"A man is not justified by the works of the Law
but through faith in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 2:16
What will a man not be justified by? "Works of the Law." What kind of works? "Of the Law!" This is important for us to note and to grasp. Why? Because, while this statement is true:
"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law."
Romans 3:28
This statement is also true:
"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."
James 2:24
In the passage from Romans 3:28, there is an important distinction to be made. The same distinction we made in Galatians 2:16. A man is justified by faith apart from what? "Works of the Law." What kind of works? "Of the Law!" I am curious how my Reformed brethren have missed this fact for centuries. I understand how Dispensational-based faiths have missed it, because they are lawless to begin with. After all, according to their theology, as long as you simply believe in Jesus, you can continue to live like the Devil and still make it into Heaven. Repentance, obedience, and holiness do not actually mean a thing.
While the Reformed credo of "Sola Fide" states that we are justified by faith alone, without the need for works of any kind, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that it is "not by faith alone." If they want to refine what is actually mean by "Sola Fide," then I welcome hearing it. But as it is typically defined everywhere I search for it, it is in direct contrast, and contradiction, to the Bible. And as such, I reject it.
Our only rule of faith and practice is the Word of God. We have . . .no creed to defend,no denomination to maintain, andno confession to bind our minds.
"What do the Scriptures teach?" That is and must be our only concern. If the plain teachings of Holy Scripture appear to destroy or contradict our understanding of any doctrine, then let us relinquish the doctrine, or acknowledge the fact that our minds are both depraved and minuscule, and bow to the revelation of God.—Don Fortner
Now, Romans 3:28 flows into the discussion of chapter 4, wherein Paul uses Abraham as his example to prove that justification is by faith. But James also uses Abraham as his example to prove that justification is by works. Paul says, "if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God" (Rom. 4:2). But James asks, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?" (James 2:21), to which the obvious answer is, "Yes!" He continues with this telling statement: "You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected" (v. 22). Faith alone is useless, worthless, dead, and in vain. Faith and works must go hand in hand. James says that Abraham's "faith was working with his works," and that "as a result of the works, faith was perfected," or completed. In other words, faith without works is imperfect and incomplete.
Ask yourself, when Abraham offered Isaac up as a sacrifice, what kind of "work" was he committing? Was it a "work of the Law," to which Galatians 2:16 and Romans 3:28 address? Of course not! The Law would not exist for another 400 years! Was it a good deed, those works that we were created for and ordained to do (Eph. 2:10)? Of course not! So what kind of "work" was it? It was a work of faith. Faith in action. Living faith.
People who claim that "everywhere in the Bible, faith is always contrasted against works of any kind" do not know their Bible! When Peter asked to walk on water, his stepping out of the boat was a work. When the woman with the issue of blood believed that touching Jesus' garment would heal her, her reaching out to touch it was a work. Both were works of faith. Faith in action. Living faith.
Catholicism teaches that we are saved based upon our own merits. Sola Fida (and anyone who holds to it), as far as I have been taught and have found through my research, teaches that we are saved based upon our faith alone. Both are false and incorrect! Read James 2:14-26 some time. The first couple of verses are talking about good deeds, which follow after salvation. These are the "works" that we were created for and ordained to do (Eph. 2:10). But Abraham's offering Isaac as a sacrifice was by no stretch of the imagination a good deed.
While we were created for and ordained to do good deeds, they can quickly fall into the same category as "works of the Law." C. J. Mahaney defined legalism as:
"seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance
by God through my obedience to God." In other words, anything that is viewed as or used for gaining some kind of favour or acceptance from God is legalism, and it will only damn you. Allow me to make myself perfectly clear: You cannot earn favour with God! Period.
Anytime you do something in order to gain acceptance from God, you are on a slippery slope. That is works-based salvation. There is nothing you can do that will put you in right standing with God. Jesus was the only person who could do anything, and He did it. We accept it by faith, and that faith is demonstrated through our actions. Repentance, obedience, and striving for "the holiness without which no one will see God" (Heb. 12:14) are a part of that faith. They may be things you do, but they are works of faith. Faith in action. Living faith.
If by the use of "Sola Fide" they are including works of faith (faith in
action; living faith), then I am in full agreement with it. But, if by
the use of it they mean what every site and book I have encountered
describes it, as a mere mental/heart faith without action of any sort, then,
I am sorry, but I disagree fully. It contradicts the Scriptures
themselves, which use the precise words, "not by faith alone," but it also contradicts every instance of faith seen in the Bible.
The balance on this issue is found between the two extremes. On one hand, you have the extreme taught by Catholicism. On the other hand, you have the extreme taught by Dispensationalism. I do not advocate legalism of any kind. But I do advocate repentance, obedience, and holiness as taught in the Bible.