Hebrews 5:12 – 6:3

7 about SALVATION

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” The Position: Sola Fide (faith alone) “Question: Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works? Answer: This is perhaps the most important question in all of Christian theology….

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” The Position: Sola Fide (faith alone) “This question is the cause of the Reformation, the split between the Protestant churches & Catholic Church. This question is a key difference between biblical……

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” The Position: Sola Fide (faith alone) “Christianity & most of the “Christian” cults. Is salvation by faith alone or by faith plus works? Am I saved just by believing in Jesus or do I have to believe in Jesus & do certain things?”

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” Seemingly Hard-to-reconcile Bible Passages: Romans 3:28 “justified by faith apart from deeds of the law” Romans 5:1 “having been justified by faith” Galatians 3:24 “justified by faith” James 2:24 “not by faith only”

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” James – “Salvation by faith plus works” James 2:17,18 James 2:20-26 James 2:14,17 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul – “salvation by faith alone” Ephesians 2:8,9 “by grace you have been saved through faith” Galatians 5:22,23 Ephesians 2:10

Myth #4 “I am Saved by Faith Alone.” James & Paul Do Not Disagree – They Approach Same Subject from Different Perspectives James – “Salvation by faith plus works” James 2:17,18 James 2:20-26 James 2:14,17 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul – “salvation by faith alone” Ephesians 2:8,9 “by grace you have been saved through faith” Galatians 5:22,23 Ephesians 2:10

General Reproofs: IF we are saved by “faith only,” what about Grace? Ephesians 2:9 try to preclude “any and all works” from salvation equation. “Faith Only” say you must either: “Accept Jesus into your heart” Confess you are a sinner OR that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9,10) Offer the “sinners’ prayer, etc. etc. These are all “Works”

“TRUTH – “by grace you have been saved through faith” Ephesians 2:8 General Reproofs: “TRUTH – “by grace you have been saved through faith” Ephesians 2:8 “Faith” does not stand apart from “Grace” proving that “faith alone” is false.

General Reproofs: If we are saved by “faith only,” & works are mutually exclusive from “faith,” why does the Bible describe “faith” as a “work” (i.e. something you must do)? “If you believe…” Acts 8:37 “He who believes…” Mark 16:15,16 “Whosoever believes in Him…” John 3:16 “Your work of faith” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him…” John 6:28,29

General Reproofs: IF we are saved by “faith only,” why is obedience emphasized & disobedience the cause of condemnation for so many? Romans 6:16,17 “obeyed from the heart” 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 “do not obey the gospel” Romans 2:6-10 “render according to his deeds” Hebrews 5:8,9 “salvation to all who obey Him” 1 Peter 1:22,23 –purified in obeying

General Reproofs: IF we are saved by “faith only,” why does James teach us we are “justified by works, and not by faith only? Author quoted earlier plainly stated, “James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works…” Actually, this is Exactly what James said and is saying! Everything in his argument illustrates this point! WHO do we believe? Man’s doctrine or James 2:24?

Case Studies Ephesians – Ephesians 2:8,9 Saved by “grace through faith” Acts 19:1-10 Actual conversion account Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16 Great Commission Ephesians 2:11-18 “not of works” Acts 15:1

Case Studies Abraham – Was he justified by faith alone, or by faith coupled with his works? James 2:20-24 Romans 3:20-5:1 3:20 “deeds of the law” 3:21 “apart from the law” 3:27,28 “faith apart from the deeds of the law” 4:9-12 “faith…prior to the law”

Case Studies Not ALL works are condemned, but doing the works of he law of Moses will not save us! Galatians 5:4,6 justified by law = fallen from grace – faith working through love Argument: “Paul spoke of the ROOT of Abraham’s faith; James spoke of the FRUTH of Abraham’s faith.” Genesis 15:6; 22:8-10 Hebrews 11:8,9 by faith, obeyed

Scriptural Teaching Saved by Faith, a Living Faith – not a Dead Faith – Hebrews 11:6 Hebrews Chapter 11 – Faith that works is faith that Saves Verbs in Each Instance of Faith- Only reason faith impacts salvation is because of God’s grace through His Son Jesus Christ! We are Not saved by “grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone.”