, meaning "by faith alone," is a Protestant Christian doctrine that teaches sinners are forgiven and declared “not guilty” through faith—apart from good works or religious deeds. Protestants traditionally believe that this doctrine of salvation is the cornerstone of Christianity, the very teaching "upon which the church stands or falls".

In classical Protestant theologies, works are the natural evidence of faith, but they do not determine salvation. Confessional Lutheranism sees justification as free forgiveness, received only through faith. Without faith, God's forgiveness is rejected and its benefits are forfeited. Methodism affirms the doctrine of justification by faith alone, but holds that holy living with the goal of Christian perfection (entire sanctification) is essential for salvation; maintenance of sanctification is contingent on continual faith in and obedience to God.

Anabaptist theology categorically rejects the Lutheran and Reformed doctrine of sola fide, and instead emphasizes a "faith that works"; Anabaptists teach that "justification [began] a dynamic process by which the believer partook of the nature of Christ and was so enabled to live increasingly like Jesus." Catholicism teaches that salvation is by faith and works, holding to the concept of fides formata — faith formed by charity. Catholic theology emphasizes that faith must be accompanied by personal "merit" and the "observance of the commandments." Eastern Orthodoxy shares a similar view, teaching that salvation requires both faith and the sinner’s active cooperation.

Origin of the term

thumb|1861 painting of Luther discovering the Sola fide doctrine at [[Erfurt]]

Although modern Catholic scholars are against Luther's use of the word "only", Catholic sources before the Reformation had done the same. In 1916, Lutheran scholar Theodore Engelder published an article titled "The Three Principles of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fides" ("only scripture, only grace, only faith").

Martin Luther

Martin Luther elevated sola fide to the principal cause of the Protestant Reformation, the rallying cry of the Lutheran cause, and the chief distinction of the Lutheran and Reformed branches of Christianity from Roman Catholicism.

Luther added the word allein ("alone" in German) to Romans controversially so that it read: "So now we hold, that man is justified without the help of the works of the law, alone through faith". The word "alone" does not appear in the Greek manuscripts and Luther acknowledged this fact, but he defended his translation by maintaining that the adverb "alone" was required by idiomatic German:

Luther further claimed that sola was used in theological traditions before him and this adverb makes Paul's intended meaning clearer:

Translations

Historically, the Sola fide expression has appeared in several Catholic Bible translations

  • The Nuremberg Bible (1483), translates a phrase in Galatians as "nur durch den glauben" ("only through faith").
  • Italian translations from 1476, 1538, and 1546 render it as "solo per la fede" or "per la sola fede" ("only by faith").
  • La Sacra Bibbia, an Italian translation of 1943, translates Galatians 2:16: "solo per la fede di Gesù Cristo" ("only through faith in Jesus Christ").
  • The Jerusalem Bible, a French edition of 1956, translates Galatians 2:16: "seulement par la foi en Jésus Christ" ("only through faith in Jesus Christ").
  • Dios Habla Hoy (DHH, "God Speaks Today"), a Spanish translation approved by the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) in 1979, translates Galatians 2:16: "únicamente por creer en Jesucristo" ("only through faith in Jesus Christ").
  • Good News Translation Catholic Edition (GNTCE) translates Romans 3:28 and Galatians 2:16 respectively "we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith" and "Yet we know that a person is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ".
  • The Catholic Bible published in 1974 and 2008 by the Italian Episcopal Conference (La Sacra Bibbia della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana or Bibbia CEI) renders Galatians 2:16 with the phrase: "soltanto per mezzo della fede" (“only through faith”).
  • Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translates Romans 11:20, in the section God's Universal Salvation, as: "That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith."
  • Both New Revised Standard Version — Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE) and New Revised Standard Version — Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) translate Romans 11:20, on The Salvation of the Gentiles, as "That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith."

The "faith alone" expression also appears in at least nine modern English Bible translations:

  • Amplified Bible (AMP)
  • Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
  • God's Word Translation (GW)
  • Good News Translation (GNT)
  • Living Bible (TLB)
  • The Message (MSG)
  • Names of God Bible (NOG)
  • The Voice (VOICE)
  • Weymouth New Testament (WNY)

History

In his survey of the use of the phrase sola fide from the Church Fathers to before Reformation, theologian Christopher Mooney notes that the term was used both positively ("How gratuitously and generously God extends salvation to sinners who come to Christ in faith, without the need of antecedent works, especially of the Mosaic Law") and negatively ("as expressing an empty, presumptuous faith lacking repentance or good conduct.")

Early Church

Clement of Rome

thumb|It is often argued that [[Pope Clement I|Clement of Rome is a witness to the doctrine of faith alone. In contrast, the Catholic Encyclopedia indicates that Clement of Rome held works to be meritorious and holding works to be a part of justification.

According to Baptist theologian Thomas Schreiner sola fide can be found in some apostolic fathers. He contends that Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch and the Epistle to Diognetus viewed salvation as being God's work granted to those who exercise faith, which then causes works.

Early literature

The Epistle to Diognetus talks much about the human inability to merit justification themselves by their own good works.

The Shepherd of Hermas has a clear rejection of the faith alone doctrine, instead holding works to have merit. The Didache also appears to see works as meritorious, though not unambiguously.

Patristic statements

thumb|[[Jovinian has been argued to have taught similar views of justification as the Protestant reformers.<blockquote>"By faith alone one is freely forgiven of all sins and the believer is no longer burdened by the Law for meriting good works. Our works, however, are demonstrative of our faith and will determine whether we are ultimately justified" <br> —Ambrosiaster It has been argued that Marius Victorinus and Hilary of Poitiers taught faith alone. Marius Victorinus wrote that our own merits do not justify us and that we are justified by faith alone, however works should follow from that faith.

Because Polycarp does not make enough statements on salvation, he could have been either believed sola fide or that both works and faith are needed, but it is unclear which one he believed from his few statements.

Catholic Answers wrote that Origen, Cyprian, Aphraates, Gregory of Nyssa, Clement of Alexandria, Gregory the Great and Jerome held that both faith and works are part of the process of salvation.<blockquote>Whoever dies in his sins, even if he profess to believe in Christ, does not truly believe in him; and even if that which exists without works be called faith, such faith is dead in itself, as we read in the epistle bearing the name of James” – Origen A Pseudo-Chrysostom author from the 5th to 6th century suggested that Christians could enter heaven though without experiencing Christ's glory, even if they break his commandments, as implied by a commentary on Matthew 5:19.

Medieval

Early medieval thinkers whose statements on faith that have been interpreted as preceding Luther's include Gottschalk (c. 808 – 868 AD), Claudius of Turin (8.–9. century AD)

Some have argued that Ildefonsus and Julian of Toledo believed that faith alone was sufficient for salvation, Julian of Toledo made statements such as "all effort of human argument must be suspended where faith alone is sufficient".

Protestants also have claimed that the writings of Bernard of Clairvaux include the doctrine of justification by faith alone.thumb|Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples taught the doctrine of justification by faith alone before Martin Luther [[Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples (c. 1455 – 1536), and possibly also in Johann Pupper (c. 1400 – 1475). The doctrine of sola fide also seems to appear in the doctrine of John Wycliffe (c. 1328 – 1384), as he stated: "Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on his sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by his righteousness. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation.". According to some historians Luther's view on the doctrine of sola fide was influenced by the Italian reformer Girolamo Savonarola.

Centrality in the doctrine of the Protestant Reformation

The doctrine of sola fide asserts that God's pardon for guilty sinners is granted to and received through faith alone, excluding all "works" (good deeds). Without God's input, mankind, Christianity asserts, is fallen and sinful, meaning its actions and omissions are afflicted by the curse and most if not all would face God's wrath due to the fall of man (which spelt the end of Eden).

"This one and firm rock, which we call the doctrine of justification," insisted Luther, "is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness." He also called this doctrine the articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae ("article of the standing and falling church"): "if this article stands, the Church stands; if it falls, the Church falls." For Lutherans this doctrine is the material principle of theology in relation to the Bible, which is the formal principle. They believe justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ's righteousness alone is the gospel, the core of the Christian faith around which all other Christian doctrines are centered and based.

Luther came to understand justification as entirely the work of God. When God's righteousness is mentioned in the gospel, it is God's action of declaring righteous the unrighteous sinner who has faith in Jesus Christ. The righteousness by which the person is justified (declared righteous) is not his own (theologically, proper righteousness) but that of another, Christ (alien righteousness). "That is why faith alone makes someone just and fulfills the law," said Luther. "Faith is that which brings the Holy Spirit through the merits of Christ." Thus faith, for Luther, is a gift from God, and "a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it." This faith grasps Christ's righteousness and appropriates it for the believer. He explained his concept of "justification" in the Smalcald Articles:

Traditionally, Lutherans have taught forensic (or legal) justification, a divine verdict of acquittal pronounced on the believing sinner. God declares the sinner to be "not guilty" because Christ has taken his place, living a perfect life according to God's law and suffering for his sins. For Lutherans, justification is in no way dependent upon the thoughts, words, and deeds of those justified through faith alone in Christ. The new obedience that the justified sinner renders to God through sanctification follows justification as a consequence, but is not part of justification.

Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation through faith alone. Saving faith is the knowledge of, acceptance of, and trust in the promise of the Gospel. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians by the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word and Baptism. Faith is seen as an instrument that receives the gift of salvation, not something that causes salvation. Thus, Lutherans reject the "decision theology" which is common among modern evangelicals, such as Baptists and Methodists.

For Lutherans, justification provides the power by which Christians can grow in holiness and do good works (cf. Sanctification in Christianity#Lutheranism). Such improvement comes about in the believer only after he has become a new creation in Christ through Holy Baptism. This improvement is not completed in this life: Christians are always "saint and sinner at the same time" (simul iustus et peccator)—saints because they are holy in God's eyes, for Christ's sake, and do works that please him; sinners because they continue to sin until death.

Reformed theology

The Reformed tradition, which includes the Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, Reformed Anglican and Congregationalist denominations, upholds the doctrine of sola fide. Likewise, in the sacrament of baptism, Auburn Avenue Theology holds that "all the benefits of Christ (i.e., election, effectual calling, regeneration, faith, union with Christ, and adoption) are given but must be retained by grace and cooperation with grace."

Ecclesiastical historian and theologian Gerald Bray states:

Catholic exegesis of Letter of James

Catholic exegetes believe that St. James, to continue the thread above, had no other object than to emphasize the fact—already emphasized by St. Paul—that only such faith as is active in charity and good works (fides caritate formata) possesses any power to justify man (cf. Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 13:2), whilst faith devoid of charity and good works (fides informis) is a dead faith and in the eyes of God insufficient for justification (cf. James 2:17 sqq.)

In response to sola fide, Robert Sungenis argues in his 1997 book Not by Faith Alone that:

  1. Lutherans and Reformed Christians have devised many and varied explanations to neutralize the clear and unambiguous statement in Jm 2:24 that "man is justified by works and not by faith alone." Each of these explanations concludes that James is not teaching that man is justified by works in the same sense that Paul says man is justified by faith. Puzzled by James's language, Martin Luther even concluded that the epistle of James was a spurious book and should not be canonically authoritative for New Testament teaching.
  2. Countering the Lutheran and Reformed Christian explanation of the epistle of James which states that James means that "men" witness Abraham's works, the Genesis text (Genesis 22) does not include any men as witness to Abraham's works, but only God himself.
  3. Countering the Lutheran and Reformed Christian explanation of James which holds that the word "justified" as James uses the term refers to a "vindication," rather than to a salvific justification, as Paul uses the term, are the following arguments:
  4. If James were teaching a concept of "vindication," he would have said, with the proper Greek word, "you see, a person is vindicated by works." Moreover, since James adds the clause "and not by faith alone" we know that he is correcting a false notion concerning the solitude of faith in justification, not suggesting that Abraham was vindicated by works.
  5. If James were attempting to teach a vindication of Abraham, the specific argumentation he used would make sense only if James's opponents had claimed that Abraham was "vindicated by faith alone." In other words, if the vindication hypothesis were true, syntactical requirements would have forced James to use the meaning of "vindicated" in the first part of his argument (Jm 2:20–21) in order also to use it in the latter part (Jm 2:24). Since the grammatical structure of the verse would then require that the phrase "not by faith alone" have its referent in the phrase "is vindicated," this would force the meaning of the verse to be, "a person is vindicated ... not by faith alone"—a meaning that has no relevance to James's discussion.
  6. The New Testament does not use the word "justified" in the sense of "vindicated" in contexts which are soteriological, i.e., contexts which discuss salvation or damnation. Moreover, such passages as Mt 11:19 where one could plausibly interpret the Greek word dikaioo as referring to a vindication do so only in a metaphorical sense; therefore they do not use dikaioo in the same way that James, and even Paul, use the term, which is historical and literal.
  7. James's discussion of the events surrounding the justification of Rahab preclude assigning the meaning of "vindicated" to the word justified. Rahab's justification, as described in Jm 2:25, is a salvific justification, not a vindication, yet James specifies that Rahab was justified "in the same way" that Abraham was justified. Therefore, one cannot understand Abraham's justification as a vindication.
  8. Since James and Paul use the same Greek noun dikaiosune ("righteous") in reference to Abraham, and interpret the word in the same way (cf. Gn 15:6, Rm 4:3, Jm 2:23), it would be totally incongruous for one of them to use a different meaning of its verbal cognate dikaioo in reference to Abraham.
  9. The Lutherans and Reformed Christian position assumes that Abraham's justification is a once-for-all event. James's all important question "Can faith save him?" (Jm 2:14), however, includes Abraham within its purview. Hence we must conclude that if Abraham's works were not of the quality that James prescribes in the context (Jm 2:15), then Abraham would not be justified. Abraham could not be justified in a "once-for-all" event in Gn 15:6 and at the same time have that justification put in jeopardy by disobedience to James's requirement of works for justification. If this could happen, the question in Jm 2:14 would have no meaning.
  10. Abraham's acts in Genesis 12, 15, and 22 were acts of faith and works. We should not misconstrue Paul's stress on Abraham's faith in his view of Gn 15:6 to say that Abraham performed no works of loving obedience to God at this time or prior, nor should we misconstrue James's view of works in Genesis 22 to say that Abraham's attempted sacrifice of Isaac was not a supreme act of faith. Similarly, Abraham's departure from his homeland in Genesis 12 also couples his faith and works in regard to justification. Throughout his life, in the periods recorded in Genesis 13–14, 16–21, and 23–25 which are between the times of his recorded faith and obedience in the New Testament, Abraham continued to live in faith and obedience, with only what we may call minor lapses along the way. Genesis 22's importance is its detailing of Abraham's quintessential act of the faith-and-works which allowed God to swear an oath of blessing to him and for all his future descendants. Abraham's act in Genesis 22, not Gn 15:6, was the most important act in Abraham's life. The act in Genesis 22 was just as much a crediting of righteousness to Abraham as that in Gn 15:6.
  11. The entire context of the book of James concerns what one must do to be saved. He concentrates on obedience to the law as the means of salvation, and judgment for those who disobey that law.
  12. James includes sins of commission as well as omission in his warning against disobedience to the law. The supreme law, or "royal law," that James has in view is the law of love.
  13. James assumes that the audience to whom he writes already has faith in God. The main question that James poses to them is whether they have added works to their faith. James does not suggest that works will immediately or inevitably flow from one who has faith, even though he may have a greater disposition towards good works once he has faith. James teaches that one who has faith must make a daily, conscious decision to do good works, just as he must decide each day to refrain from sin. In fact, if he chooses not to do good works when the opportunity arises, he has sinned (Jm 4:17).
  14. James does not support the Lutherans and Reformed Christian concept that one can be saved as long as he has "saving faith." James is not so much attempting to qualify the faith needed for justification as he is saying that one must consciously add works to faith in order to be justified. A person, to be justified, must persevere to his last breath in this conscious decision to add works to faith.
  15. One of the most heinous in the catalogue of sins that James specifies is sin of the tongue. What is "said" to God and man is of the utmost importance to James and a major criterion on how the individual will be judged.
  16. Both Paul and James speak of the works of love that one must add to his faith in order to be justified.
  17. Like Paul, James concludes that if one chooses the system of law and desires God to evaluate him on that basis without the benefit of grace, he must then obey the whole law without fault. For one fault, the law will utterly condemn him.

Anabaptist view

thumb|An Anabaptist Christian lady wearing a [[Christian headcovering|headcovering and cape dress in keeping with Anabaptist teachings on headship and modesty]]

Anabaptist cleric David Griffin writes:

Methodist soteriology emphasizes the importance of the pursuit of holiness in salvation. Thus, for Wesley, "true faith&nbsp;... cannot subsist without works". Bishop Scott J. Jones in United Methodist Doctrine (2002) writes that in Wesleyan theology:

Bishop Jones concludes that "Methodist doctrine thus understands true, saving faith to be the kind that, given time and opportunity, will result in good works. Any supposed faith that does not in fact lead to such behaviors is not genuine, saving faith." While "faith is essential for a meaningful relationship with God, our relationship with God also takes shape through our care for people, the community, and creation itself." Methodism, inclusive of the Holiness movement, thus teaches that "justification [is made] conditional on obedience and progress in sanctification", The believer who is entirely sanctified (cleansed "from all inward sin and empowered for service") maintains his/her salvation by "faith and obedience" to God.

Richard P. Bucher contrasts this position with the Lutheran one, discussing an analogy put forth by John Wesley:

Supporting confessional excerpts

Anabaptism

The position of the Mennonite Church USA is set out in the pamphlet Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995). The commentary to Article 8 of the Confession emphasizes both faith and obedience as normative for salvation:

Anglicanism

The Anglican position is set out in the Thirty-nine Articles, specifically Article XI "Of the Justification of Man":

Lutheranism

Baptist

Reformed

Continental Reformed

Presbyterian

Reformed Baptist

Chapter XI of the London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 is the same as the Westminster Confession of Faith.

Methodism

The following statements from confessions of faiths of the Wesleyan–Arminian tradition reflect Methodist theology on salvation:

Non-denominational Evangelicals

Additional ecumenical statements

Evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics

Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church

In the preamble [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-official-statement_en.html], it is suggested that much of the debate on sola fide has been based on condemnations of caricatured positions not actually held: "The teaching of the Lutheran Churches presented in the Declaration does not fall under the condemnations from the Council of Trent. The condemnations in the Lutheran Confessions do not apply to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church presented in this Declaration."

Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission

Protestant controversies

Some scholars of early Christianity are adherents of the New Perspective on Paul and so believe sola fide is a misinterpretation on the part of Lutherans and that Paul was actually speaking about laws (such as circumcision, dietary laws, sabbath, temple rituals, etc.) that were considered essential for the Jews of the time.

The doctrine of justification by faith alone and the role of repentance in salvation has been interpreted differently by different Protestants, causing multiple controversies such as the Majoristic controversy (16th century), Antinomian Controversy (17th century), the Marrow Controversy (18th century), the Lordship salvation controversy (1980s), and the Hyper-Grace controversy (21st century).

See also

  • Antinomianism
  • Belief in Jesus
  • Double imputation
  • Expounding of the Law
  • Fate of the unlearned
  • John 3:16<!--which some Protestants interpret as a statement of sola fide-->
  • Justification from eternity
  • Murji'ah
  • Shinran

Notes

References

  • "By Faith Alone" and James (a Confessional Lutheran perspective)
  • Importance of Sola Fide (a Confessional Lutheran perspective)
  • Good Works (a Confessional Lutheran perspective)
  • Essays on Sola Fide, Page 1& Page 2, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
  • Bible Verses on Sola Fide (a Catholic perspective)
  • Is There a Contradiction Between Faith and Works? (Article stating that faith without works is impossible)