Debating Sola Fide

[rkwright]

How does one respond to the proof texts used by protestants?

The following were all thrown at me recently, I did my best but would like to get some more input. I know the other verses that point to Faith and Works, but how to I respond to these verses in particular?

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 6:28-29 (explaining Matthew 7:21)
Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.

Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:5
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

Romans 5:1
...having been justified by faith...

Romans 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

Philippians 3:9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 5:4,5
Christ has become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

[thessalonian]

[quote]John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.[quote]Beleives is pluran and implies a continuing belief, not just a one time assent. Would your friend say that one can believe for one day and then be saved at the end of life? Hope not, though some do. Belief is a walk more than a talk.

[quote]John 6:28-29 (explaining Matthew 7:21)
Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."[/quote]

Jesus said, not everyone who says "lord, lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven but those who DO the will of my father. Once again, belief is not a one time thing, but a journey through life believing in God. Nuff said.

[quote]Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.[/quote]See above comments.

[quote]Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.[/quote]

Ya might want to read Is 1 to get a feel for the difference between deeds of the law and acts of love. It's pretty striking how God abhored the very acts of the law that he commanded because they did not care for the widow and the orphan. But Catholicism is not about salvation by works but salvation by God working in and through us! Read Eph 3:20-21. God working in us produces deeds that we are judged by (see Romans 2:4-8 and Matt 25, sheep and goats).

[quote]Romans 4:5
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.[/quote]Romans 5:1
...having been justified by faith...[/quote]

We are fully justified when we become born again. Before that none of our works were of value. But again he has to reconcile this with Romans 2:4-8 and Matt 25, sheep and goats.

[quote]Romans 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.[/quote]We would agree. We are completely saved by grace but from the grace works must flow. We must bear fruit or the tree will be cut down and thrown in to the fire as Jesus said. I think it is in tommorrows Gospel.

[quote]Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.[/quote]

Amen we are fully saved by grace. That grace must produce works or the passages I have sited above make no sense.

[quote]Philippians 3:9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."[/quote]Faith needs to be an active and living faith or it is no faith at all. "not everyone who says Lord Lord..." see above for the finally.

[quote]Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 5:4,5
Christ has become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.[/quote]


Back to Is 1.

The word faith is used 273 times in the New Testament and only once is it paired with the word alone. But that one won't help him much. It's a double negative. Check it out. It's James 2:24.

So much more I could say if I had time. Others will likely respond and maybe I will alter as well. Also check out the defense directory. I am sure phat has some good stuff on these passages.

Blessings

[rkwright]

Thanks for the responses Thess, its too bad we don't have more of these debates on here. One can learn a great deal from seeing all this in action.