FAITH  ALONE ?

ARE PEOPLE SAVED BY FAITH ALONE ?

Since Jesus Christ has died on the Cross to take away our sins in His Blood, many the Bible only Christian believers follow the doctrine of ‘sola fide’. It means: ‘Faith alone is sufficient’, faith alone will bring people to heaven. Good works are of no help. What really counts here on earth is only our faith in Jesus Christ.

But there is no support from the Bible for such a teaching. Christians who are in favor of the doctrine ’faith alone’ quote a passage from the Letter of Saint Paul to Romans: 'For we hold that a person is justified by faith alone apart from the works of the law' (Rm 3:28).

The Bible speaks many times about the necessity of faith in Christ, but it never says by ‘faith alone’. There is no word ‘faith alone ‘ in the original Greek text.

It was from Martin Luther’s time that the teaching ‘faith alone’ has been spread around. Since then the Luther’s reformed church continues the teaching about ‘faith alone’.

Martin Luther couldn’t find any support from the Bible for his teaching  regarding to 'faith alone', so he decided to add a word ‘alone’ into the Scripture.                                                                   Now in many protestant translations of the Bible, there is a word ‘faith alone’.

But such an additionto the Bible  is a violation done to the Holy Scriptures. Simply, the assertion that ‘faith alone’ is sufficient for our salvation is not biblical, more is in complete opposition to the teaching of the Bible.

Saint Paul wrote: Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God (1Cor 4:5).   

Similar words were written in his second Letter to Corinthians:  For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body whether good or evil ( 2Cor 5:10).

Saint Matthew in his Gospel left no doubts that God will judge peoples deeds, not just faith alone (Mt 25: 31-46).

Saint James in his Letter shows how wrong was the Luther’s assertion about ‘faith alone’: Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren (Jm 2:20).

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (Jm 2:24).

For just as body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (Jm 2:26).

We have to believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, there is no question about that, but we have to be very much aware of the fact that God will judge our deeds.

The true faith in Jesus Christ will always help us to avoid sins and, do many good works, which please God.                                            We are saved by God’s GRACE alone through faith (Ep 2:8). But our future destination depends on how we live our earthy lives.

You may watch a video clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIcrFpGvuis

        ASURANCE OF SALVATION ?