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OK. Look, I didn't say I was a Calvinist expert.

However, I was "indoctrinated" with the Heidleburg confession during my stint with the 5 pointers. While I didn't remember the correct answer, I knew exactly where to find it.

From the confession:

Why do you say that you are righteous only by faith? A. Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God, and I can receive the same and make it my own in no other way than by faith only.

FAITH ONLY? FAITH ALONE? James Repudiates that doctrine! We could go all night into the reasons Calvinism's spinning of how works play into salvation, but we don't need to. James, contrary to the claims of this confession, solved this issue 1900 years or so ago.

Calvinism shares with Lutheranism, the "downgrading" of the book of James. While still considered scripture, James is twisted, spun, and explained away by giving other passages more promenance and importance. Like I said, scripture does not support justification by

faith alone. That's a man made doctrine. But.. I'd take it you don't accept the evidence of James. So, unless you can say "you have a very good point", let's not go round and round about this all nigh.

Heidelberg Catechism perhaps? I am not familiar with the Heidelburg Confession that they used to "indoctrinate" you.

***Calvinism shares with Lutheranism, the "downgrading" of the book of James.***

Horse Hillary. James deals with justification before man. We humans can only declare a person to be righteous (posessing saving faith) by observing the fruit of that faith which is displayed. Paul deals with justification before God, who infallibly sees our hearts.

Note the emphasis of James 2 on "show me" "if a man says"...

OK. Look, I didn't say I was a Calvinist expert. However, I was "indoctrinated" with the Heidleburg confession during my stint with the 5 pointers. While I didn't remember the correct answer, I knew exactly where to find it. From the confession: Why do you say that you are righteous only by faith? A. Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God, and I can receive the same and make it my own in no other way than by faith only.

You just told me what Faith accomplishes. You haven't told me what Faith is, specifically as in "faith alone", as it relates to "faith" and "works".

is.

So, let's try again: What is "Faith", specifically as in "faith alone", as it relates to "faith" and "works"?

FAITH ONLY? FAITH ALONE? James Repudiates that doctrine! We could go all night into the reasons Calvinism's spinning of how works play into salvation, but we don't need to. James, contrary to the claims of this confession, solved this issue 1900 years or so ago. Calvinism shares with Lutheranism, the "downgrading" of the book of James. While still considered scripture, James is twisted, spun, and explained away by giving other passages more promenance and importance. Like I said, scripture does not support justification by faith alone. That's a man made doctrine. But.. I'd take it you don't accept the evidence of James. So, unless you can say "you have a very good point", let's not go round and round about this all nigh.

I do accept the evidence of James. If you understood the Calvinist meaning of Faith (or even the Lutheran, though Calvinism has been IMO more clear in it's presentation), you would understand that.

Let me ask you this: No offense meant. Honestly. Would the following statement be true?

You are unable to give a definition of what Calvinists mean by the word "Faith".

If that is False, then you are (again) cordially invited to provide a proper definition of what, to the Calvinist, Faith is; But if the statement is True, then just say so, and I'll explain what a Calvinist means by the word, "Faith"; as it attends to "faith alone", or "faith" and "works".

What do you say?

What I've been getting at is this: if you want to criticize sola fide, you have to be able to define the term "Faith". If you want to understand what Protestants mean by "Faith Alone Saves", you have to understand what Faith is.

So, I'm going to go ahead and tell you what Protestants mean by "Faith Alone Saves" -- particularly Calvinists, who maintain the Reformers' doctrines most closely of the various Protestant traditions. Let's have at it.

SALVATION THROUGH FAITH ALONE

Is Salvation through Faith and Works? First, let’s examine the Roman Catholic teachings on the subject:

CHAPTER VIII, X -- But when the Apostle says that man is justified by faith and freely, these words are to be understood in that sense in which the uninterrupted unanimity of the Catholic Church has held and expressed them, namely, that we are therefore said to be justified by faith, because faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and root of all justification, without which it is impossible to please God… Having, therefore, been thus justified and made the friends and domestics of God, advancing from virtue to virtue, they are renewed, as the Apostle says, day by day, that is, mortifying the members of their flesh, and presenting them as instruments of justice unto sanctification, they, through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith cooperating with good works, increase in that justice received through the grace of Christ and are further justified, as it is written: He that is just, let him be justified still; and, Be not afraid to be justified even to death; and again, Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only? This increase of justice holy Church asks for when she prays: "Give unto us, O Lord, an increase of faith, hope and charity."
Canon XXIV -- If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof: let him be anathema.
Canon XXXII. If any one saith, that the good works of the one that is justified are in such manner the gifts of God, that they are not also the good merits of him that is justified, by the good works which he performs through the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, and does not truly merit increase in grace, eternal life, and the attainment of eternal life, if so be, that he depart in grace, and an increase in glory, let him be anathema.

So, we see that the Roman Catholic teaching is quite clear: “faith is the beginning of human salvation… through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith cooperating with good works, increase in that justice received through the grace of Christ and are further justified.”

Now, then, what is the Calvinist teaching? Is Salvation through Faith Alone?

The Calvinist Presbyterian Dr. D. James Kennedy defines Saving Faith thusly: "What is saving faith? I think we can say that it is the response of the whole soul to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. That means it involves our mind, our heart, and our will. Our intellect, our emotions, and our volition are all involved in our soul, and it is the yielding of that soul to Christ."

So we see that, to the Calvinist, Faith by definition incorporates three crucial facets:

Notitia or Mind -- Knowledge of Jesus Christ’s Lordship
Assensus or Heart -- Acknowledgment of Jesus Christ’s Lordship
Volitio or Will -- Reverent Submission to Jesus Christ’s Lordship

And of this Faith, the Westminster Shorter Catechism declares: ” Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and receive by faith alone.”

Thus, while the Calvinist would say that Saving Faith is a Vital Faith; no mere intellectual assent to Christ’s Lordship but a loving submission of Heart thereto. Good Works are the inevitable outworking of this Saving Faith (for a Faith which includes a Reverently Obedient Volitio is demonstrated in its performance of Good Works), but we are Saved through this Faith Alone – a depraved thief, who truly possesses this Saving Faith for even single moment at the point of death, is immediately and completely Justified without the outworking of a single Good Work of his obedient Volitio.

It is important to note, at this point, that the Calvinist view is specifically anathematized by the Council of Trent:

If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof: let him be anathema.

This is unfortunate for Rome -- in fact, it is devastating. For as the Apostle Paul declares, we are Justified by Saving Faith itself apart from Good Works.

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.

And this is the Calvinist definition of Saving Faith, the definition of the Bible – the Knowing, Assenting, Submissive Faith which Justifies a Man, in and of itself, apart from Good Works.

But in clear contradiction to the Epistle to the Galatians, the Roman Catholics have said that Faith “begins” salvation but must cooperate with Good Works in order to Justify. Thus, they reveal their definition of “Faith” as being a “faith” to which Good Works must be added in order to Justify.

In doing so, they have brought down the Condemnation of James not upon Protestants – but upon the Lords of the Roman Catholic Church. For if the Roman Catholic Definition of the “Faith” which “begins” salvation according to the Decrees of Trent, is a “faith” to which Good Works must be added in order to Justify, then their “faith” is by definition the very same Dead Faith which James condemned!

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

They claim that their “faith” does alone “begin” Salvation, and that to it Good Works must be added in order to Justify. But if theirs is a “faith” which begins alone, and to it Good Works must be added –- then how can such a “faith” even "begin" salvation as they claim, when being alone at the beginning of salvation and requiring "cooperation" with Good Works in order to Justify, it is a Dead Faith from the beginning?

Instead, James gives us a ringing endorsement of the Calvinist Definition of Faith – a vital, Saving Faith which Justifies apart from Good Works (Galatians 2:16) and is shown in its outworking of Good Works (James 2:18), the very same Biblical Definition of Faith which Rome anathematized in Canon 24 of the Council of Trent.

By promulgating a False and Un-Salvific definition of “faith” which “begins” salvation “alone” (being Alone, it is a Dead Faith and can begin no salvation, James 2:17) and which must “cooperate” with Good Works in order to Justify (even though true Saving Faith does Justify apart from Good Works, Galatians 2:16), and by anathematizing the True and Biblical definition of Saving Faith which Justifies apart from Good Works (Galatians 2:16) and is shown in its outworking of Good Works (James 2:18), Rome has led BILLIONS astray. And she has persecuted and killed the Reformers and preachers of righteousness whom God sent to the vineyard to warn her of her sins.

Rome must Repent of her sins immediately. She must rescind the false teachings of Chapters 8 & 10 of Trent and recant the false anathemas of Canons 24 and 32 of Trent. She must repent of her false teachings and false anathemas and proclaim publicly to all the True and Biblical definition of Faith as taught by Christ and Paul and James and the Reformers and the Faithful Remnant of God throughout the ages, a Saving Faith which Justifies apart from Good Works (Galatians 2:16) and is shown in its outworking of Good Works (James 2:18), and repent her persecutions of the Reformers and preachers of righteousness whom God sent to warn her of her sins.

The Sins of Rome in this matter are grievous. They are damning.

She must not continue in them for a moment.

best, OP