The Falsity of The Faith-Alone Doctrine
(Does Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28, and Acts 16:31 teach ‘sola fide’?)
“IF YOU ARE WONDERING how to be saved, you are asking a wonderful question. In the New Testament, a jailer at Philippi also asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ (Acts 16:30). Paul and Silas answered, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ (Acts 16:31). What does it mean to believe in the Lord Jesus? First, it means that being saved comes through faith, not works. …” (compellingtruth.org, Emphasis Mine).
A Protestant website has that in its answer for the question, “How can I be saved?”
Indeed, the doctrine referred to as “sola fide,” a Latin phrase that means “faith alone,” is one of the “solas” or statements that “sum up what lies at the heart of Protestant belief” (protestant- ism.co.uk/solas).
“Sola fide,” as a religious doctrine, categorically “points out that salvation is through faith, not works” and is said to be “summarized well in Ephesians 2:8-9” and found throughout the Scriptures such as in Acts 16:31 and Romans 3:28 (compelling truth.org/sola-fide.html; https://faithalone.org/blog/will-most-people-fail-to-understand-acts-1631; https://bit.ly/Romans-3-28).
But do these verses really teach that man is justified and saved merely on the basis of his faith? Is sola fide a biblical doctrine?
EPHESIANS 2:8-9
Apostle Paul wrote this in Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
(Reference: New King James Version)
Indeed, faith must be possessed by a person in order to be saved. But take note that the apostle did not say, “By grace you have been saved through faith ALONE.” On the contrary, Paul’s co-apostle, the Apostle James―as if rebuking those who misinterpret and misuse Apostle Paul’s statement― categorically stated, “a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24 English Standard Version).
But why did Apostle Paul say, “You have been saved through faith not of works”? Because there are indeed kinds of works or deeds that cannot bring about salvation, such as those he himself specified in Titus 3:5, thus:
“Then, not for any good deeds of our own, but because he was merciful, he saved us.”
(Reference: Revised English Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, not by the “good deeds of our own” or the good works that are done according to our own will are we saved. Rather, the good deeds that will make Christians worthy of true life or salvation are those commanded to them, like the ones taught by the same apostle in I Timothy 6:18-19:
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
(Reference: New International Version, Emphasis Mine)
Those who claim that Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that faith alone is sufficient for salvation and that works are not necessary are gravely mistaken; one must be rich in good deeds and good deeds is the result of good works. In fact, in the very succeeding verse, Apostle Paul unmistakably proved that God intended His people “for good works”:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
(Reference: Eph. 2:10 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
These good works in which we should walk are those that are based on God’s will because His commandments written in the Holy Scriptures (II Tim. 3:15-17) are definitely holy, righteous, and good (Rom. 7:12).
ROMANS 3:28
This verse, which is also alleged to teach “sola fide,” reads:
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
(Reference: Romans 3:28 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
(a) He himself who wrote Romans 3:28, the Apostle Paul, taught that “[God] will not forget the work you did or the love you showed for him” (Heb. 6:10 Good News Bible) and that “all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. … according to everything we have done” (II Cor. 5:10 GNB). Advocates of “sola fide” are thus contradicting the very person who wrote the verse they are using.
(b) The Bible directly states, “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24 New American Standard Bible). Notice the irony―the Bible does use the term “faith alone,” but never to endorse the “sola fide,” rather to censure it. For man to be justified, the Bible does not say “by faith alone” but instead “not by faith alone.” In fact, the Holy Book even asks rhetorically: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” (James 2:21 NASB).
(c) Romans 3:28 is contextually clarified in verse 31, thus: “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” (NKJV). The law that Christians ought to obey is identified in verse 27 as “the law of faith,” which refers to “the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2 NKJV). Thus, the acts done in obedience to Christ’s laws, which are also God’s will (John 12:49), are not immaterial.
So, which are the “deeds of the law” that cannot justify man? Apostle Paul himself ascertained, “you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39 NKJV). The apostle learned this teaching from Jesus Christ, Who declared: “The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were in effect up to the time of John the Baptist; since then the Good News about the Kingdom of God is being told …” (Luke 16:16 GNB).
Clearly, what are not required in the Christian era are the deeds done in observance of the law of Moses or the Mosaic rituals and ceremonies (such as circumcision mentioned in Romans 4:9), not the acts done to obey the law of Christ.
ACTS 16:30-31
What about Apostle Paul and Silas’ statement, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NKJV)? Again, take note that they did not say, “believe only.” In fact, this is what transpired right after they made such pronouncement, as recorded in the very succeeding verse:
“Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in the house.”
(Reference: Acts 16:32 GNB, Emphasis Mine)
The jailer and his household were taught the Lord’s words or teachings―things they should obey or couple their faith with. This is necessary because Christ Himself proved that becoming His true disciples also requires obeying His teachings, not merely believing in Him:
“So Jesus said to those who believed in him, ‘If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples’.”
(Reference: John 8:31 GNB, Emphasis Mine)
Note the underlining condition to those who truly believe in Christ that to be considered His disciples, one must obey Christ’s teachings: what is one of Christ’s teachings that man should obey to attain salvation? The Savior proclaimed, thus: “I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe” (John 10:9 REB). Notice that coming into the fold is an act. The “fold” or “flock” refers to the one Church that Christ built (Matt. 16:18)―the Church of Christ:
“Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”
(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)
So, did the jailer and his household join the Church Of Christ? This is what happened after they believed in the words taught to them by the apostles:
“At that very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; and he and all his family were baptized at once.”
(Reference: Acts 16:33 GNB, Emphasis Mine)
Again, if all that is needed for salvation is to believe, then why did the jailer and his household have to listen to the gospel and undergo baptism? In effect, by hearing the gospel preached by God’s messengers, believing in it, and receiving the true baptism, people become parts of Christ’s body, or members of the Church Of Christ:
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body …”
(Reference: I Cor. 12:13 NIV, Emphasis Mine)
“The church is Christ’s body…”
(Reference: Eph. 1:22-23 GNB, Emphasis Mine)
“… The church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”
(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa, Emphasis Mine)
Indeed, those who rightfully entered Christ’s fold or were baptized in the true Church Of Christ will be saved for they fulfilled these things required for salvation taught by the Savior Himself:
“… ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned’.”
(Reference: Mark 16:15-16 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
In view of all of these truths, we send out this kind message to our fellowmen who uphold the faith-alone doctrine: Please seriously consider this rebuke by the Lord Jesus Christ―“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46 NKJV)
IN CONCLUSION
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WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors an invitation to explore the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ. These teachings presented here is the path that leads to eternal life for all on that appointed day of Judgment:
The Truth About Salvation
CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION with over 2.4 billion followers worldwide. It is composed of diverse faiths with thousands of denominations, such as Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Adventist—the list goes on. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates that there are over 45,000 denominations globally, with more than 200 in the United States alone. Each denomination has its own unique set of beliefs and doctrines, especially when it comes to how one can achieve salvation. Do any of these religions truly teach the proper way of salvation?
Reach Out
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(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
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(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)