- Introduction:
-Sola Fide: faith alone saves a person when he or
she places his or her trust in the sacrificial work of Christ.
-The phrase "faith alone" does not mean faith apart from the presence of works (since works are the product of genuine faith in Jesus Christ), but faith apart from the merit of works.If works contribute to our salvation, then Jesus died on the cross in vain:
-The phrase "faith alone" does not mean faith apart from the presence of works (since works are the product of genuine faith in Jesus Christ), but faith apart from the merit of works.If works contribute to our salvation, then Jesus died on the cross in vain:
-We cannot say,"I need the work of Christ plus
XYZ" (since the work of Christ alone is ALREADY perfect). We are either
saved by faith or by works.
-Hebrews 10:14 declares,"We have been forever perfected by one offering..." and Ephesians 2:8 says,"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...".
-Hebrews 10:14 declares,"We have been forever perfected by one offering..." and Ephesians 2:8 says,"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...".
+Thus, believing in the single perfect sacrifice
made by our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient to bring Christians to eternal
salvation with God in heaven.
- Bible Verses
Demonstrating Salvation By Faith Alone (Sola Fide):
-"For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
- "That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not
be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for
the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9-13)
-"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no
flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
(Romans 3:20)
- "Being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
-"Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what
law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a
man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:27-28)
- "For if Abraham were justified by
works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith
the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of
grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on
him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man,
unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are
they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:2-8)
-"To him give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
(Acts 10:43)
-"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
-"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." (Romans 9:16)
-"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21)
-"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and
said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:29-31)
-"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
(Galatians 2:16)
-"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if
righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians
2:21)
- "Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
(Titus 3:5-7)
-"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
-" Who hath saved us, and called us with
an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2
Timothy 1:9)
-"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)
-" Be it known unto you therefore, men and
brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of
sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from
which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)
-"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them
which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." (1 Timothy
1:16)
-"And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15)
-"But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God." (John 1:12-13)
-"And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose
up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God
made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the
gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,
giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why
tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our
fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts
15:7-11)
-"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that
ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been
evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you,
Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3)
-"For as many as are of the works of the law are
under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in
all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.But that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall
live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them
shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth
on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith." (Galatians 3:10-14)
-"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God
by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:24-26)
-"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of
you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the
Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith." (Galatians 5:4-5)
-"Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but
are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand." (2 Corinthians 1:24)
-"And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Philippians 3:9)
- "Much more then, being now justified by
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement." (Romans 5:9-11)
- The most important and
comprehensive place in Scripture to read about justification by faith or
"how to get it right with God" is found in Paul's epistle to the
Romans chapters three through five.
- A true, born-again
Christian can be assured of his or her salvation (1 John 5:11-13).
- The Gospel (Jesus dying
for sins, rising, and appearing according to 1 Corinthians 15:1-8) is
received by faith which leads to justification; not by faith and works:
-"And saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
(Mark 1:15)
-"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
-"In whom ye also trusted, after that
ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after
that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
(Ephesians 1:13)
-This point is significant because preaching
a different gospel is condemned (Galatians 1:8-9).
- The Classic Example of
Sola Fide-The Thief On The Cross:
-"And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him,
Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in
paradise." (Luke 23:42-43)
+Notice that the man revealed the smallest
particle of faith and Jesus Christ saved him from eternal damnation in hell. No
sacrament, ritual, or work of any kind was needed for the sinner to inherit
eternal salvation in heaven.