Justification by Faith and Justification by Works

Hi J. Jump, let's forego that part of the debate and get back to the real issue, justification. You need to respond to the meat of my last couple posts before we can move on. If you don't want to that is OK, just say "uncle" so I can move on to my next debate victory :laugh: .

BTW, was thinking last night that what James was saying was the same Biblical thought as "let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works......" That is the biblical concept here. Our light is known to God so no reason to show it to Him. Men however only can judge us by what they see, our attitude and actions and thus we let our lights so shine!!!!!!

Game - Set - Match?? :thumbs:

In Christ who saves forever,
Brian

 

Justification....Salvation....Grace.....Saved....Faith.....Eternal life.

Doing a bible search(KJV) on combination of phrases containing;

Eternal life & Save - get zero verses
Eternal Life & Faith - get 1 verses
Eternal Life & grace - get 2 verses
Eternal Life & salvation - get 0 verses
Eternal Life & justified - get 1 verse

Too many christians(if that's what you really want to call them that ) claim they are going to heaven because they believe in HIM. But when I look at them, I don't see any Good Fruits coming from their tree. Then I look at their particular churches and ask the Pastor about their missions:

I ask them this questions:

1. Do you have a mission to feed the hungry and thirsty?

2. Do you have a mission to take in the homeless?

3. Do you have a mission that goes and visits the sick?

4. Do you have a mission that goes and visits the imprisoned?

5. Do you have a mission that clothed those that lack proper clothing?

I have surveyed 285 pastors in my Tri-County area. Not one single non-catholic Pastor can answered yes to all 5 questions. The seven catholic Pastors said yes to all five.

I just wonder how people that attend these churches will answer to Jesus on the Great Day of Judgement when he asks why did you not For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.


You noticed that Jesus put ANDs in there instead of ORs

You or your local church would have to answer yes to all five in order to not be placed with the goats.

Does not the below verses bother you if you don't do all of the things listed or at a minimum your local church does on your behalf?

That is why I don't see Good Fruit from each person's tree. And I don't even see it in my own tree, but I making efforts at my church to change that. And if my church does not choose to have a mission for each of these five, then I will have no choice but resign my position at that church as a Sunday School teacher and member of that Church and go find a church that does have a ministry for each of the five items. And unfortunately, my poll leaves me with only one choice, the catholic church. My congregation is in an uproar because of my demands. Why? These ministries require money and time. And very few want their tithing to go to these new ministries and few want to dedicate time for these.

Does Satan control their lives or does Jesus? Based on the selfishness I say Satan is controlling their lives.

I really don't believe there are that many actually and truely saved people. And that includes the vast majority of those that post here. Sorry guys, unless you can honestly answer yes to all five questions to Jesus on the day of judgement, you are not going to enjoy eternal life.

No other scripture can contradict what Jesus is going to judge on. How will you be judged?

 

I am in agreement with Brian on this one..

That's new.

 

James Newman,

I really like what you've posted here. I think that you and I will have a little different idea about what the apostle James was referring to with his justification, but that Paul and James were talking about two different justifications, I say "amen."

Let's look at the Greek behind James 2:24, typically translated something like:

[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."

The Greek is PISTEWS MONOS. MONOS is translated as "alone" or "only." But MONOS is often treated as if it were an adjective, modifying PISTEWS ("faith") when in fact it is not. It is an adverb, and as such it simply cannot be modifying "faith." It must modify a verbal.

I think it might be more clear what James was syaing if we translate it asomething like...

"You see that a person is justified by works and not only [justified] by faith."

IOW, MONOS is modifying DIKAIOUTAI ("justified"). James is talking about two kinds of justification. I think the grammar supports your contention, JN.

Now, when I read James 2:14ff in context, the "salvation" I see being referred to is not eternal life - it is not salvation from hell. The illustration that James used referred to a Christian who was in need of food and clothing. James use it to illustrate that faith that is effective and results in a good testimony works. He is not saying that we are justified before God by works. We are justified before God by our faith. But how about people? Anyone who watched a Christian seeing a fellow believer in need and simply saying "be warm and well filled" would not be impressed. That believer would not be justified before men. God looks on the heart, but people see only actions, and James spoke much in his letter about our actions before the world.

So I do see two different justifications here - one by faith alone - before God and another by works (or perhaps by faith which works) before men.

Paul spoke of such a justification:

Romans 4:2 [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]If Abraham was justified by works, then he has something to brag about--but not before God.

Paul assumes that there is a justification before men. I believe that is what James is saying here. He refers to someone coming by and seeing the believer not helping another Christian and how that will certainly be useless...

James 2:14-17 [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.

Something that is "dead" is useless. Now notice also that it is not the faith of the person in need of being "saved" that is in question, but the faith of the believer passing by. We assume that whenever we see "save" (SOZW) in scripture that it is referring to gaining eternal life, but that is not what James is talking about here. That is not usually what "save" or "salvation" referring to in scripture.

Now regarding gaining eternal life, we are justified before God by faith alone. As JN said it cannot be "by faith alone" and also "by faith plus works" at the same time. Justification before God is by faith alone - period. Otherwise James and Paul were in conflict with one another, and we should not try to twist things around to make it appear differently. If such were so then it is a conflict... unless they were talking about two different kinds of justification.

Justification before people is by faith and works - by works. You can tell them you are trusting God, but they'll believe it when they see it - when they see the works... justification by works (before people).

IMO that is what James was saying. He wasn't talking about being justified before God for our sins. He doesn't mention sins in this text. He's concerned about our testimony in the world. We will not be justified in the eyes of the world if we do not put our faith into action - by works.

FA
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We will not be justified in the eyes of God if do not put our faith into action - by works either.

Faith is all fine and dandy, but when you stand in front of God and he says: "You did nothing with your faith", how will you respond to that.

You will only have one reply: "God have mercy on me".

Should he?

Way to many people just go to church each sunday for about 2 or 3 hours and do absolutely nothing the remaining 165 to 166 hours. Will God be happy with that?

 

Sorry, mojoala, but I don't agree there.

That would make salvation by works - something which has to be earned. There is a "judgment" regarding the works for believers - called the BEMA seat of Christ. It has to do with eternal rewards.

But you're right - I'll only have one response when I stand before God: "I did nothing, because you did it all. I love you for dying for me in my place and for loving me unconditionally." I surely will not be able to boast about a single thing before Him. All that I have done and will do is a result of His grace. I can only then say, "I am an unworthy servant. I have only done what was my duty."

What you describe is salvation by works, though I imagine that's not what you intend. It's something to boast about, yet Paul in Ephesians 2:8, 9 says we cannot boast.

Such an approach says that Christ did not pay the penalty for all of my sins. It says that my sins are forgiven... if That's why I don't buy it and I do not see it as biblical.

Thx,

FA

 

Justification for eternal purposes are based solely and only on the works of Christ. If you believe you are saved (Acts 16:30-31).

The justification that James is talking about is a justificaiton that comes by faith and works together. That is not justification of eternal salvation, because that would violate Ephesians 2:8-9 and Acts 16:30-31 and Romans 4.

James is talking about your soul be justified for the coming kingdom of Christ. We are in the process of making our wedding garments.

Now we can have all the faith we want to that Christ is King and that we can rule and reign with Him in that coming day.

But if we are not about making our wedding garment, which is made up of our righteous works (Revelation 19:8 - which are really the Spirit's works, but we are given credit for them as if we did them ourselves) then we are not going to experience that time of ruling and reigning. It won't happen. You can have all the faith you want to, but if you don't have the works to go along with it your faith is dead and useless and it will not save you.

As you say game...set...match - although I can't stand tennis So on to the next point...right?

 

J. Jump,

Amen! That's how I see it.

FA

 

BobRyan and I agree?? I guess anything is possible:laugh:

faithalone, great post above. Thanks for your insight.

J.Jump said:
You can have all the faith you want to, but if you don't have the works to go along with it your faith is dead and useless and it will not save you.

Before I comment tell me what the person above is saved from. You already said it was not about losing eternal life so i need clarification.

mojala, Jesus was using the example he did to make a point. He was not creating a doctrine on 5 things one must do to be saved. The instructions was for faith in action, just like James called for. James in fact certainly learned that directly from Jesus. What Jesus said is for all Christians to show their faith. It is an individual instruction and not technically for the gathered assembly to do as a group. We are to meet the needs of others when we are able, that is the loving your neighbor as yourself commandment.

In Christ,
Brian

 

you just keep believing it's just an example.

back on james and works, everyone has skirted and evaded James 2:19

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

You believe
therefore you have faith
You do well

BUT

Devils believe
therefore Devils have faith
They tremble

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

You produce works from your faith
then your faith is alive and of God.

Devils do not produce works from their faith
then their faith is dead and of Satan.

IS YOUR FAITH OF GOD OR IS IT OF SATAN?

DOES YOUR FAITH PRODUCE WORKS PLEASING TO GOD?

YES? you shall have eternal life.

NO? I am glad I an not you.

Good Day and God bless.

 

Just a couple of quick comments on this text from James which IMO is belabored, because I do not think it applies:

Did Jesus die for angels/demons? (No.)

Did this demon example trust in Christ to save him? (No.)

Was eternal life offered to angels/demons - part of the gospel? (No.)

Did Jesus become an angel/demon and die in their place? (No.)

So this really does not apply to the question about whether or not we are justified before God based on our works. James is not talking about that at all. I get tried of people using this example. James was not saying that just trusting in Christ for eternal life is not sufficient to save you from your sins. Nothing in the context even hints at such a thing. He's talking about Christians living for Christ.

Take care,

FA

 

Great question. Most people will say saved from eternal damnation, but it is actually saved from losing their soul, which has to do with losing one's inheritance, which deals with the coming 1,000-year reign of Christ.

If they lose, they will lose their soul and their inheritance. If they are saved, they will have their soul saved and will be able to realize their inheritance.

Hope that clarifies.

 

Then give a good reason why james put verse 19 in there, if not to clearly show that mere believing is sufficient.

 

The Early church Fathers believed otherwise

“Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all those things which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil-speaking, all abominable and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, seeking after change, all abominable lusts, detestable adultery, and execrable pride. 'For God,' saith [the Scripture], 'resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.' Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words." Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, 30 (A.D. 98).

"For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith?" Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, 31 (A.D. 98).

"All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, 32 (A.D. 98).

"Now I beseech thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to add [speed] to thy course, and that thou ever pray for all men that they may be saved, and that thou demand things which are befitting, with all assiduity both of the flesh and spirit. Be studious of unity, than which nothing is more precious. Bear with all men, even as our Lord beareth with thee. Show patience with all men in love, as [indeed] thou doest. Be steadfast in prayer. Ask for more understanding than that which thou [already] hast. Be watchful, as possessing a spirit which sleepeth not. Speak with every man according to the will of God. Bear the infirmities of all men as a perfect athlete; for where the labour is great, the gain is also great." Ignatius of Antioch, To Polycarp, 1 (A.D. 110).

"Look ye to the bishop, that God also may look upon you. I will be instead of the souls of those who are subject to the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons; with them may I have a portion in the presence of God! Labour together with one another, act as athletes together, run together, suffer together, sleep together, rise together. As stewards of God, and of His household, and His servants, please Him and serve Him, that ye may receive from Him the wages promised. Let none of you be rebellious. Let your baptism be to you as armour, and faith as a spear, and love as a helmet, and patience as a panoply. Let your treasures be your good works, that ye may receive the gift of God, as is just. Let your spirit be long-suffering towards each other with meekness, even as God is toward you. As for me, I rejoice in you at all times." Ignatius of Antioch, To Polycarp, 6 (A.D. 110).

"For he who keepeth these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooseth other things shall be destroyed with his works." Epistle of Barnabas, 2 (A.D. 132).

"But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, falsewitness; 'not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,' or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: 'Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again; and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.'" Polycarp, To the Philippians, 2 (A.D. 135).

"They only who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God; but as to those who keep not His commandments, there is no life in them." Shepherd of Hermas, 2 Comm 7 (A.D. 155).

"But those who do not keep his commandments, flee from his life, and despise him. But he has his own honour with the Lord. All, therefore, who shall despise him, and not follow his commands, deliver themselves to death, and every one of them will be guilty of his own blood. But I enjoin you, that you obey his commands, and you will have a cure for your former sins." Shepherd of Hermas, 3 Sim 10:2 (A.D. 155).

"We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man's actions. Since if it be not so, but all things happen by fate, neither is anything at all in our own power...But this we assert is inevitable fate, that they who choose the good have worthy rewards, and they who choose the opposite have their merited awards. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds, which cannot act by choice, did God make man: for neither would he be worthy of reward or praise did he not of himself choose the good, but were created for this end; nor, if he were evil, would he be worthy of punishment, not being evil of himself, but being able to be nothing else than what he was made." Justin Martyr, First Apology, 6 (A.D. 155).

"On this account also Paul the Apostle says to the Corinthians, 'Know ye not, that they who run in a racecourse, do all indeed run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Every one also who engages in the contest is temperate in all things: now these men that they may obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. But I so run, not as uncertainty; I fight, not as One beating the air; but I make my body livid, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when preaching to others, I may myself be rendered a castaway.' This able wrestler, therefore, exhorts us to the struggle for immortality, that we may be crowned, and may deem the crown precious, namely, that which is acquired by our struggle, but which does not encircle us of its own accord (sed non ultro coalitam)." Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4:7 (A.D. 180).

"But do you also, if you please, give reverential attention to the prophetic Scriptures, and they will make your way plainer for escaping the eternal punishments, and obtaining the eternal prizes of God. For He who gave the mouth for speech, and formed the ear to hear, and made the eye to see, will examine all things, and will judge righteous judgment, rendering merited awards to each. To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek immortality, He will give life everlasting, joy, peace, rest, and abundance of good things, which neither hath eye seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. But to the unbelieving and despisers, who obey not the truth, but are obedient to unrighteousness, when they shall have been filled with adulteries and fornications, and filthiness, and covetousness, and unlawful idolatries, there shall be anger and wrath, tribulation and anguish, and at the last everlasting fire shall possess such men. Since you said, "Show me thy God," this is my God, and I counsel you to fear Him and to trust Him." Theophilius of Antioch, To Autolycus, I:14 (A.D. 181).

 

The Early Church believed otherwise

"'And other sheep there are also,' saith the Lord, 'which are not of this fold '--deemed worthy of another fold and mansion, in proportion to their faith. 'But My sheep hear My voice,' understanding gnostically the commandments. And this is to be taken in a magnanimous and worthy acceptation, along with also the recompense and accompaniment of works. So that when we hear, 'Thy faith hath saved thee, we do not understand Him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever shall be saved, unless also works follow. But it was to the Jews alone that He spoke this utterance, who kept the law and lived blamelessly, who wanted only faith in the Lord. No one, then, can be a believer and at the same time be licentious; but though he quit the flesh, he must put off the passions, so as to be capable of reaching his own mansion." Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, 6:14 (A.D. 202).

"[T]hus by the grace of the Saviour healing their souls, enlightening them and leading them to the attainment of the truth; and whosoever obtains this and distinguishes himself in good works shall gain the prize of everlasting life... But others rightly and adequately comprehend this, but attaching slight importance to the works which tend to salvation, do not make the requisite preparation for attaining to the objects of their hope." Clement of Alexandria, Who is the rich man that shall be saved?, 1,2 (A.D. 210).

"[T]he apostolic teaching is that the soul, having a substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world, be rewarded according to its deserts, being destined to obtain either an inheritance of eternal life and blessedness, if its actions shall have procured this for it, or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments, if the guilt of its crimes shall have brought it down to this." Origen, First Principles, Preface 5 (A.D. 230).

"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, Commentary on John, 19:6 (A.D. 232).

"And in like manner, the Gentiles by faith in Christ prepare for themselves eternal life through good works." Hippolytus, Commentary on Proverbs (ante A.D. 235).
"He, in administering the righteous judgment of the Father to all, assigns to each what is righteous according to his works....the justification will be seen in the awarding to each that which is just; since to those who have done well shall be assigned righteously eternal bliss, and to the lovers of iniquity shall be given eternal punishment. And the fire which is un-quenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which dieth not...But the righteous will remember only the righteous deeds by which they reached the heavenly kingdom, in which there is neither sleep, nor pain, nor corruption" Hippolytus, Against Plato, 3 (ante A.D. 235).

"For both to prophesy and to cast out devils, and to do great acts upon the earth is certainly a sublime and an admirable thing; but one does not attain the kingdom of heaven although he is found in all these things, unless he walks in the observance of the right and just way. The Lord denounces, and says, 'Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' There is need of righteousness, that one may deserve well of God the Judge; we must obey His precepts and warnings, that our merits may receive their reward." Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church, 16 (A.D. 251).

"You must pray more eagerly and entreat; you must spend the day in grief; wear out nights in watchings and weepings; occupy all your time in wailful lamentations; lying stretched on the ground, you must cling close to the ashes, be surrounded with sackcloth and filth; after losing the raiment of Christ, you must be willing now to have no clothing; after the devil's meat, you must prefer fasting; be earnest in righteous works, whereby sins may be purged; frequently apply yourself to almsgiving, whereby souls are freed from death. What the adversary took from you, let Christ receive; nor ought your estate now either to be held or loved, by which you have been both deceived and conquered. Wealth must be avoided as an enemy; must be fled from as a robber; must be dreaded by its possessors as a sword and as poison. To this end only so much as remains should be of service, that by it the crime and the fault may be redeemed. Let good works be done without delay, and largely; let all your estate be laid out for the healing of your wound; let us lend of our wealth and our means to the Lord, who shall judge concerning us. Thus faith flourished in the time of the apostles; thus the first people of believers kept Christ's commands: they were prompt, they were liberal, they gave their all to be distributed by the apostles; and yet they were not redeeming sins of such a character as these." Cyprian, On the Lapsed, 35 (A.D. 251).

"You therefore, who are rich and wealthy, buy for yourself of Christ gold tried by fire; that you may be pure gold, with your filth burnt out as if by fire, if you are purged by almsgiving and righteous works. Buy for yourself white raiment, that you who had been naked according to Adam, and were before frightful and unseemly, may be clothed with the white garment of Christ. And you who are a wealthy and rich matron in Christ's Church, anoint your eyes, not with the collyrium of the devil, but with Christ's eye-salve, that you may be able to attain to see God, by deserving well of God, both by good works and character." Cyprian, Works and Almsgiving, 14 (A.D. 252).

"For this reason He has given us this present life, that we may either lose that true and eternal life by our vices, or win it by virtue." Lactantius, Divine Institutes, 7:5 (A.D. 310).

"But our faith thus teaches, that when men fall asleep, they sleep this slumber without knowing good from evil. And the righteous look not forward to their promises, nor do the wicked look forward to their sentence of punishment, until the Judge come and separate those whose place is at His right hand from those whose place is at His left. And be thou instructed by that which is written, that when the Judge shall sit, and the books be opened before Him and the good and evil deeds recited, then they that have wrought good works shall receive good rewards from Him Who is good; and they that have done evil deeds shall receive evil penalties from the just Judge... But hear, my beloved, this proof that retribution shall take place at the end. For when the Shepherd divides His flock and sets some on His right hand and some on His left. until He shall have acknowledged the service of the good, then He will cause them to inherit the kingdom; and until He shall have rebuked the evil and they are condemned, then He will send them to the torment." Aphrahat, Select Demonstrations, 8:21 (A.D. 345).

"Terrible in good truth is the judgment, and terrible the things announced. The kingdom of heaven is set before us, and everlasting fire is prepared. How then, some one will say, are we to escape the fire? And how to enter into the kingdom? I was an hungered, He says, and ye gave Me meat. Learn hence the way; there is here no need of allegory, but to fulfil what is said. I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. These things if thou do, thou shall reign together with Him; but if thou do them not, thou shalt be condemned. At once then begin to do these works, and abide in the faith; lest, like the foolish virgins, tarrying to buy oil, thou be shut out." Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 15:26 (A.D. 350).

"We shall be raised therefore, all with our bodies eternal, but not all with bodies alike: for if a man is righteous, he will receive a heavenly body, that he may be able worthily to hold converse with Angels; but if a man is a sinner, he shall receive an eternal body, fitted to endure the penalties of sins, that he may burn eternally in fire, nor ever be consumed. And righteously will God assign this portion to either company; for we do nothing without the body. We blaspheme with the mouth, and with the mouth we pray. With the body we commit fornication, and with the body we keep chastity. With the hand we rob, and by the hand we bestow alms; and the rest in like manner. Since then the body has been our minister in all things, it shall also share with us in the future the fruits of the past. Therefore, brethren, let us be careful of our bodies, nor misuse them as though not our own. Let us not say like the heretics, that this vesture of the body belongs not to us, but let us be careful of it as our own; for we must give account to the Lord of all things done through the body.” Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures, 18:19,20 (A.D. 350).

 

The Early Church believed otherwise

“Say not, none seeth me; think not, that there is no witness of the deed. Human witness oftentimes there is not; but He who fashioned us, an unerring witness, abides faithful in heaven, and beholds what thou doest. And the stains of sin also remain in the body; for as when a wound has gone deep into the body, even if there has been a healing, the scar remains, so sin wounds soul and body, and the marks of its scars remain in all; and they are removed only from those who receive the washing of Baptism. The past wounds therefore of soul and body God heals by Baptism; against future ones let us one and all jointly guard ourselves, that we may keep this vestment of the body pure, and may not for practicing fornication and sensual indulgence or any other sin for a short season, lose the salvation of heaven, but may inherit the eternal kingdom of God; of which may God, of His own grace, deem all of you worthy.” Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 18:19,20 (A.D. 350).

"For it is not productive of virtue, nor is it any token of goodness. For none of us is judged for what he knows not, and no one is called blessed because he hath learning and knowledge. But each one will be called to judgment in these points--whether he have kept the faith and truly observed the commandments." Athanasius, Life of Antony, 33 (A.D. 362).

"'O Lord, my heart is not exalted, neither have mine eyes been lifted up.' This Psalm, a short one, which demands an analytical rather than a homiletical treatment, teaches us the lesson of humility and meekness. Now, as we have in a great number of other places spoken about humility, there is no need to repeat the same things here. Of course we are bound to bear in mind in how great need our faith stands of humility when we hear the Prophet thus speaking of it as equivalent to the performance of the highest works: O Lord, my heart is not exalted. For a troubled heart is the noblest sacrifice in the eyes of God. The heart, therefore, must not be lifted up by prosperity, but humbly kept within the bounds of meekness through the fear of God." Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on the Psalms, 130/131:1 (A.D. 365).

"Now we have a woven work, when faith and action go together. Let none suppose me to be misguided, in that I made at first a threefold division, each part containing four, and afterwards a fourfold division, each part containing three terms. The beauty of a good thing pleases the more, if it be shown under various aspects. For those are good things, whereof the texture of the priestly robe was the token, that is to say, either the Law, or the Church, which latter hath made two garments for her spouse, as it is written'--the one of action, the other of spirit, weaving together the threads of faith and works.... Faith is profitable, therefore, when her brow is bright with a fair crown of good works. This faith--that I may set the matter forth shortly--is contained in the following principles, which cannot be overthrown." Ambrose, On the Christian Faith, II:11, 13 (A.D. 380).

"Then, in the tenth place, work that which is good upon this foundation of dogma; for faith without works is dead, even as are works apart from faith. This is all that may be divulged of the Sacrament, and that is not forbidden to the ear of the many. The rest yon shall learn within the Church by the grace of the Holy Trinity; and those matters you shall conceal within yourself, sealed and secure." Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration on Holy Baptism, 45 (A.D. 381).

"Innocence, then, and knowledge make a man blessed. We have also noted already that the blessedness of eternal life is the reward for good works…Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.' And again: 'He that will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me.'" Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, 3:9 (c. A.D. 391).

"'Is it then enough,' saith one,' to believe on the Son, that one may have eternal life?' By no means. And hear Christ Himself declaring this, and saying, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. vii. 21); and the blasphemy against the Spirit is enough of itself to cast a man into hell. But why speak I of a portion of doctrine? Though a man believe rightly on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, yet if he lead not a right life, his faith will avail nothing towards his salvation." John Chrysostom, Homilies on John, 31:1 (A.D. 391).

"You had a wife, the apostle says, when you believed. Do not fancy your faith in Christ to be a reason for parting from her. For 'God hath called us in peace.' 'Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.' Neither celibacy nor wedlock is of the slightest use without works, since even faith, the distinguishing mark of Christians, if it have not works, is said to be dead, and on such terms as these the virgins of Vesta or of Juno, who was constant to one husband, might claim to be numbered among the saints." Jerome, To Pammachius, Epistle 48:6 (A.D. 393).

"Paul, joining righteousness to faith and weaving them together, constructs of them the breastsplates for the infantryman, armoring the soldier properly and safely on both sides. A soldier cannot be considered safely armored when either shield is disjoined from the other. For faith without works of justice is not sufficient for salvation; neither, however, is righteous living secure in itself of salvation, if it is disjoined from faith." Gregory of Nyssa, Homilies on Ecclesiastes, 8 (A.D. 394).

"And he who has not this love, 'though he speak with the tongues of men and angels, is sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal; and though he have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and though he have all faith, so that he can remove mountains, he is nothing; and though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and though he give his body to be burned, it profiteth him nothing.' How great a good, then, is that without which goods so great bring no one to eternal life! But love or charity itself,--for they are two names for one thing,--if he have it that does not speak with tongues, nor has the gift of prophecy, nor knows all mysteries and all knowledge, nor gives all his goods to the poor, either because he has none to give or because some necessity hinders, nor delivers his body to be burned, if no trial of such a suffering overtakes him, brings that man to the kingdom, so that faith itself is only rendered profitable by love, since faith without love can indeed exist, but cannot profit. And therefore also the Apostle Paul says, 'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love:' so distinguishing it from that faith by which even 'the devils believe and tremble.' Love, therefore, which is of God and is God, is specially the Holy Spirit, by whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by which love the whole Trinity dwells in us. And therefore most rightly is the Holy Spirit, although He is God, called also the gift of God. And by that gift what else can properly be understood except love, which brings to God, and without which any other gift of God whatsoever does not bring to God?" Augustine, On the Trinity, 15:18,32 (A.D. 416).

"According to the Catholic faith we believe this also, that after grace has been received through baptism, all the baptized with the help and cooperation of Christ can and ought to fufill what pertains to the salvation of the soul, if they will labor faithfully." Council of Orange II, Predestination (A.D. 529).

"They acknowledge that they know God, but in deeds they deny Him (Tit. i. 16). And John says, He that saith that he knows Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar (1 John ii. 4). James also, the brother of the Lord, writes saying, Faith without works is dead (Jam. ii. 20). If, then, believers now are not saved without good works, while the unbelieving and reprobate without good action were saved by our Lord descending into hell, then the lot of those who never saw the incarnation of the Lord was better than that of these who have been born after the mystery of His incarnation." Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], To George (Presbyter), Epistle 15 (A.D. 591).

"If good life is wanting, faith has no merit, as the blessed James attests, who says, Faith without works is dead (Jam; ii. 18)." Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], To Theoderic, Epistle 110 (A.D. 591).
"The remission of sins, therefore, is granted alike to all through baptism: but the grace of the Spirit is proportional to the faith and previous purification. Now, indeed, we receive the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit through baptism, and the second birth is for us the beginning and seal and security and illumination s of another life. It behoves as, then, with all our strength to steadfastly keep ourselves pure from filthy works, that we may not, like the dog returning to his vomit, make ourselves again the slaves of sin. For faith apart from works is dead, and so likewise are works apart from faith. For the true faith is attested by works." John Damascene, Orthodox Faith, 9 (A.D. 743).

THEY ALL GOT IT WRONG FROM THE GET GO?

 

Here is the history of the doctrine of justification.
No theologian or Christian figure of any note believed in forensic, imputed justification until Luther and Calvin came onto the scene of Church history in the 16th century. It is simply implausible and incredible (and unbiblical: Matthew 16:18, John 14:26) to think that a theological concept considered so absolutely crucial by Protestants could have been lost immediately after the Apostles and for fifteen centuries thereafter. I have seen how Protestant notions of justification, absolute assurance of a salvation which can't be lost, eradication of free will, double predestination, and so forth, are unbiblical.

In the late first century and early second, St. Clement of Rome speaks of "being justified by works and not by words," (1) just as St. James does. Likewise, St. Ignatius of Antioch warns against "desertion" and describes works as "deposited withholdings" which will accumulate "back-pay." (2) Thus, the concepts of merit and loss of salvation are delineated very early on.

In the second century, St. Justin Martyr refers to "the merit of each man's actions," upholds free will, (3) and directly denies imputed justification. (4) St. Theophilus (5) and St. Irenaeus (6) discuss merit and good works with regard to salvation, as does Tertullian, around 204 A.D. (7)

In the third century, St. Clement of Alexandria defines baptism as "a washing by which we are cleansed of sins," (8) and denies "faith alone." (9) Origen (10) and St. Cyprian (11) espouse good works and merit, and the latter expressly affirms baptismal regeneration. (12)

In the fourth century, St. Gregory of Nyssa writes, "Faith without works of justice is not sufficient for salvation." (13) St. John Chrysostom makes the same denial of "faith alone" (14) and teaches infused justification: "He has not only delivered us from sins, but has made us lovable." (15) St. Ambrose makes works (and merit) the scale upon which our eternal destiny will be weighed. (16) St. Jerome condemns "faith alone." (17)

In the early fifth century, St. Augustine repudiates the Calvinist ideas of Unconditional Election and Irresistible Grace: "He does not justify you without your willing it." (18) He teaches an initial justification (19) which enables the Christian to perform meritorious good works, (20) order to work out their salvation, as St. Paul taught. Around 421, he elaborated his view of infused justification: Grace makes a man entirely new . . . it even renews a man perfectly, to the extent that it achieves his deliverance from absolutely all sins. (21)

And a few years before his death, he warned of the possible loss of one's salvation: If someone already regenerate and justified should, of his own will, relapse into his evil life, certainly that man cannot say: 'I have not received'; because he lost the grace he received from God and by his own free choice went to evil. (22)

This utterly contradicts Calvinism's Perseverance of the Saints as well as Irresistible Grace. St. Augustine was no Protestant, and most assuredly not a Calvinist!

The Second Council of Orange in 529 (23) condemned the heresies of Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism (which St. Augustine had already done a century earlier). Pelagianism denied Original Sin and regarded grace as within man's natural capacities. Semi-Pelagianism made man primarily responsible for his own salvation and denigrated the necessity of God's enabling grace. The Council made many binding definitions of grace and salvation which may be quite surprising to many Protestants, who want to accuse the Catholic Church of the same heresies which it anathematized fourteen centuries ago. The Catholic Church fully agrees with Holy Scripture that faith, the subjective condition of justification, is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 ff., John 6:66, Hebrews 12:12, Philippians 1:6, 1:29, 1 Corinthians 4:7). This was the emphasis of 2nd Orange. (24)

1. 1st Clement (to the Corinthians), 30:3, 31:2, 32:3-4, 33:1-2,7, 34:1-3. From Lightfoot, Joseph B. & J.R. Harmer, tr., The Apostolic Fathers, 2nd ed., ed. & rev. by Michael W. Holmes, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989 (1st ed. 1891), 45.
2. Letter to Polycarp, 6,2. From Jurgens, FEF, vol. 1, 26.
3. First Apology, 43. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 1, 53.
4. Dialogue With Trypho the Jew, 141. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 1, 62-63.
5. To Autolycus, 1,14.
6. Against Heresies, 4,37,7.
7. Repentance, 2,11j 6,4.
8. The Instructor of Children, 1,6,26,1-2. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 1, 178.
9. Miscellanies (Stromateis), 6,14,108,4-5. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 1, 184.
10. Commentaries on John, 19,6.
11. Works and Almsgiving, 14.
12. To Donatus, 4. ne 13. Homilies on Ecclesiastes, 8. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 2, 46.
14. Homilies on the Gospel of John, 31,1.
15. Homilies on Ephesians, 1,3. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 2, 120.
16. Letter to Constantius, a Bishop, 2,16; The Duties of the Clergy, 1,15,57.
17. Commentaries on Galatians, 2,3,11.
18. Sermons, 169,13. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 3, 29.
19. Various Questions to Simplician, 1,2,2.
20.Various Questions to Simplician, 1,2,21.
21. Against Julian, Defender of Pelagianism, 6,13,40. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 3, 146.
22. Admonition and Grace, 6,9. Jurgens, FEF, vol. 3, 157.
23. The Second Council of Orange was not an ecumenical, or General Council, but is solemnly authoritative for all Catholics due to the confirmation of Pope Boniface II (Papal Bull: Per Filium Nostrum, January 25, 531).

24. Some of the more important decrees of the Second Council of Orange in 529:
Canon 3: If anyone says that the grace of God can be conferred in answer to man's petition, but that the petition itself is not due to the action of grace, he contradicts the prophet Isaiah and the Apostle, who both say: 'I was found by them that did not seek me, I appeared openly to them that ask not after me' (Romans 10:20, Isaiah 15:1). {In Bouyer, Louis, The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism, tr. A.V. Littledale, London: Harvill Press, 1956, 67}.
Canon 4: If anyone contends that God waits for our will so we may be cleansed from sin - and does not admit that the very fact that we even will to be cleansed comes in us by the infusion and work of the Holy Spirit, he resists the same Holy Spirit. {In Most, William G., Catholic Apologetics Today, Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, 1986, 110}.
Canon 5: If anybody says that the . . . beginning of Faith and the Act of Faith itself . . . is in us naturally and not by a gift of grace that is by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he is opposed to Apostolic teaching. {In Ott, Ludwig, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, tr. Patrick Lynch, Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, 1974 {orig. 1952 in German}, 230}.
Canon 6: If anyone says that God has mercy on us when, without his grace, we believe, will, desire, strive, work, watch, study, ask, seek, knock, and does not confess that we believe, will, and are enabled to do all this in the way we ought, by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us; or makes the help of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man, rather than ascribing such humility and obedience to the free gift of grace; he goes counter to the Apostle, who says, 'What hast thou that thou hast not received?' and 'By the grace of God I am what I am' (1 Corinthians 4:7 and 15:10). {Bouyer, 67-68}.
Canon 7: If anyone asserts that we can, by our natural powers, think as we ought, or choose any good pertaining to the salvation of eternal life, that is, consent to salvation or to the message of the Gospel, without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit . . . he is misled by a heretical spirit, not understanding what the voice of God says in the Gospel, 'Without me you can do nothing' (John 15:5), nor the words of the Apostle, 'Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God' (2 Corinthians 3:5). {Bouyer, 68}.
Canon 9: As often as we do good God operates in us and with us, so that we may operate. {Ott, 229}.
Canon 13: Free will, weakened in the person of the first man, can be repaired only by the grace of Baptism . . . [cites Jn 8:36]. {Bouyer, 68}.
Canon 20: Man does no good except that which God brings about that man performs . . . {Ott, 229}.
Canon 25: In a word, to love God is a gift of God. He, yet unloved, loves us and gave us the power to love . . . Through the sin of the first man, the free will is so weakened and warped, that no one thereafter can either love God as he ought, or believe in God, or do good for the sake of God, unless moved, previously, by the grace of the divine mercy . . . In every good work that we do, it is not we who have the initiative, aided, subsequently, by the mercy of God, but that he begins by inspiring faith and love towards him, without any prior merit of ours. {Bouyer, 69}.

 

The Council of Trent (1545-1563) reiterated the decrees of a thousand years earlier, developing them further, and emphasizing man's free will (in opposition to Protestantism) but adding nothing essential. Some of the more notable portions of the Decree on Justification (January 13, 1547) follow:

Chapter 5: . . . The beginning of the said justification is to be derived from the prevenient grace of God through Jesus Christ; that is to say, from His vocation, whereby, without any merits existing on their parts, they are called; that so they who by sins were alienated from God may be disposed through His quickening and assisting grace to convert themselves to their own justification by freely assenting to and cooperating with that said grace: in such sort that, while God touches the heart of man by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, neither is man himself utterly without doing anything while he receives that inspiration, for as much as he is also able to reject it; yet he is not able, by his own free-will, without the grace of God, to move himself unto justice in His sight.

Canon I: If anyone saith that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema. (Anathema: A condemnation used by the Church to declare that a position or viewpoint is contrary to Catholic faith or doctrine, derived from Galatians 1:9. It means, literally, "let him be excommunicated," or barred from the sacraments, not damned, as many mistakenly suppose.)

Canon IV: If anyone saith that man's free-will, moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling, no wise cooperates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of justification; that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be anathema.

Canon VI: If anyone saith that it is not in man's power to make his ways evil, but that the works that are evil God worketh as well as those that are good, not permissibly only, but properly and of Himself, in such wise that the treason of Judas is no less His own proper work than the vocation of Paul; let him be anathema.

Canon XI: If anyone saith that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost and is inherent in them; or even that the grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favour of God; let him be anathema.

Canon XXIV: If anyone saith that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.

Canon XXVI: If anyone saith that the just ought not, for their good works done in God, to expect and hope for an eternal recompense from God, through His mercy and the merit of Jesus Christ, if so be that they persevere to the end in well-doing and in keeping the commandments; let him be anathema.

Canon XXVII: If anyone saith that there is no mortal sin but that of infidelity (unbelief); or that grace once received is not lost by any other sin, however grievous and enormous, save by that of infidelity; let him be anathema.

Canon XXX: If anyone saith that, after the grace of justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.

 

Martin Luther exhibited unorthodox tendencies as early as his Commentary on Romans (1516), where he wrote that even when we "do good, we sin, [bene operando peccamus in Latin] but Christ covers over what is wanting and does not impute it." He denies merit and the existence of venial sin. For Luther, all sins, even the smallest, are mortal. He even goes so far as to say that those who determine that they are predestined to hell should resign themselves to their fate, since it is God's will - this knowledge being a source of "ineffable joy." Even Jesus Christ "offered Himself to the eternal Father to be consigned to eternal damnation for us." Luther thus was at variance with the Catholic Church on soteriological and christological issues at least a year before he critiqued the doctrine of Indulgences, which is commonly considered his first departure-point. (1)

In the Heidelberg Disputation in 1518, Luther stated: "God . . . graciously accepts our works and our life notwithstanding their complete worthlessness . . . All that a man does is the work of the devil, of sin, of darkness and foolishness." (2)

Luther biographer Hartmann Grisar concludes:
It was only in 1518-1519 that he developed the doctrine of the so-called "special faith," by which the individual assures himself of pardon and secures salvation. Thereby he transformed faith into trust, for what he termed fiducial faith partook more of the nature of a strong, artificially stimulated hope; it really amounted to an intense confidence that the merits of Christ obliterated every sin. (3)

The radical subjectivity and inadequacy of Luther's views on "assurance" of salvation are evident in his revised Commentary on Galatians: We must day by day struggle towards greater and greater certainty . . . Everyone should therefore accustom himself resolutely to the persuasion that he is in a state of grace . . . Should he feel a doubt, then let him exercise faith; he must beat down his doubts and acquire certainty . . . And even when we have fought very hard for this, it will still cost us much sweat . . . The matter of justification is difficult and delicate, not indeed in itself, for in itself it is as certain as can be, but in our regard; of this I have frequent experience. (4)

Therefore, Luther's assurance of salvation amounts to the following: in order to possess assurance of salvation you must believe - despite doubts - that you have salvation. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this is reasoning in a vicious circle. (5)

Cardinal Newman critiqued Luther's views on faith and assurance when he was still an Anglican:
A system of doctrine has risen up during the last three centuries, in which faith or spiritual-mindedness is contemplated and rested on as the end of religion instead of Christ . . . And in this way religion is made to consist in contemplating ourselves instead of Christ; not simply in looking to Christ, but in ascertaining that we look to Christ, not in His Divinity and Atonement, but in our conversion and our faith in those truths . . . What! is this the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and wherein we stand, the home of our own thoughts, the prison of our own sensations, the province of self? . . . No wonder that where the thought of self obscures the thought of God, prayer and praise languish, and only preaching flourishes . . . To look at Christ is to be justified by faith; to think of being justified by faith is to look from Christ and to fall from grace . . . [Luther] found Christians in bondage to their works and observances; he released them by his doctrine of faith; and he left them in bondage to their feelings . . . Whereas he preached against reliance on self, he introduced it in a more subtle shape; whereas he professed to make the written word all in all, he sacrificed it in its length and breadth to the doctrine which he had wrested from a few texts. (6)

FOOTNOTES
1. Information derived from Hartmann Grisar, Luther, tr. E.M. Lamond, ed. Luigi Cappadelta, 6 vols., London: Kegan Paul, trench, Trubner & Co., 1917, vol. 1, 216-217,221-222,238-240; Grisar in turn cites Luther himself from the edition of Commentary on Romans by J. Ficker (Leipzig: 1908).
2. Grisar, ibid., vol. 1, 319.
3. Ibid., vol. 4, 432, 456-457.
4. Ibid., vol. 4, 437-443.
5. The Council of Trent, in its Decree on Justification (chapters 9, 12, 15), rejected Protestantism's notion of subjective assurance of salvation:
But, although it is necessary to believe that sins neither are remitted, nor ever were remitted save gratuitously by the mercy of God for Christ's sake, yet it is not to be said that sins are forgiven, or have been forgiven, to any one who boasts of his confidence and certainty of the remission of sins, and rests on that alone; seeing that it may exist, yea does in our day exist, amongst heretics and schismatics; and with great vehemence is this vain confidence, and one alien from all godliness, preached up in opposition to the Catholic Church. But neither is this to be asserted, that they who are truly justified must needs, without any doubting whatever, settle within themselves that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and justified but he that believes for certain that he is absolved and justified; and that absolution and justification are effected by this faith alone; as though whoso has not this belief doubts of the promises of God and of the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. For even as no pious person ought to doubt of the mercy of God, of the merit of Christ, and of the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, even so each one, when he regards himself and his own weakness and indisposition, may have fear and apprehension touching his own grace; seeing that no one can know with a certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained the grace of God.

No one, moreover, so long as he is in this mortal life, ought so far to presume as regards the secret mystery of divine predestination as to determine for certain that he is assuredly in the number of the predestinate; as if it were true that he that is justified either cannot sin any more, or, if he do sin, that he ought to promise himself an assured repentance; for except by special revelation it cannot be known whom God hath chosen unto Himself.

. . . It is to be maintained that the received grace of justification is lost not only by infidelity, whereby even faith itself is lost, but also by any other mortal sin whatever, though faith be not lost . . .

6. Newman, John Henry, Lectures on Justification, 1838, (Newman's Works, London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1881), 323-8,330,336-7,339-41.

 

#1 you understimate the error enriching influence of the Catholic Church in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

#2. You seem to ignore Acts 20. Where we are told that FROM WITHIN the church wolves would arise preaching error - as soon as Paul left!