law)”

According to Luther’s letter justifying his usage of “sola” in the German translation, he states that in the German language “sol” is required to properly translate the verse into German. The Church disagreed with his translation and feared that people may misinterpret the verse and “infer from it that they need not do any good works.” Luther disagreed, and said people would not misinterpret the verse since St. Paul’s writing of “without the works of the law” is so blunt.

However, just as the Church had feared, this is indeed what has happened. The misinterpretation of Luther’s translation. People have misinterpreted the verse, as well as Luther’s own interpretation of it.

An Open Letter on Translating, Martin Luther, 1530
bible-researcher.com/luther01.html

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“It is a faithful saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they, who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men” - Titus 3:8 (Douay-Rheims)

“And let our men also learn to excel in good works for necessary uses: that they be not unfruitful” - Titus 3:14 (Douay-Rheims)

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire” - Matthew 7:19 (Douay-Rheims)

“You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid… So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” - Mark 5:14-16 (Douay-Rheims)

 

[JMM1957]

Taking it at face value, we are neither justified by faith alone (without works) or works alone (without faith). The Bible says we must have both. Why argue whether one is 51% and the other 49%? Everyone agrees that you must first have faith, then works proceed from that, no need to make an issue about something where there really isn’t one, its just a word or language game, lets move on.