Sola Fide Sunday:

Sola Fide Sunday:

Last week we spent a lot of time looking at the Works-less-ness of Sola Gratia & a few verses that expressly stated that.

But this week we're looking at a doctrine that Luther himself declared was the doctrine on which the Universal Church of Christ stands or falls. Sola Fide or Justification by Faith which ties the other Solas together. The way this is commonly described is that our standing before God is entirely dependent on God's Grace (Sola Gratia) & His mercy, and Christ's work done for you (Solus Christus) and that Salvation is not something you earn for yourself & is instead on account of the merit of Christ. The question becomes then how is this merit of Christ applied to you the individual? Answer: Sola Fide.  

As Scripture says: Christ is the Vine and we are his branches John 15:5, and when we are connected by Faith Alone to him, we enjoy as Eph 1:3 says “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” therefore ALL works in the Christian life are the FRUIT (or result) of our Salvation, not the CAUSE of our Salvation.

However for a RCC member, Catholics continually apply the merits of Mary, the Saints & Christ to themselves which are issued by the activity of the priesthood via Masses, baptism, penance & even doing the sign of the cross. So in practice human salvation is entirely linked to the organized institution of the official RCC & to human works & earning or meriting Salvation

The RCC’s understanding of the church is tied to their idea of Gospel & the ritual activity of the priesthood which denies the completeness of Christ’s work done on the cross.  In my eyes (personally) it would be a sin to even attend a Mass as each Mass or more specifically the Eucharist is a re-sacrifice of Christ denying the once & for all completeness of the Atonement.

Faith Alone = means only faith & like Sola Gratia excludes good works as necessary for salvation, Sola Fide is the teaching that Justification (or being declared just or righteous by God) is received by faith and that that faith is only in the completed works of Christ done for you, without any mixture of good works.

Some Protestants summarize the relationship between faith & works thus: “Faith yields justification & good works” where the RCC says, “No; faith & good works yield justification.”

**The RCC’s main argument against Sola Fide is James 2:14-17, let’s read that. Tell me what you think its saying?

My personal impression is James is talking about one justifying oneself horizontally before men not vertically before God. Because, I cannot “see” your genuine repentance & faith & conversion BUT I can see the results of one’s true conversion in some of their actions. 

Everyone has faith in something: themselves or others or oblivion but what God does is continually destroys any self-righteousness or self-reliant faith & replaces it with more & more holy respect & worship for Christ & trust in His work done for us.

The def. of Justification for Protestants means to be “declared righteous” a definitive event & for RCC Justification means being “made righteous” which is conditional journey & a process.  

Let’s review some verses - Romans 5:1-2, Eph 2:-9, John 3:16-18

Read Romans 5:1-2

We read some of Romans 4 last week & Paul’s example of Abraham which said Abraham was saved by faith before he’d done the “good work/obedience of circumcision” (some people would substitute baptism in here as well) in order to show us that we also are saved by faith before any good works we do that we might recognize that Salvation is a gift of grace & not a reward due us because of obedience.

How do we receive Justification?       Faith

And Peace with God?             Faith

And Grace?     Faith

On account of who’s works; ours or Christs?            Christ’s

Eph 2:1-10

Who made us alive together with Christ?       God

By what have you been saved?       Grace

Through what means?            Faith

Vs. 8 & this Salvation by grace through faith is not a result of your worth or works but God’s mercy.

Now that that is settled should we do NO good works? No, why?

The point of God saving us by grace, through faith is so that we will do good works but I think it’s in order to curb our sinful motivation to do good in order to earn rewards & replace it with doing good because of thankfulness to God & genuine love for others.

Read John 3:16-18

Why are only some saved?   Only some believe

What was God’s action?        Sent Son

Why did God act?       Love

What is our response to this action?              Believe & love in turn

All Reformers unite in declaring– We are justified by Faith Alone, which lies ahold of the Alien righteousness of Christ that God freely credits to the account of the believers.

Protestant faith includes 3 aspects: 1 knowledge of Christ & what he’s done, belief that that is True, Historically, Factually & finally that it was done FOR YOU, this is Salvific faith!