Posted on 02/27/2011 8:08:19 PM PST by Natural Law
Faith Without Works? Do Calvinists Actually Read the Christian Bible? Is anyone as mystified as I am at this contradictory and unbiblical Calvinist “Sola Fide” idea that faith without works is sufficient for salvation? How can Calvinists reject James Chapter 2 which states that; “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14) and "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). To do so is antithetical to Scripture.
The Calvinist rejection of James is at best substitutional, permitting Calvinists to conclude that works naturally follow from and are only a result of true faith thus requiring no conscious commitment or consideration. The result is a negation of the call to Beatitude and a rejection of the obligations of the Second Greatest Commandment issued by Jesus Himself.
Borrowing from Hinduism many fringe Calvinists actually practice a form of the Brahiminst caste system in which they profess that their own Salvation was secure from the beginning of time and no obligation exists toward the less fortunate and needy because God rejected their election from the beginning of time.
The substitution of actual, contextual Scripture for the more flattering personal interpretations is a return to the Gnostic heresies that the Church successfully rejected more than a thousand years earlier. They attempt to seek truth through Scripture on their own despite the admonition of Peter who stated; “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20).
Faith alone is insufficient. Adam and Eve had faith yet fell. They spoke directly with God yet succumbed to sin. What about Paul, whom many Calvinists give greater credence than Jesus, when he says; "And if I should have prophesy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could move mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13: 2).
Perhaps the citations some will more closely identify with; the demons whom Jesus expelled.
"And behold they [the demons] cried out saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Matt 8: 29).
The demons had faith certainly equal to that of the Calvinists. Not only do they profess that Jesus is the Son of God, but they also have a profound knowledge of Scripture and profess belief in the final judgment. Peter didn’t profess that Christ is the Son of God in Matthew 16:16-- eight chapters later. Why didn’t Jesus didn't make the demons the rock on which He built His Church? He required Works to build His Church.
no. They read Calvin.
Why can’t people understand that true faith and belief will cause someone to act. It’s not the act that saves but the act proves that one has faith.
The Christian church is built upon the fundamental truth that Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is The Rock.
Time for another cage match!
I’m not a Calvinist, but I think the idea is that a Christian does good works because he has faith and is already saved and would therefore want to do them, and is not doing good works to earn the approval of God in order to merit salvation.
It just shows your intolerance and hatred towards other Christian religions, that is not exactly an endearing trait that would want any Protestant to be even interested in such hateful religion, as Catholicism, if you are its representative.
Not to mention that you are deliberately misrepresenting Calvinism.
Thank God for Luther and Calvin, who reformed the Catholic religion, so it's not the only option for Christians.
I was trying to think of a way to put it and you pretty much got it. I had a conversation with a friend the other day about this. She was asking if anyone moved a mountain or walked on water with just faith. My answer is, yes, every single day. People of industrious nature transform mountains through industry and build enterprise that crosses across waters. Faith isn't just a magic word or two you say, nor is it a Peter Pan wish; if you really wish hard enough.... Faith is the will to act and the belief through action you can and you do. Works are the result of faith and faith is evidence through works. Without action, faith is just an empty word that accomplishes nothing.
this is hit and run because it is late:
Saved by grace through faith, so that no man can boast that his works saved him. Man is incapable of being saved on the basis of his works, but the works are evidence of the salvation. We still sin and need forgiveness even after we are saved.
What works did the thief on the cross have? His faith and belief in Christ gained him salvation.
I’m afraid that Martin Luther declared that James was “an Epistle of Straw,” and threw it out of his version of the Bible, precisely because James so clearly disagreed with his views.
No, it’s not empty. Look at what I said again. True faith causes one to act. We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Him. If, in fact, that faith is true there will be action. So faith really isn’t an empty word. The acts or lack of them will only show whether that faith was in fact true faith. People might say they have faith but if there are no actions it is evident they really didn’t have true faith.
How many works, exactly, is enough to save you?
Is it faith plus works that saves, or are works merely the outward manifestation of the faith?
That is not my objective.
So what IS your objective with this hateful post against a protestant religion?
Do you think other Catholics will applaud you?
You are just demonstrating your hatred and intolerance.
Actually, I am responding to it. One need only spend a little time in the Religion Forum to experience the menopausal shrieks against "Rome" and the damning criticism of every Catholic doctrine before one begins to question the underlying beliefs and motives of the anti-Catholics. Please convince me that they are the exception and do not represent the bulk of Calvinist Protestantism.
James 2: 17-26
17
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18
Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
19
You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble.
20
Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
22
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.
23
Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.”
24
See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25
And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
26
For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Pot — kettle — black
How many hateful posts are posted by Protestants about Catholicism.
Ask your Protestant brothers and sisters for the answer to that question.
Nonsense straw man I see from time-to-time. First of all, of course demons believe Jesus exists, duh, they were there, remember? They're demons not stupid. They have no need for faith because they see what exists in their dimension. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Secondly, Jesus did not come into the world to die for demons, they are doomed with no chance to escape their end. They already made their choice. Jesus came for mankind and he died for mankind.
Thirdly, Calvinists, like most other Christians, rely on faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ to be saved. The false idea that they have an elite "Brahmin" caste system is so inane that it hardly deserves an answer. There is something called foreknowledge. God is outside of time, therefore he has already seen the end scene and, as he is omnipotent and omniscient, it is logical that whatever he permits he allows for his own purposes. He can do that, you know, he's God.
Finally, I'm not Calvinist, but I can tell a hit job when I see it.
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