If we are saved by faith alone, then do we need to love in order to be saved?

Question

If so, then we are not saved by faith alone, are we?

We are saved by faith and love—which we refer to as faith working through love (cf. Gal. 5:6). If a person says we do not need love in order to be saved, then he is saying we can get to heaven without loving God or our fellow man

Also, if faith alone saves us, faith without love, why does 1 Corinthians 13:13 say that love is greater than faith? After all, if salvation is the greatest thing we can achieve, and it is by faith alone that we achieve salvation, then faith should be greater than love. But the Bible says differently.

Observer, no, ou don't understand the queston. But that's ok. (( ))

Answer 1

They always try to get around this one by saying "You are saved by faith alone, but if you are saved you will begin to do good works." That's right, works just happen but they don't really mean anything at all! If they have no salvific value, then why do they necessarily follow after faith?

The only time the Bible mentions "faith alone" is in the Book of James 2:24 and it says "a man is justified by what he does and NOT BY FAITH ALONE."

Whoever teaches faith alone is adding to Scripture and is spreading a man-made doctrine.

Pax Vobiscum+

Answer 2

God is love and if we are to have faith and live by the spirit is not love a manifestation of the spirit of God. God says obedience is better than sacrifice. So if we are obedient God will provided the sacrifice.Sometimes we are not as serious as we should be about are faith or salvation. But if you lost something that was of great value to you would you not search for it all over your house and car. sweating and shaking never giving up until you find it? Then when you do you will put it in a place where you will always know where it is? That is the way we should feel about the love of God and what Jesus did for us. Who gives us faith,we are not logical enough to get it on our own. God gives us a measure of it and then he orchestrates our development of it. We are saved because God gave us salvation it is a gift just like his spirit. Then now we understand why everyone does not get it.

Answer 3

Excellent answer from Veritas: "Whoever teaches faith alone is adding to Scripture and is spreading a man-made doctrine." Get that, Chris/CJ and confrères?

The Calvinists continually urge the idea that everyone with faith will automatically love and perform works of charity. This is contrary to Jesus and to the writings of the apostles.

James (2:15-16) poses a counterexample: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"

The sad truth is that most Christians practice faith without the kind of works Jesus describes in Matt 25 as essential for salvation: Feeding the hungry, tending the sick, clothing the ill-clothed, visiting prisoners.

As a result, "Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matt 7:14).

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 4

As an atheist, I spot what the author is trying to ask. It is akin to the age old question, "Can God create a rock so heavy that He Himself can't lift it?"

The author's question is flawed. To have faith, at least in the Christian sense, means having accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

An unwavering love for God (and thereby the ability to love others) is part of this acceptance.

Now that we've laid the ground rules of faith, we can answer the question.

If we are saved by faith alone, then the ability to love is a subset of faith.

To make this more "Americanized", it's like saying that a gun will protect me, with the understanding that bullets are a subset of the gun.

To be sure, that isn't a perfect analogy, especially when discussing faith, but if you cannot make the connection then you aren't looking to.

To the author: Trying to understand the construct of faith is much more satisfying than trying to tear it apart.

Answer 5

Saving faith does not exist alone
We do need to do love by grace
Faith works through Love Gal 5:6
faith without works is dead James2;24-26
faith without love effects (1 Cor13:2) nothing

Answer 6

you usually seem to answer your own question when respondin to the other answers....lol but you are good at what you do god bless.

you are right the bible the "sole sourch of authority"(that even denies that it is the sole source of authority and came after the church) is clear that we need more than faith to be saved, atleast in the ordinary case, we know that those unable to hear the gospel or for whatever reason are unable to receive the gospel through no fault of their own can be saved. this further shows that it is not by faith alone one is saved.

Answer 7

The 11th chapter of Hebrews is full of people who walked by faith which led them to do many works.

As James 1:22 says, "become DOERS of the Word, not hearers only." and James 2:26 shows that "faith without works is dead."

So faith and love are necessary things but works we are ordered to do by Christ are necessary as well.

Answer 8

"Faith can move mountains". Faith is our belief that there is a God.
And "For God so Loved the world that He send His only son to save us". And it is this faith that we manifest in loving God in return and hoping that someday we will be with Him in paradise.

Enjoy life with Faith, Hope and Love always.

Answer 9

We are saved by Christ alone and it is faith alone that unites us to Him. Now so that none are deceived the Bible teaches us that this saving faith is not a dead faith but a living faith that does something to the person to whom the Spirit has worked faith in them and this is where love comes in. Nothing we do justifies us before God. It is only when we are declared righteous on the merits of Jesus and that is when we are united to Him by Faith. The evidence of its reality in us is a life of faith which is love.

Answer 10

Yes,most definitely.For to love is not only emphasized by Christ,but in it self is a matter of Faith.It takes a lot of faith to love your enemies or loved ones.They both test our spirits,because at some time or the other,their actions can make undeserving of love.We must love them,because Christ and other Spiritual Souls command us to do so,for our own enlightenment.There are many times throughout history when we as humans are undeserving of God's love,and the lesson is to rise above our imperfections and strive for our higher natures in our quest to one day be with God.