Saved
by Faith Alone?
Most of the 30,000 different sects of protestantism in the
US teach "Salvation comes to each person by Faith alone", which is
just flat wrong.
Saint
Paul says in Romans 3:28 "For we consider that a person is justified by
faith apart from works of the law" so Martin Luther took that, and then in
his own translation added "ALONE" so that it reads "For we
consider that a person is justified by faith ALONE apart from
works of the law" in Martin Luther's "Bible"
And
St. Paul also writes to the Galatians in Galatians 2:16 "a person is not
justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by
works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
So
Martin Luther took these two lines from St. Paul, and accuse Catholics of
believing that we believe that we are justified by our works.
But
St. Paul is not saying that our works do not matter, St. Paul is saying
"works OF THE LAW" as in, "The Jewish Law"
When
St. Paul talks about "works of the law" there are 3 different types
of laws in the Old Testament:
1)
Laws that established cultural customs for the Jewish people (circumcision,
what foods to eat and not eat, etc.)
2)
Laws governing Jewish Temple worship
3) and
there are lots of Moral Laws in the Old Testament, which do not change over
time.
St.
Paul, in Romans and Galatians is referring to the Jewish cultural laws,
which no longer apply to Christians when he says "apart from works of the
law"
Anyone
who doubts the importance of our works can look to several places:
1)
James 2: 15-17 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith
but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister
has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to
them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the
necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of
itself, if it does not have works, is dead"
2)
And, as Catholics, we could also point to Matthew 25 where the things
Jesus requires for entrance into Heaven are all WORKS:
"I was naked and you clothed me, in prison and you visited me, hunger and
you gave me food…"
3)
There also at least 7 other places in the same Letter to the
Romans where St. Paul says our salvation IS based on works that we perform:
2:6
“God will repay everyone according to his works"
2:7 “eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through
perseverance in good works”
2:10 “There will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good”
2:13
“For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God;
rather, those who observe the law will be justified”
2:16 “God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ
Jesus.”
10:9 “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe
in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
10:10 “one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.”
These are all "works".
