Sola Fide

Sola fide- By Faith alone.

Sola fide is better known historically as the doctrine of justification by faith, not by works. This doctrine also asserts that we are justified and forgiven solely by God's grace, through faith for our tansgression of the Law of God. This should be clear based on a verse everyone should be firmiliar with. Eph 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 anyone should boast. "NKJV

I will attempt to address the necessity of both faith and works in the process of salvation to the best of my ability. I will start with faith and then show how works plays an important, but not a requirement for ones salvation.

Frist, one passage we could look at would be the, "hall of faith" in Hebrews 11, where there is an extensive list of people and the events that took place in their lives due to their faith in God. If faith were not significant to our justification before God, why would there be an entire chapter completly devoted to showing just that very thing? Another thing that Hebrews 11 asserts is that all of these people in this list did all of these things without even having recieved the promise (vs 39)!

Another verse in Hebrews 11 that we should cosider is verse 6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." NKJV. This verse makes it plainly clear that if there is no faith exercised in God, that it is impossible to please Him.

There are a myriad of other verses we could consider on this issue, but to keep things simple and short let's now address how the issue of works plays out in the salvation of a believer. It should be already understood that it is not your works that save you but faith in Christ. However, once you have placed faith in Christ good works should therefore naturally follow in response to your faith. Matthew 7 addresses this issue in verses 15-23. "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!" NKJV.

Finally, one more thing that should be stressed, is just because you have excepted Christ as Lord does not mean that you will automatically never sin again, and if you do that you are not truly a believer! Just for one example out of many, we will use the example of Peter, who flatly denied that he even knew Christ just before he was crucified! Yet I don't think anyone would say that Peter is not among the saved! I think the main point to be understood here is that once we are saved we have a change of heart and the things that we once desired or were enslaved to no longer hold us in bondage. The Holy Spirit now endwells all who believe and has given them the ability to overcome temptations, past desires, and old sins. 1Cor 10:13 says, "No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it." NKJV.

Sola Scriptura!
Sola Fide!
Soli Deo Gloria!

Psalm 51:1-17
Psalm 139:23-24
Titus 3:5-7