Faith
Alone
Salvation, according to the churches sole authority- Scripture, is
in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. The word
“alone” is very important and cannot be underestimated. The
minute one removes or refuses to believe in those doctrines with the
word “alone” a fall down a slippery slope begins. This slide
does not end until souls are damned (unless the good Lord intervenes
and awakens those who are in error). Eternity hangs in the very
balance. The souls of men and woman are at stake. We are dealing
with the very gospel of God- the good news of Christ that saves
sinners from the deserved wrath of Almighty God. The very gospel is
at stake!
I am not saying that we are saved by doctrine or the accuracy of our
doctrine. However, we are saved by Christ through the gospel, and if
our gospel is wrong, then our salvation is spurious. A false gospel
does not save. So, accuracy of the gospel is paramount to the
salvation of souls.
Why is the word “alone” so important? It is crucial because
salvation is God's work. Sinful man cannot contribute to or earn
God's favor. If salvation is not believed to be by God alone, then
the door is opened for a myriad of false and unbiblical teachings and
traditions. Not to mention, God does not get all of the glory. If
man merits salvation, then there is room for man to boast.
Salvation is by faith alone. It is not by faith and works. The
salvation of God in and through Jesus Christ is by faith- it is
believing and trusting in Christ and his work alone for deliverance
from the wrath of God and the penalty of our sin. Works come after
salvation. Once a person is regenerated, because of their new nature
they desire to do good works in order to glorify God. Justification
results in sanctification.
The Catholic church combines justification and sanctification. They
become confused or morphed together. Justification is granted upon
baptism. The fruit of justification
is not a declared righteousness, but the establishment of cooperation
between God and man which results in merited grace in order to
increase grace and love, attain eternal life, and gain temporal goods
such as health and friendships. Rome's view of justification is not
permanent. It may be undone by committing mortal sins (sins that
destroy sanctifying grace and causes the supernatural death of the
soul, as opposed to venial sins which do not destroy sanctifying
grace and the soul remains alive).
In Catholicism, justification is conditional and dependent upon the
faithfulness of the person. Since grace is communicated through the
sacraments, Catholics must continually observe them in order to grow
in grace, earn favor with God, merit salvation, and move closer to
being justified. The Protestant doctrine will be handled below. But
for now, we can note the difference between the two- Catholics are
not declared righteous or justified in this life, whereas Protestants
following closely to Scripture, are declared righteous because of the
work of Christ and his righteousness being imputed. Catholicism
believes that righteousness is imparted, while Protestants believe
and teach that Christ;s righteousness is imputed. This is a crucial
difference.
There can be no assurance in Catholicism. You are justified, yet
can lose it. It is gained again, but this too is fleeting. One
moment you are justified, the next you are not. This is because it
depends on man actually becoming righteous. A Catholic is not
finally justified until they suffer in purgatory for their sins. A
Catholic can never do enough in this life to be justified. Of
course, this is what happens when Scripture is abandoned, the words
and traditions of man take the place of God's word, and salvation
depends upon man.
Does the Catholic church really teach this? There own sources
reveal that this is indeed what they teach. Let us look at the very
sources of the Catholic church. The Council of Trent met at several
points between 1545 and 1564. This occurred during what is known as
the Reformation. Vatican II met between 1962 and 1965. Both of
these produced documents that Roman Catholics hold as authoritative
statements of their faith and practice. Then, in 1994, the Catechism
of the Catholic Church (will be abbreviated as CCC; Quotations cited
in the catechism will not be documented here. Interested parties may
consult the catechism to discover the Catholic sources that are
reproduced.) was published. These are chosen because they are both
historical and contemporary. They represent the official teaching of
the Catholic church five hundred years ago and today. Quotes from
Catholic sources on the teaching of justification and works will
simply be documented. No commentary needed.
I will note that throughout their
documents and in the contexts of quotations reproduced, Catholics say
things in order to appear orthodox. But, these are mere
smokescreens. They say them but their teaching contradicts them. It
is one thing to confess that you do not believe salvation to be by
works and only by the grace of God, but another to believe and teach
it consistently. A little truth when mixed with a lot of error does
not make a theology sound. Quoting Scripture after introducing
damning and heretical doctrines does not purify what came before.
One drop of poison is enough to pollute and contaminate the clearest
and purist glass of water.
Having, therefore,
been thus justified, and made the friends and domestics of God,
advancing from virtue to virtue, they are renewed, as the Apostle
says, day by day; that is, by mortifying the members of their own
flesh, and by presenting them as instruments of justice unto
sanctification, they, through the observance of the commandments of
God and of the Church, faith co-operating with good works, increase
in that justice which they have received through the grace of Christ,
and are still further justified, as it is written; He that is just,
let him be justified still; and again, Be not afraid to be justified
even to death; and also, Do you see that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only. And this increase of justification holy Church
begs, when she prays, "Give unto us, O Lord, increase of faith,
hope, and charity." (Trent, Session VI, pg. 36)
As regards those
who, by sin, have fallen from the received grace of Justification,
they may be again justified, when, God exciting them, through the
sacrament of Penance they shall have attained to the recovery, by the
merit of Christ, of the grace lost.... (Trent, Session VI, pg. 39)
For,
whereas Jesus Christ Himself continually infuses his virtue into the
said justified,-as the head into the members, and the vine into the
branches,-and this virtue always precedes and accompanies and follows
their good works, which without it could not in any wise be pleasing
and meritorious before God,-we must believe that nothing further is
wanting to the justified, to prevent their being accounted to have,
by those very works which have been done in God, fully satisfied the
divine law according to the state of this life, and to have truly
merited eternal life, to be obtained also in its (due) time, if so
be, however, that they depart in grace.... (Trent, Session VI, pg.
41)
If any one saith,
that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to
mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the
obtaining the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way
necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his
own will; let him be anathema. (Trent, Session VI, pg. 43)
If any one saith,
that a man once justified can sin no more, nor lose grace, and that
therefore he that falls and sins was never truly justified; or, on
the other hand, that he is able, during his whole life, to avoid all
sins, even those that are venial,except by a special privilege from
God, as the Church holds in regard of the Blessed Virgin; let him be
anathema.
If any one saith,
that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before
God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits
and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase
thereof; let him be anathema.
If any one saith,
that he, who has fallen after baptism, is not able by the grace of
God to rise again; or, that he is able indeed to recover the justice
which he has lost, but by faith alone without the sacrament of
Penance, contrary to what the holy Roman and universal
Church-instructed by Christ and his Apostles-has hitherto professed,
observed, and taught; let him be anathema.
If
any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been
received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the
debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there
remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either
in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to
the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.
(Trent, Session VI, pg. 45-46)
The
first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting
justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning
of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Moved by
grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting
forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is
not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and
renewal of the interior man.”
Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of
God, & purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon
God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man
with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.
Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's
righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or
"justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With
justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts,
and obedience to the divine will is granted us.
Justification has been merited for us by the Passion
of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy
and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of
atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in
Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness
of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its
purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal
life. Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and
man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith
to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the
cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who
precedes and preserves his assent. (CCC, 1989-1993)
Justification
includes the remission of sins, sanctification, and the renewal of
the inner man.
Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ. It
is granted us through Baptism. It conforms us to the righteousness of
God, who justifies us. It has for its goal the glory of God and of
Christ, and the gift of eternal life. It is the most excellent work
of God's mercy. (CCC, 2019-2020)
Protestants,
remaining faithful to Scripture, proclaim that justification is only
through faith in the person and work of Christ. Justification is the
declaration of God that he has pardoned a sinner and accepts him as
righteous in his sight because of Christ's righteousness being
imputed to him and received by faith. Faith is the believing,
resting, receiving, and trusting Christ and his righteousness. Faith
is not a work; faith itself is the gift of God. Sinners are declared
righteous by God because of Christ's righteousness being imputed as a
free gift. So, Christ merited salvation, not man. Salvation is in
Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone and not in the
church and Christ, grace and the sacraments, and faith and works.
The word “alone” is monumental.
But
now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who
believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by
his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be
received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in
his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (Rom. 3:21-25)
Indeed,
I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all
things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that
comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the
righteousness from God that depends on faith... (Phil. 3:8-9)
For
our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God. (2Cor. 5:21)
But he was wounded
for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him
was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we
are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned-every one-to his own way;and the LORD has laid on him the
iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:5-6)
Blessed
is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin
is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD
counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. (Ps.
32:1-2)
I
will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for
he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a
priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with
her jewels. (Is. 61:10)
We
ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet
we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but
through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ
Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works
of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
(Gal. 2:15-16)
Now
it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for
“The righteous shall live by faith.” (Gal. 3:11)
But
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he
loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made
us alive together with Christ---by grace you have been saved-
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming
ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been
saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift
of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
(Eph. 2:4-9)
My
little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not
sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous. (1Jn. 2:1)
Therefore
do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his
prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of
our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us
in Christ Jesus before the ages began.... (1Tim. 1:8-9)
But
when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and
renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us
richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being
justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of
eternal life. (Tit. 3:4-7)
Scripture
could not be more clear when it comes to justification, salvation
apart from works, faith, the work of Christ, and the grace of God.
When the Bible is ignored or pushed aside and the teachings of men
infiltrate, the result is a compromised gospel. A compromised gospel
is no gospel.
Rome's
gospel is impotent and unable to save. It is unbiblical, ungodly,
false, and damning. Man and his ability is elevated to heights that
no mere mortal has any business of occupying. Consequently, God is
delegated to the sidelines while man works and strives to earn grace
and favor. Catholics pay lip service to God, his grace, and his
glory, but it is smoke and mirrors. Away with the mass, grace
communicated through the sacraments, unbiblical traditions, false
gospels, false hopes, indulgences, purgatory, and works
righteousness. Catholicism is built upon a foundation of traditions,
lies, works, money, and popes. This foundation will not stand- it
cannot stand. This false religion defames God's glory, renders
ineffectual the work of Christ, humanizes the activity of the Spirit,
and idolizes man.
The
doctrine of justification by faith alone is so significant. Make a
mistake here and your soul will be condemned to an eternity in hell.
However, get it right- believe what the scriptures say about God, his
salvation, grace, and faith- and your soul is set free and brought
into the glorious presence of God. Praise be to God.
In
closing, since this doctrine is so critical, let me conclude by
quoting the Baptist Confession of Faith on justification (paragraphs
1-5). Catholic sources have been quoted, Scripture has been cited,
now a Protestant source will be referenced for clarity and coherency.
Those whom God
effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing
righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by
accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything
wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by
imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical
obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's
active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his
death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith
they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.
Faith
thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the
alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person
justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and
is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
Christ,
by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those
that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood
of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them,
make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their
behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his
obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely,
not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace,
that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified
in the justification of sinners.
God
did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did
in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their
justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until
the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.
God
doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and
although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet
they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure; and
in that condition they have not usually the light of his countenance
restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins,
beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. (Baptist Confession
of Faith, Chapter 11)
Amen
and amen.
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