James 2:22-26: You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.”
Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Both faith and good works are necessary for salvation. This is the witness of Scripture. Martin Luther was so possessed by his “faith alone” theory that he even forcibly inserted the word “alone” into his version of the Bible. When told about his error, he responded that he would not remove it even if an angel from heaven were to tell him to do so. Catholics rightly contend that faith must be actualized with charity. We profess and make real our faith, not only with an assent of the mind and our words, but with our heart and our actions. Christ is only “our personal Lord and Savior” if we exercise necessary faith and good works. The incarnation of Christ, first into human flesh and now into our souls by grace, allows him to perpetuate his ministry through our lives. Good works have merit precisely because the Lord living in us ultimately performs them. Since faith and good works are required, it becomes an imperative that we reject the view of Luther. It does make a difference what we believe. The growing consensus on this issue between modern day Lutherans and Catholics is evidence of a positive development in mainline Protestantism as well as a reconciliatory stance with Catholicism.
For more such reading, contact me about getting my book, DEFENDING THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Bible, Catholic, Evangelization, Faith, Forgiveness, Jesus, Justification, Works |
Blogger Priest 
Fr. Joe,
I just wanted to apologize.
I’ve had a presence on the internet for about 20 years. I’ve been insulted by Protestants, Muslims and even Hindus. Ultra Trad Catholics also don’t like me much. But this is the first time I’ve been insulted by a Catholic Priest.
It was totally unexpected and i took it very hard.
Sincerely,
De Maria
What does the catechism say? That the Sacraments are works of God.
740 These “mighty works of God,” offered to believers in the sacraments of the Church, bear their fruit in the new life in Christ, according to the Spirit.
Do Catechists explain to new Catholics why Scripture says that Catholic Doctrine says we are saved by “faith and works” and yet St. Paul says, 5 he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness. Would you classify “corporal works of mercy” as “deeds done in righteousness”?
But, I’ve been looking for an explicit answer from a knowledgeable Catholic for many years. And I was simply hoping that you had thought about the question.
St. Paul is talking about the works of the law…
In Rom 3:28, but not throughout Scripture. In various places, he mentions that works do not save nor justify.
Actions of general discipleship? To what is that in reference? Works of mercy, prayer, what? I looked it up in the catechism and it isn’t there.
He is making a distinction between Judaism and Christianity. Agreed. The Jews didn’t have the Sacraments.
What is the manner of initiation into the Church? RCIA
Peace to you, as well, Fr. Joe.
I’ve read the document, Fr. I’ve read several of its drafts in the years its since the council was convened. I know that you don’t know me from Adam, but I’ve been studying my Catholic Faith for 20 years.
Now, if you’d rather I don’t ask anymore questions, let me know. But, I’ll assume you don’t mind and try to explain my difficulty.
Titus 3:5 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
5 he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
In Rom 3:28, it says “works of the Law”. In Titus 3:5, he says, “works of righteousness”.
And, if we think about it, which works of the law are not also works of righteousness? I can’t think of any. Even circumcision is done in obedience to God and therefore is a work of righteousness.
But St. Paul also says, in Rom 2:13:
Romans 2:13 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Doers of the Law.
Doers will be justified. Those who keep the Law, will be justified but not by works of the Law.
It makes sense to me. The just will be justified. Sinners who repent will be justified. Repentance is the keeping of the Law, after all.
Is it correct then, in your opinion, to say that when St. Paul used the terminology, “justified by faith apart from works” (Rom 3:28), he was making reference to the justification which we receive in Baptism?
Father, I have a theory about Luther’s misunderstanding of justification, I wish you would look at it to see if it makes sense to you.
1st: Because, before the advent of Martin Luther, the Father of the Protestant Revolution, some very prominent and influential Catholics also said that justification was by faith alone.
Basil of Caesarea (329-379)
“Let him who boasts boast in the Lord, that Christ has been made by God for us righteousness, wisdom, justification, redemption. This is perfect and pure boasting in God, when one is not proud on account of his own righteousness but knows that he is indeed unworthy of the true righteousness and is (or has been) justified solely by faith in Christ.”
Ambrose (c. 339-97)
“Therefore let no one boast of his works, because no one can be justified by his works; but he who is just receives it as a gift, because he is justified by the washing of regeneration. It is faith, therefore, which delivers us by the blood of Christ, because blessed is he whose sins are forgiven, and to whom pardon is granted.”
Jerome (347-420) on Romans 10:3
“God justifies by faith alone.” (Deus ex sola fide justificat).
So, in my opinion, if these Church Fathers used the term “faith alone”, I conclude that there is a legitimate understanding of this term for Catholics.
2nd: How can it be by faith alone?
My first response, for the sake of clarification, is, “Not the Protestant way.”
Protestants deny that works before justification avail anything towards justification. But it is clear to me, from Scripture, that unless someone keeps the Commandments and does the Will of God, he will not be justified.
Scripture says:
Romans 2:13
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
This verse, very clearly tells me, that only those who do the Commandments will be just before God. Therefore, good works avail everything towards justification because without them, we won’t be justified.
3rd: So what did the Church Fathers mean when they said, “justification by faith alone”?
They were talking about that justification which occurs in the Sacraments.
Father, you know better than I that the Sacraments are the works of God. We approach the Sacraments with a disposition of faith. But it is apart from works. We repented, we turned to God, we sought His Face, we studied to show ourselves approved, now we believe that He will keep His promise. He will wash our souls with the washing of regeneration and renewal which is Baptism by water and the Holy Spirit.
But we don’t do anything at that moment. We only believe. And God sees our faith and credits it to us as righteousness and that is why we are called the children of Abraham (Gen 15:6).
So, the justification which occurs in the Sacraments is what I believe the Catholic Church Fathers were talking about when they used the term “justification by faith alone”.
4th: So, what about Luther?
In his German Bible, Luther swapped the words, “apart from works” for the word, “alone”. My theory is that he simply did not see the Sacramental Teaching which St. Paul was making when he wrote these words. I believe that when St. Paul said, “we are justified by faith apart from works”, he was describing that justification which occurs in Baptism.
But Luther was led astray. And the prophecy of 2 Peter 3:16-17 was fulfilled in him:
2 Peter 3:16-17 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
16 speaking of this as he (i.e. St. Paul) does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability.
What do you think, Father Joe? Does that make sense?