why do other people believe that "faith alone" can save them?

Question

when faith without work is dead?

Answer 1

Did the apostle Paul teach justification by faith alone? Why didn't he use the specific phrase in his New Testament writings.
A thorough study of his epistles reveals he used the word faith over 200 times.....but not once did he couple them with "alone" or "only".

Paul used the word "alone more than any New Testament writer. Even while Paul was teaching the nature of justification, he was aware of the word "alone" and its qualifying properties.

Although the Holy Spirit prohibited Paul from using "faith alone", he intentionally allowed James to make a clear and forceful point by inspiring him with the words, "man is justified by works and not by faith alone".(James 2:24),

Paul's use of the word "faith" with theological meaning and implications that absolutely preclude it with being coupled with the word "alone".

Scripture written by Paul was this God-given wisdom which prevented him from joining the word "alone" with "faith".

Answer 2

Saving faith since it is a work of Grace, which alone saves,must be fully connected to hope and love for the 3 Theological Virtues always go together (1 Cor 13 and the greatest of these is love for faith without love counts for nothing13:32) or such "faith" is divorced from grace and is just belief or even conviction perhaps colored by emotion and that faith is dead(James2:24-26) and a presumptuous delusion.

While dead faith may be better than none at all,it can be an opium that kills the conscience rather than awakens it as the unity of faith/hope/love does. The only faith that makes a difference is that faith which works through love(Gal5:6)

Faith alone isolated from love and lived virtue is contrary to the teachings of Jesus as in Matt7:21; 22:10:24:13; 19:16-17 and Mark8:35 and John14:15 where he teaches that it is what we do in living His Commandments by grace that saves and not by belief alone

. We will be judged according to our deeds(Rms2:5-8;2 Cor5:10&11:15;1 Pet1:17;Rev20:12-13;Coll3:24-25)
The only place the Bible mentions faith alone(James 2:24-26) is to condemn the concept and the lawlessness,presumption and spiritual laziness it breeds

The Joint Declaration on Justification by the World Lutheran Federation and the Vatican delared the unity offaith,hope and love and salvation by Grace alone.

Works alone are just works of ego or bribery and need faith,fidelity,repentance,trust and hoping love to be channels of grace. "Good deeds" can just be a conscience salve and an avoidance of conversion of heart and repentance of mortal sin.

We are saved by grace and not faith alone or works alone. We are not saved by works but for works that grace may be a transforming stream pouring out from us by the all-sufficient merits of the one Sacrifice,Priest and "Do-Gooder",Jesus,God and Man,the One Priest and Mediator.

Answer 3

Faith is dead without works.



Epistle Of Saint James
Chapter 2

24 Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?

Answer 4

Yes, how can you say that you are saved by faith alone , when the Bible says:
"You see that a person is justified by what he does and NOT by faith alone." James 2:24

Answer 5

It is true that faith without works is dead, but it is not the works that save us. See Ephesians chapter two.

God in grace sent Jesus to die in the place of sinful people. When a person hears about the love of Jesus dying for them, they have a choice, Jesus accepted as Lord and Saviour or reject Him and try to earn my way to heaven.

When I say yes to Jesus. I am set free, my sins are forgiven and I am reborn as a new person. Now that I belong to God, my life is given over to serving Him and my fellow human beings.

Saved by faith in the work of Jesus on the cross; so that I can now work for God, not to earn His love but in gratitude for His love.

Answer 6

I think that many Protestants get upset about this because they seem to see it as a challenge or perhaps a contradiction of scripture,which in fact it is not.
When we speak of being saved we have to first realize that salvation is by the grace of God and not of ourselves,true we do have to believe and accept this great gift but also we have to remember that once accepted we must also show in our lives the reality of the gift by performing acts of charity or good works.
Without good works we would be like Paul states just a cymbal clashing or a gong booming,that is all show and no action, for me both have to be present in the life of the true follower of Christ to have power to change others.
Regards.

Answer 7

God's Word teaches in Ephesians 2:8 & 9 That we are saved by grace through faith and not of works. True, works should follow salvation. But works does not earn salvation.

Answer 8

Ever hear the term "Faith without works is like a screen door on a submarine?"

People who just do good things won't get into Heaven. They must have faith. They must believe in Jesus. They can't just assume because they're a good person that they'll be going to Heaven. Good works, living a good life, is worthless without faith.

Answer 9

It is not an "either...or" situation. Both faith and works are required. It boils down to how Paul and James defined faith in their writings. James defined it similarly to how you are: belief in something. Whereas Paul defined it more in context with its historical meaning: "to be faithful". This latter definition includes works, whereas the former is simply the belief component of faith. Both James and Paul are teaching the truth.

Answer 10

Because that is the way it is. We are saved by grace through our faith. Works without faith is dead.