Paul ****DID**** teach "faith alone"?

Question

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.


So...did or didn't Paul teach faith alone allows for salvation?

But see...then James 2:24 says

We see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Answer 1

We can be saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. However, faith is a principle based on action.

Along with Ephesians (and all of the NT) James 2 is a must-read for every Christian. Here's 14-17:
"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

You can't just say "I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior", then go drinking and gambling with a girl you met at a strip club.

You can't say "I am filled with Christ's love", but then go out and blow $400 on a new video game system and neglect local charities and tithing.

If you do not act as Christ instructs his followers to do, then you are not a follower of Christ.

Matthew 25:34-36:
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Without these acts, we are not faithful followers of Christ.

Answer 2

James 2 is the only place in the Bible that uses the phrase "faith alone" (or "faith only") and it says we are "justified (i.e saved)... NOT by faith alone"!

Ephesians 2 does not say we are saved by either faith or grace alone! Read the whole chapter! Verse 10 talks about works, and also other verses talk about how we are to "walk".

Paul did not teach faith only! For example, he taught that repentance, confession, baptism, Christ's blood, mercy, love, the gospel, and obedience all have a part in the plan of salvation! (Romans 10:9-10, Romans 1:16, Romans 6:3-13, Romans 5:8-10, etc.)

Just because every verse does not mention all of these, that does not mean they are not necessary. For example Romans 5:9 talks about the blood of Christ saving us, but it does not mention God's mercy, faith, or grace. Will any say we are saved by the blood ONLY, without grace, without mercy, and without faith? I hope not. Most people realize that even though these are not mentioned in this verse, these other things are still needed because they are discussed in other places. Some are discussed in the immediate context of this verse. We must consider ALL the Bible says.

Note that Ephesians 2 teaches that we are not saved by works of merit, works that we come up with on our own to try to earn salvation.

We cannot earn our salvation, but this does not mean it is not necessary for us to submit to the commands Christ has given. These are not works that are of ourselves, works that we invented, but these are things God has specified!

God has a right to specify the conditions upon which we will be saved. Among these are faith, confession, repentance and baptism.

Jesus is "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him"! (Hebrews 5:9)

Answer 3

Paul taught in Romans -

Ro 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight
Ro 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Ro 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Ro 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

We see from these verses there is no way that we are justified by good works. We are saved, reconciled to God and have peace with God only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So how do we reconcile what Paul taught and what James taught?

Is there a contradiction in the Word of God?
NO!

The two are reconciled when you realize that Paul is talking about being justified with God which is our eternal salvation. James is talking about being justified before men, which is our testimony.

Answer 4

James, Paul and Jesus do not contradict each other, they are saying the same thing. James 2:17; Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being BY ITSELF. verse 21; Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22; You see that faith was WORKING WITH his works, and as a result of the WORKS, FAITH was perfected 23; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham BELIEVED (faith) God, and IT (faith) was reckoned to him as righteousness. 24; You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

Paul says it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works , so that no one can boast.
We tend to ignore the grace part because with grace there would be no faith. It is not our faith that saves us but, it is the faith that God imparts to us. That is why the IT in this verse includes the grace and the faith.

God's gave Abraham the faith to offer his son. That's what James said- and Abraham believed God. He could not do that with God working in him BOTH TO WILL AND TO ACT according to His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
Faith is an action word and that is also why James say I will show you my faith by my works.
The Apostle Paul says not by works, so that no one can boast; and that is talking about what we produce on our own. My own right doing or righteousness is as filthy rags in the eyes of God. No matter how many works I do it cannot contribute to my salvation. This is where the cults, and false religions miss it because they cannot accept the fact that only by the grace of God and the faith He gives to come to Him will save them. They have to do rituals, ceremonies, knock on doors, say certain prayers, and all the other works they do in order to try to get right with God and they still have no assurance of salvation after all of that.
Jesus says no one can come to Him unless the father draws them. God must do everything and that includes give us the willingness and belief in Him to come.

Abraham's work, which was doing what God told him proved the faith in him was God given belief. He knew what God had promised him about Isaac, because of the convenant God made with Abraham and he knew from experience with God what God was able to do. It is all about trusting God and believing Him.
Every person who ends up in the lake of fire will be there for one reason and one reason only and that is unbelief. They did not believe God, the Father,Son and Holy Spirit.

Answer 5

Yes, he taught faith alone... but faith without works is dead... meaning if you have real faith, works will follow. If there are no works, your faith is more than likely insincere and accomplishes nothing. Your works are an outward manifestation of the inward change. Works doesn't bring salvation only faith. Anybody can do works and appear to have salvation so works can be deceiving... that why Jesus said, "In that day, many will say, 'Lord have we not done this and that in your name', and I will say depart from me you workers of iniquity"... Faith cannot be faked... either you have it or you don't... only you and God would know if your faith is sincere.

Answer 6

I don't see the words "faith alone" in the verse you cited.

Paul taught that we are saved by faith unto good works.

The doctrine is one whole, not little bits and pieces that are added to a mixture of beliefs.

edit:

James is saying that when you see a person's works - then - you are seeing how a person's faith causes them to be justified. Works without faith doesn't justify anyone.

Answer 7

Paul did teach that our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, saves us, but he also tells you, that faith without works is dead....even though you are saved, it doesn't mean you can sit back and do nothing. If you have a heart for the unsaved, you need to be showing them love...and it can be as simple as helping the needy, or giving the next door neighbor a hand with her shopping...you might win someone to Christ by your example...good works are important,,,

Answer 8

No. Re-read what you have quoted...for it is by grace you have been saved through faith. Grace is the antibiotic, faith is the syringe through which it is administered. An empty syringe is worthless unless it is filled with medication. So James speaks of the issue from another angle. He speaks of mental assent...even the devils believe and tremble but they have received no grace. Grace says this is the standard and by the way I have met the standard for you. Grace says this is what is required and by the way I have provided what is required. Grace says this is what you deserve and by the way I have taken what you deserve. For it is by grace you have been saved...

Answer 9

Yes Paul taught faith alone. Salvation is faith plus nothing.

James says saved or justified? I believe it is justified.

Answer 10

Ephesian 2:8-9

Because of his kindness you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God.

Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. It is God himself who has made us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

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We must have faith to do all the miracles that Jesus did.