Sola fide is defined as justification by faith alone. According to The Master's University, a non-denominational Christian college,
Regardless of how one interprets the apostle Paul, it is quite clear that Jesus taught justification by faith alone. To abandon this truth is to abandon biblical soteriology altogether.
The Catholic Church rejects the doctrine of sola fide, faith apart from works of love, emphasising the role of good works in salvation. While evangelical and non-denominational churches insist on the literal meaning of sola fide, many mainstream protestant denominations have taken a slightly nuanced understanding of what it means by faith.
How should Catholics respond to sola fide? Why do we say good works are required besides faith? Let's dive in.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast.
Faith saves, not works. Shouldn't we then give up doing good works altogether?
Romans 3:28, For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.
Romans 4:4-5, Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
It seems like faith is the shortcut here, and so works are not required apart from faith.
Romans 10:3-4, For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified.
It can be interpreted as, attempting to do good works is to not submit to God's righteousness.
In fact, it is argued that Paul is proposing justification by faith alone against Galatian legalists who argue otherwise.
Galatians 2:16, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law
And Paul calling this a "different gospel":
Galatians 1:6,9, I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel ... As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
Paul in his letter to Timothy, emphasising that God saves us through our faith, not through what we do,
Titus 3:5, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
Jesus declared the importance of Christ in the plan of salvation: whoever believes shall be saved.
John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Finally, the thief on the cross was saved: he did not do good works, yet just as he believed in Christ, he was promised to be in heaven.
Luke 23:42-43, And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
If you wish to see my rebuttals to the above quotes, scroll down to the rebuttals section. But first, I must say that if we gospel enough and properly, we do know that Jesus did not just call us to believe, but also called us into action. The Gospel that Jesus proclaimed cannot be reduced to a cold faith.
Indeed, Jesus has said, following him is not as easy as believing. It is to take up the cross.
Matthew 10:37-39
He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Follow Jesus is to love Jesus more than anyone, anything else on earth. That means, one must sacrifice anything that is not compatible with Christ. Following Christ is to take up his own cross, which means that being Christian will involve hardship. Jesus never promised us an easy life.
Matthew 16:24-25
If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
So, what exactly did Jesus call us into action?
Even before Jesus came, John the Baptist has been calling people to repent to prepare for Christ's coming.
Matthew 3:2-3
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.”
And Jesus' very first message when he started his ministry was a call for repentance.
Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
When commanding the apostles to preach the Gospel, Jesus reminds them to teach others of the same message of repentance.
Matthew 10:7, And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
No other person in the Gospel talks more about hell than Jesus. Perhaps, because Jesus knows about hell more than anyone else. But also, because unrepentance from sins can cast one into hell.
In the first lecture, Jesus warns us against actions that can cast us into hell, and call us to repent from those sins.
Matthew 5:22-24
But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
It is a reminder that insults and anger damage the soul of another person, and therefore put the offender liable to hell. Here Jesus gives us a chance to correct our action: if we have done so with others, we ought to reconcile our relationship with them first before coming to God.
There are many other instances where Jesus reminds us of how even the smallest acts considered acceptable by some human standards are considered sins in Jesus' standard. I leave it here for you to read.
Matthew 5:28, adultery in thoughts
But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:32, divorce
But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Matthew 5:34-37, swearing
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Rather than calling these standards impossible, it is wise for us to do everything we can to avoid sins. Because the consequence of sins is eternal damnation, so it is better that we sacrifice our comfort so that we can obtain eternal life, rather than being cast into hell together with our comfort.
Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Matthew 18:8-9
And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
This is part of the daily cross that Jesus is talking about. Giving up sins is not easy, it requires us to give up the comfort that we might have been enjoying. If anything causes you to sin, it is better to give it up than to go to hell with it.
Luke 10:25-28
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.”
Matthew 22:36-40,
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
Indeed, in the core of the teachings of the Gospel is the teaching of worshipping God and loving others. Remembering these two and one can easily understand the other laws. It is not sufficient to just have faith, but that faith must result in the love for others.
Jesus tells the disciples of how the judgement would go about. And it is never about whether one has faith.
Judgement can go by what one has spoken:
Matthew 12:36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Or by whether one never rejects sins,
Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Or, it can be by whether one is evil or righteous,
Matthew 13:47-50
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Arguably, righteousness can be imputed by God, so the above image might very well be reduced to judgement by whether one has faith. But the following is one description of judgement that is indisputably clear about judgement based on good works.
Matthew 25:31-33
When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.
Matthew 25:34-40
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O 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 welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:41-45
Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’
Clearly the sheep went to eternal life for their works of charity, and the goats went to eternal fire because of their lack of works of charity. When the opportunity presents for one to do good works, he must strive to do the works. In Catholic catechism, we call this the sin of omission. In fact, the sin of omission was the reason why the rich man (in the story of the rich man and Lazarus) was condemned to hell.
Luke 16:19-23
There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom.
The rich man was indifferent towards the suffering of Lazarus. It was totally within his capacity to reach out and alleviate the sufferings of Lazarus, yet he did not do so. The lack of acts of charity, when it was totally within his capability, was what sent him to eternal torment.
Luke 16:24-26
And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz′arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz′arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
In fact, James has summarised it cleanly in his epistle,
James 4:17
Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Jesus has always been calling us to action. Judgement is whether one has acted in good faith, a cold faith without action is not sufficient for salvation. With this spirit, how are we to interpret the verses above?
We must be aware that, texts can easily taken out of context to present a distorted message, and the Bible is no exception. When we read the above quotes, we must be aware of the context in mind. Without further ado, let us go through quote by quote to really understand what each of them means.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast.
We should know that here Paul is talking about how God's grace has the saving power. Because we have sinned, and the consequence of sins is death, but God saves us through his grace. In the Catholic Church, it is taught that God's grace is necessary in salvation, we do not deny that. But then, what's next after we have been saved by grace? Let's take a look at the full passage.
Ephesians 2:1-10
And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of body and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Paul is highlighting how we all have fallen into sins, and sins separate us from God. But God loves us so much, he decided to save us through his grace. No one can do anything to deserve this grace, only by faith that we can receive this grace. So if we have heard this message of God's love, does that mean we can continue on our path of sins? Certainly not! Because sins separate us from God, so we have to try our best to cooperate with God's grace to renounce sins. In fact, Paul has concluded it nicely in verse 10: we are meant to, and should, walk in God's way. To receive God's grace through faith is to do what we are created for: good works.
Romans 3:28, For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.
Romans 3:21-24
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,
The "law" that Paul is mentioning here is the law that was introduced during the time of the prophets, in other words, the laws from the Old Testament, or the customs of the Jews. Paul is offering a contrast between the new way that all can be saved and the old laws: that the old laws are no longer needed for salvation.
Romans 3:30
since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of their faith and the uncircumcised through their faith.
This is one example of a law that is no longer required for salvation, which was also discussed and approved from the council of Jerusalem.
Romans 4:4-5, Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
On the basis is Paul making this claim,
Romans 4:1-3
What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Paul is taking Abraham as an example for us to follow. In this example, Paul is highlighting Abraham was justified by his faith in God, not any works. But remember that Abraham was very faithful to God in his actions. He did not relax after having been justified, he stayed obedient to God and did the works for God.
In the Catholic faith, it is the same thing: we do nothing to merit the initial grace of justification. But we have to actively respond to the grace that God has given us, to obey his commands, to live out the life that God wants us to.
Romans 10:3-4, For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified.
Here, Paul is talking about the Jews and their zeal for righteousness through the law.
Romans 9:30-32
What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but that Israel who pursued the righteousness which is based on law did not succeed in fulfilling that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone
Similarly, the Catholic Church does not teach one can be saved by good works alone. It is good works through faith in the Lord that saves. The Jews pursued their own righteousness through the law, but we as Christians should pursue the righteousness that has been taught by Jesus.
Furthermore, the Catholic Church condemns the Pelagian idea that we can do good works by ourselves. If we are able to do good works, it is by the grace of God. Hence, if one is to respond to God's grace, he does not only have faith, but also good works.
Galatians 2:16, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law
Galatians 2:14-16
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified.
Here Paul is telling us that the law of the Jews are not applicable to Christians, because Christians are justified by faith and not by the works of the law. Again, Christians are not bound by the customs of the Jews. This is not to say that good works in general are not required.
Titus 3:5, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
Just a few verses before that, Paul is warning us against sins and encouraging us to do good works,
Titus 3:1-3
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another;
Titus 3:4-5
but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
Those are the behaviours that Paul encouraged us towards, as they are signs of true Christians. However, all of us have once fallen and committed sins. God saves us therefore not because of the good works we do to compensate for the sins, but only because he has mercy and forgives us of the sins we have committed.
In a few coming verses, Paul encourages us to act out of the faith that we have received,
Titus 3:8
I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men.
Good works are a result of the grace that has been poured out upon us. After all, one may say it is faith that saves, but in faith he must cooperate with God's grace to result in good works.
John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Let's see what Jesus really meant by "believe",
John 3:19-21
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
Doing evil is incompatible with the Christian faith. Doing evil prevents one from coming to the light, in other words, compromises one's salvation. On the other hand, doing good deeds is evidence of the Christian faith, allowing one to come to the light and to be saved. This is because the good deeds are the grace of God that one has responded to.
John 3:36
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
We see that if one does not believe, the person is condemned. But the opposite of believe is to not obey. In other words, faith should be accompanied by obedience to God's words to constitute true faith.
Luke 23:42-43, And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Taking the thief on the cross as the perfect example of how one should live his faith is a great omission of the difference in people's backgrounds. God's judgement is based on our circumstances, not based on a fixed metric.
How is the thief on the cross different from us? First of all, the thief on the cross did not know Christ until he was on the cross. In contrast, if you are reading this, you mostly likely know Christ, and you have more time to follow Jesus' teachings. As he said in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The servant with 5 talents produced 5 more talents, the servant with 2 talents produced 2 more talents, both of them are welcome to the joy of the master. Whereas the servant with 1 talent went and hid the talent, without producing any extra talent, he was cast out into the outer darkness. The point here is, if you are endowed with the grace of God, you need to invest and grow it, not to hide it and have faith only.
Jesus heavily criticised the Pharisees, one reason being that they see but they did not believe. Those that see, that is to be exposed to the message of the Gospel, yet do not believe are more guilty than those who do not have the chance to see. For example, when the Pharisees refused to believe that Jesus was able to heal, after seeing the blind man receiving eyesight upon encountering Jesus, Jesus said the following,
John 9:40-41
Some of the Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
In other words, the Pharisees have greater guilt than some others, because the Pharisees have seen and heard the message of the Gospel (are not blind), while some others have never had the chance to be introduced to the Gospel.
When Jesus foretold the persecution that his disciples would have to go through, Jesus said the following:
John 15:22,24
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ... If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
If one has heard and have experienced the message of the Gospel, yet he refuses to give up his sins, he is more guilty than one that has not experienced the Gospel. We are among those who have heard the message of the Gospel, so we cannot compare ourselves to the thief on the cross.
In the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant, Jesus said the following:
Luke 12:47-48
And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.
Definitely, some are more guilty than others even when they commit the same act, because some know the will of the master while others do not.
If you notice, all of the above discussions are only to address the evangelical/non-denominational viewpoint where good works are not included at all in the plan of salvation. While there are some evangelical/non-denominational churches teaching that good works must flow from faith, there is not enough emphasis on good works in relation to salvation. But all that is not what Martin Luther, the author of sola fide, originally proposed. So, let's go through what Luther originally proposed.
All of the below are quoted from the following works:
I have not had time to go through the other works by Martin Luther, oops 😦
We will be exploring selected statements in HD, contrast that with what St Augustine said in his letter and the council of Trent. A summary of Catholic doctrines is provided below.
The law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance man on his way to righteousness, but rather hinders him. This is made clear by the Apostle in his letter to the Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. St. Augustine interprets this in his book The Spirit and the Letter (De Spiritu et Littera): Without the law, that is, without its support. In Rom. 5:20 the Apostle states, Law intervened, to increase the trespass, and in Rom. 7:9 he adds, But when the commandment came, sin revived. For this reason he calls the law a law of death and a law of sin in Rom. 8:2. Indeed, in 2 Cor. 3:6 he says, the written code kills, which St. Augustine throughout his book The Spirit and the Letter understands as applying to every law, even the holiest law of God.
The quote is probably from chapter 15 of St Augustine's letter, which states the following:
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 15
The righteousness of God then is without the law, but not manifested without the law; for if it were manifested without the law, how could it be witnessed by the law? That righteousness of God, however, is without the law, which God by the Spirit of grace bestows on the believer without the help of the law, — that is, when not helped by the law.
The righteousness of God is infused in men without the law, however, without the law, we are unable to see the righteousness of God and follow it. However, when talking about the law, Luther had a misunderstanding of the letters to the Romans and St Augustine's explanation. To interpret the verses in Romans, it is not to say that the law kills, or the law is the cause of one falling away from righteousness. It is because the law makes men realise their shortcomings, their lack of God's righteousness. Hence with the law comes the knowledge of sins. The law itself is not the culprit, it is a catalyst. St Augustine has a very good analogy in his letter,
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 6
But, when the Holy Ghost withholds His help, which inspires us with a good desire instead of this evil desire (in other words, diffuses love in our hearts), that law, however good in itself, only augments the evil desire by forbidding it. Just as the rush of water which flows incessantly in a particular direction, becomes more violent when it meets with any impediment, and when it has overcome the stoppage, falls in a greater bulk, and with increased impetuosity hurries forward in its downward course. In some strange way the very object which we covet becomes all the more pleasant when it is forbidden. And this is the sin which by the commandment deceives and by it slays, whenever transgression is actually added, which occurs not where there is no law.
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 8
must be understood in the sense which we have already indicated — that the letter of the law, which teaches us not to commit sin, kills, if the life-giving spirit be absent, forasmuch as it causes sin to be known rather than avoided, and therefore to be increased rather than diminished, because to an evil concupiscense there is now added the transgression of the law.
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 25
Does not its whole scope amount to this, that the letter which forbids sin fails to give man life, but rather kills, by increasing concupiscence, and aggravating sinfulness by transgression, unless indeed grace liberates us by the law of faith, which is in Christ Jesus
Because of this awareness of sin through the law, we ought to choose good over evil. We can avoid sin by asking God for help. We are not alone in our good works, but God is with us. Explaining this in his letter, St Augustine states,
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 9
seeing that the law entered, that the offense might abound; that being thus convicted and confounded, he might see not only that he needed a physician, but also God as his helper so to direct his steps that sin should not rule over him, and he might be healed by betaking himself to the help of the divine mercy; and in this way, where sin abounded grace might much more abound — not through the merit of the sinner, but by the intervention of his Helper.
Here is a supporting statement from the book of Romans,
Romans 7:7-8
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead.
Much less can human works, which are done over and over again with the aid of natural precepts, so to speak, lead to that end. Since the law of God, which is holy and unstained, true, just, etc., is given man by God as an aid beyond his natural powers to enlighten him and move him to do the good, and nevertheless the opposite takes place, namely, that he becomes more wicked, how can he, left to his own power and without such aid, be induced to do good? If a person does not do good with help from without, he will do even less by his own strength. Therefore the Apostle, in , calls all persons corrupt and impotent who neither understand nor seek God, for all, he says, have gone astray.
The Catholic Church agrees with this statement: no one is able to do good works without God's grace. In fact, no matter how hard one tries, without God's grace, humans are never able to do good works. The council of Trent states the following:
The council of Trent, chapter 1,
The holy Synod declares first, that, for the correct and sound understanding of the doctrine of Justification, it is necessary that each one recognise and confess, that, whereas all men had lost their innocence in the prevarication of Adam-having become unclean, and, as the apostle says, by nature children of wrath, as (this Synod) has set forth in the decree on original sin,-they were so far the servants of sin, and under the power of the devil and of death, that not the Gentiles only by the force of nature, but not even the Jews by the very letter itself of the law of Moses, were able to be liberated, or to arise, therefrom; although free will, attenuated as it was in its powers, and bent down, was by no means extinguished in them.
Let's break down the above sentence,
for the correct and sound understanding of the doctrine of Justification
This is not a statement to condemns justification by faith alone. Rather, to fully understand justification, we have to acknowledge the indispensible role that faith and God's grace play.
that not the Gentiles only by the force of nature, but not even the Jews by the very letter itself of the law of Moses, were able to be liberated, or to arise, therefrom
Absolutely no one is able to do good works by their own effort, it is all by God's grace that one is able to do good works. Even the Gentiles under their own law are unable to do good works without God's grace, even the Jews under their own customs are unable to do good works without God's grace. However, we ought to have a nuanced understanding of what it means by not being able to do good works,
although free will, attenuated as it was in its powers, and bent down, was by no means extinguished in them.
We are still able to choose good works over evil. God does not choose who to do good works or who does not. We choose whether to cooperate with God's grace or to turn to evil. When we turn to God for good works, only by God's grace that we can do good works.
all men had lost their innocence in the prevarication of Adam-having become unclean, and, as the apostle says, by nature children of wrath
This is supported by the theology on the original sin and by what St Paul said in .
The council of Trent concluded with the following canons,
The council of Trent
CANON I.-If any one saith, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.
CANON II.-If any one saith, that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, is given only for this, that man may be able more easily to live justly, and to merit eternal life, as if, by free will without grace, he were able to do both, though hardly indeed and with difficulty; let him be anathema.
CANON III.-If any one saith, that without the prevenient inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and without his help, man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent as he ought, so as that the grace of Justification may be bestowed upon him; let him be anathema.
In fact, here is the understanding by Martin Luther in HD chapter 16 on the effect of the law:
Now you ask: What then shall we do? Shall we go our way with indifference because we can do nothing but sin? I would reply: By no means. But, having heard this, fall down and pray for grace and place your hope in Christ in whom is our salvation, life, and resurrection. For this reason we are so instructed-for this reason the law makes us aware of sin so that, having recognized our sin, we may seek and receive grace. Thus God gives grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5), and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:12). The law humbles, grace exalts. The law effects fear and wrath, grace effects hope and mercy. Through the law comes knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20), through knowledge of sin, however, comes humility, and through humility grace is acquired.
This should be the correct understanding! The law itself does not hinder man from righteousness. When man is away from righteousness, the law only makes it clear, not further hindering man.
Furthermore, the council of Trent warns us from relying on faith alone and not attempting to avoid sins,
The council of Trent, chapter 15,
thus defending the doctrine of the divine law, which excludes from the kingdom of God not only the unbelieving, but the faithful also (who are) fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, liers with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, railers, extortioners, and all others who commit deadly sins; from which, with the help of divine grace, they can refrain, and on account of which they are separated from the grace of Christ.
Again, it is important to acknowledge that we are able to avoid mortal sins by the grace of God. With free will, we can choose to cooperate with God's grace to turn away from mortal sins, or to reject God's grace and continue with our sins.
Although the works of man always seem attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Human works appear attractive outwardly, but within they are filthy, as Christ says concerning the Pharisees in . For they appear to the doer and others good and beautiful, yet God does not judge according to appearances but searches the minds and hearts (Ps. 7:9). For without grace and faith it is impossible to have a pure heart. Acts 15:9: He cleansed their hearts by faith.
Let's look at the basis for his claim: because the Pharisees do good works without God's grace and they sin. However, this claim is wrong, because the Pharisees are not necessarily doing good works. They are doing good works for a show, while their hearts are evil. This is what Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for. Note that having the right heart for good works does not necessarily mean that the attempt to do good works is under God's grace. A Gentile may attempt to do good works without even knowing God.
Matthew 12:9-13
And he went on from there, and entered their synagogue. And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, whole like the other.
The Pharisees follow the law strictly that they forget the heart. They zeal after good works, but not with the right heart. However, that does not mean that every man who strives to do good works sins in doing so, especially those that do not have a chance to know God.
The council of Trent condemns this idea.
The council of Trent, chapter 11,
From which it is plain, that those are opposed to the orthodox doctrine of religion, who assert that the just man sins, venially at least, in every good work; or, which is yet more insupportable, that he merits eternal punishments; as also those who state, that the just sin in all their works, if, in those works, they, together with this aim principally that God may be gloried, have in view also the eternal reward, in order to excite their sloth, and to encourage themselves to run in the course: whereas it is written, I have inclined my heart to do all thy justifications for the reward: and, concerning Moses, the Apostle saith, that he looked unto the reward.
Let's break down the statement.
those are opposed to the orthodox doctrine of religion
The following people are going against the orthodox belief of Christianity. What is the orthodox belief of Christianity?
who assert that the just man sins, venially at least, in every good work
Contrary to this statement, in every good work without God's grace, intentionally or unintentionally, man does not necessarily sin. In some cases, man does not even sin venially.
or, which is yet more insupportable, that he merits eternal punishments
So to say that a man sins mortally in every good works is even a bolder statement. This statement has no support. The attempts to do good works outside of God's grace are not necessarily sin, and therefore are not necessarily deserving of hell (eternal punishment).
the just sin in all their works
This is the original statement by Martin Luther here, which the council of Trent condemns.
if, in those works, they, together with this aim principally that God may be gloried, have in view also the eternal reward, in order to excite their sloth, and to encourage themselves to run in the course
Some people do good works because they see those as building a relationship with God. That God is their true motivation for good works. However, there are some others who are motivated by the eternal reward. This is an imperfect motivation, however, it is fine to have such motivation, and moreover, it is not sinful to motivate oneself by the eternal reward.
The council Trent references the following quotes from the Bible,
Psalms 119:112, I incline my heart to perform thy statutes for ever, to the end.
Hebrews 11:26, He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward.
The imperfect love for God, which is guided towards the eternal reward rather than God himself, should not be considered sin.
To be clear, here are the relevant canons,
The council of Trent
CANON VII.-If any one saith, that all works done before Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the hatred of God; or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema.
CANON XXV.-If any one saith, that, in every good work, the just sins venially at least, or-which is more intolerable still-mortally, and consequently deserves eternal punishments; and that for this cause only he is not damned, that God does not impute those works unto damnation; let him be anathema.
CANON XXXI.-If any one saith, that the justified sins when he performs good works with a view to an eternal recompense; let him be anathema.
The council of Trent asserts that not every good work deserves eternal damnation. There are some human good works that are not sinful at all.
Moreover, while it is imperfect love when one is motivated by eternal reward rather than love for God to do good works, it is not a sin.
For where there is no fear there is no humility. Where there is no humility there is pride, and where there is pride there are the wrath and judgment of God
True. One cannot do any good works without God's grace, therefore it makes sense to attribute all good works to God than to oneself. Pride comes when one attributes the good works to himself while downplaying the role of God's grace. Christians ought to always remind themselves of their reliance on God.
We can see this directly from the parable of the prayers of the Pharisee and the sinner.
Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Pharisee committed the sin of pride in being content with the good works that he had. In contrast, the sinner acknowledged his shortcomings and asked for more grace. As Christians, we ought not to be content with good works already done, but to turn to God for the continued guidance. For good works cannot be done without God's grace.
St Augustine explained this in his letter:
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 22
It appears to me, therefore, that he is much more a child of faith who has learned from what source to hope for what he has not yet, than he who attributes to himself whatever he has … Let him not fall into the mistake of the Pharisee, who, while thanking God for what he possessed, yet failed to ask for any further gift, just as if he stood in want of nothing for the increase or perfection of his righteousness.
Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin. The first part is clear, for the will is captive and subject to sin. Not that it is nothing, but that it is not free except to do evil.
False. Free will is also able to respond to God's grace. The council of Trent condemns the idea that we are unable to respond to the grace of God. In particular, God is the one that starts the process of justification, but we ought to respond to him and cooperate with his grace. Even though we are unable to do good works by our own effort, we are able to freely choose him or freely reject him.
The council of Trent
CANON IV.-If any one saith, that man’s free will moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling, nowise co-operates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of Justification; that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be anathema.
Let's break down the above statement. Here is an idea that the council of Trent rejects.
that man’s free will moved and excited by God
The idea that man's free will is controlled by God. This is not true, because humans are still in control of free will to choose between good or evil.
nowise co-operates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of Justification
When the man is in control of his free will yet he does not have the mind and heart to receive the grace of justification. Martin Luther argues that even in that case, God can control the man to do good works, than the man does not have a choice. The council of Trent rejects this idea, and instead proposes than man has the ability to reject good works.
that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive
We ought to consent to good works in order for God's grace to enable us to do good works. Free will does not do good works passively. It has to actively cooperate with God's grace to produce good works.
The council of Trent
CANON V.-If any one saith, that, since Adam’s sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished; or, that it is a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan; let him be anathema.
Again, free will does not exist in name only, as suggested by Martin Luther. Free will is capable of accepting God's grace for good works.
The council of Trent
CANON IX.-If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.
Faith without the acceptance of God's grace does not justify. One has to cooperate with God's grace to obtain the grace of justification.
He, however, who has emptied himself (cf. Phil. 2:7) through suffering no longer does works but knows that God works and does all things in him. For this reason, whether God does works or not, it is all the same to him. He neither boasts if he does good works, nor is he disturbed if God does not do good works through him.
There are two ideas here. The first idea is, one no longer does work but knows that God works. This suggests the idea that one does not need to exercise his free will, but rather, God does good work through him, without his consent. No! One ought to consent to God's grace before it can work through him. See my response to statement 13.
The second idea is that God may or may not do good works through him. Wrong! God does good works in everyone. If your relationship in God is strong enough, you should be able to see good works manifest in you. See my elaboration below.
While it is important to have the understanding that only by God's grace one can do good works, we also have to be aware of the ability of free will to turn towards or away from God's grace. So therefore, while we ourselves are unable to do good works without God's grace, we ought not to rely on faith alone for justification. The council of Trent warns us against this attitude:
The council of Trent, chapter XI,
For God forsakes not those who have been once justified by His grace, unless he be first forsaken by them. Wherefore, no one ought to flatter himself up with faith alone, fancying that by faith alone he is made an heir, and will obtain the inheritance, even though he suffer not with Christ, that so he may be also glorified with him. For even Christ Himself, as the Apostle saith, Whereas he was the son of God, learned obedience by the things which he suffered, and being consummated, he became, to all who obey him, the cause of eternal salvation. For which cause the same Apostle admonishes the justified, saying; Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air, but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection; lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a cast-away.
Here is the main point of the above passage:
no one ought to flatter himself up with faith alone, fancying that by faith alone he is made an heir, and will obtain the inheritance, even though he suffer not with Christ, that so he may be also glorified with him
Having faith alone without obediene to God is not sufficient to inherit eternal life. The council of Trent then backs up its claim with evidence of Christ himself obeying to God.
For even Christ Himself, as the Apostle saith, Whereas he was the son of God, learned obedience by the things which he suffered, and being consummated
The passage that the council of Trent references says the following:
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
The journey to heaven is like a race. We do not run not knowing anything, but we have a goal in mind, and we have a discipline to follow, one being to respond to God's grace for good works.
Therefore I wish to have the words without work understood in the following manner: Not that the righteous person does nothing, but that his works do not make him righteous, rather that his righteousness creates works. For grace and faith are infused without our works. After they have been imparted the works follow.
Yes, the initial grace is by God only, no one can do anything or has to do anything to obtain that grace. But after that, good works are not optional. In fact, good works count towards the final justification, as the council of Trent says the following:
The council of Trent, chapter X
through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith co-operating with good works, increase in that justice which they have received through the grace of Christ, and are still further justified, as it is written; He that is just, let him be justified still; and again, Be not afraid to be justified even to death; and also, Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. And this increase of justification holy Church begs, when she prays, “Give unto us, O Lord, increase of faith, hope, and charity.”
The good works that we do after receiving the initial grace of justification count towards the final justification. Here are the relevant passages that the council of Trent is referencing:
Rev 22:11
Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.
Sirach 18:22
Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
James 2:24
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
The Catholic Church asserts that the initial grace of justification is from God only. No one can do anything to deserve that grace, and no one need to do anything to deserve that grace. However, after having received God's grace, one ought to cooperate with God's grace for good works. It must involve consent: with free will, men can choose to cooperate or to reject God's grace. Any good works done are by God's grace only, through our faith in God. Good works increase our justification in God. While attempts to do good works outside of God's grace do not merit eternal life, they do not necessarily put one under judgement.
I would love to quote a passage from St Augustine's letter, On the Spirit and the Letter, where St Augustine explains to us on the concept of the law that St Paul mentioned in his letters. There is a distinction between the law of works, yet, one cannot conclude that one should abolish works altogether.
On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter 21
Hastily, indeed, one might say that the law of works lay in Judaism, and the law of faith in Christianity; forasmuch as circumcision and the other works prescribed by the law are just those which the Christian system no longer retains. But there is a fallacy in this distinction, the greatness of which I have for some time been endeavoring to expose; and to such as are acute in appreciating distinctions, especially to yourself and those like you, I have possibly succeeded in my effort.
And so it is the very law of works itself which says, You shall not covet; because thereby comes the knowledge of sin. Now I wish to know, if anybody will dare to tell me, whether the law of faith does not say to us, You shall not covet?
when mention was made of the law, just because by it is the knowledge of sin, and therefore nobody is justified by it, so that it is not by it that boasting is excluded, but by the law of faith, whereby the just man lives.
It is not any kind of good works, it is good works under God's grace. We ought to listen to God and follow his will. While there are common rules Christians ought to follow, God has a plan specific and unique for each individual. Refusing the latter with full knowledge risks judgement.
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’
Many people might take this as, there are those who do good works, yet they are condemned as evildoers. This is not an excuse for a lack of good works. We need to look at exactly the judgement that these people were condemned into: in the first sentence, because they do not do the will of the Father. While God’s universal will is the same for all - that we love Him and our neighbor - He also gives each person unique tasks within that will. Here is the point: anything that are opposed to God's will is evil. This includes lack of obedience to God to do the good works he intends you to do.
In fact, these are all good works, but it is not the vocation for everyone to follow. There is no template to how one can obtain eternal life. These are the same good works that Jesus commanded the apostles to do. While instructing the apostles to proclaim the Gospels to everyone, Jesus instructed them to do the following,
Matthew 10:8, Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.
Let's look at another example to highlight this point. When a rich young man asks Jesus how he can obtain eternal life, Jesus says the following,
Matthew 19:16-19
And behold, one came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
These are the laws that Christians ought to keep to. The laws are common to everyone. But what is coming is the calling specific to the young man,
Matthew 19:20-22
The young man said to him, “All these I have observed; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
Following God involves not just following the moral laws, but following also the personal calling that God has for each of us.
So, all of us ought to do good works. Or, at least, try to do good works, as some might say. Here is a tricky question: what if we have tried, but failed to do good works? It is a complicated question.
In the Gospel, we repeatedly hear the idea of bearing fruit. Indeed, bearing good fruit is the evidence of being a good tree.
Matthew 7:18-19
You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
We see that if a tree is thrown into the fire, it is because it does not bear good fruit. The fruit, which is representative of the works, is representative of the inside, which is where your mind and heart are at.
John the Baptist also preached the same message in preparation for Jesus' coming,
Matthew 3:10
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Again, speaking of the judgement, Jesus mentioned of the image of a tree bearing fruit,
Matthew 12:33-35
“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
This image is mentioned again when Jesus explained the parable of the sower,
Matthew 13:19-23
When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
We see that not the hearers, but the doers, are justified. The one that truly opens his heart to receive the message of Gospel follows what God inspires him to do.
In fact, it is God's will for us to be perfect like God.
Matthew 5:48
You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Isn't this standard too high to reach? Who can perfect like God?
Here is perhaps the answer.
Matthew 17:14-17
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before him said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
You might be asking, why is Jesus telling the man part of a "faithless and perverse" generation? Not as if Jesus would not heal the man. The "faithless and perverse" generation here actually refers to the disciples. Let's look at a few verses after.
Matthew 17:19-20
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from hence to yonder place,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”
Indeed, we can do great wonders. Why? Because we just need a faith as great as a grain of a mustard seed. The rest is done by God. Only by God's grace that we can do good works. And with great faith can we do great works. If we are unable to do good works, that is because we have not had enough faith in God. Ask God for deeper faith and openness to his grace, trusting that he strengthens us even in weakness.