Faith Alone Not Works

And we need to tell that truth to believers, as well. Judgment begins at the house of God, it doesn't end when you get saved.

 

Here is a good article on what justification by faith is and what it is not:

http://www.the-highway.com/Justification-Gerstner.html

 

I grew up in a church where salvation by grace through faith alone was preached every service.

I was told Protestants and Baptists almost universally believe salvation is by faith alone as Martin Luther taught(sola faith) on Catholic Christians believe works are a part of salvation.

But then I found the truth that many Protestants and Baptists believe works are a part of salvation, they just use different wording.

Catholics say works are required to MERIT your salvation.

Some Protestants(Pentacostals and Methodists) say works are required to MAINTAIN your salvation.

Still some Protestants(including some Baptists) say works are required to PROVE your salvation.

The last group does not like the word, "required" but will sometimes say are a "result". It still works out to the same thing.

All three groups call on believers to look to their works after belief for assurance of their salvation.

Another group of Christians, which I am proudly a part of, believe that our salvation, objectively and subjectively, its total assurance rest upon the finshed work of Christ alone and our belief and acceptance of his payment for our sins.

This is the only true sola faith doctrine. Even Martin Luther struggled with this and at the end of his life realized that works must be completely divorced from assurance of salvation.

Does this mean we are don't have to live righteous or obey God's law as we are accused of so often?

Absolutely Not! We are required to obey God's law, but not for salvation, because perfect obedience to the law is required for salvation - that perfect obedience we receive in the inputed rightousness of Christ.

If we disobey(as we often do) we will loose reward and blessing, but never our salvation.

http://www.ifbreformation.org/Assurance_What_Is_The_Gospel.aspx
http://www.ifbreformation.org/Assurance_Positions.aspx
http://www.ifbreformation.org/Assurance_MacArthur.aspx


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