Then those folks aren’t historic Protestants either. By the way, the word Evangelical, much like Protestant or Christian, has been stripped of its historic meaning. Rob Bell is labeled Evangelical and so am I. Even so I probably have less in common with Rob than I do with some conservative Catholics, yet I hold essentially the same view of the RCC, popery and Catholic priesthood as Luther, Calvin, Knox, Edwards and Spurgeon.
Scripture clearly teaches that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. Erasmus correctly recognized that was the heart of Luther’s protest. Historic Protestants were united on this point.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9mQW5YfV54
Actually scripture teaches that salvation is by grace alone.
Church teaching is that salvation is NOT faith+works, and this is in line with scripture which nowhere uses the expressions "justification by faith alone" or "salvation by faith alone."
on the contrary, if one reads scripture, what does Jesus say saves us?
13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. |
Jesus said it is not faith ALONE. We are saved by God's GRACE. Full-stop.
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. -- it's never faith ALONE. Note that
no one is denying that one MUST have faith to be saved by the freely given grace of salvation, however, it is not faith ALONE. As shown above, Jesus Himself said that
He who believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mk 16:16)
[U]nless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Lk 13:3
[H]e who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn 6:54)
So, do listen to the words of Jesus who said it is faith+ repentance+baptism+the Eucharist+endurance, not any of these in isolation. Of course, these don't "save us" per se, since it is Christ's sacrifice on the Cross that grants us our salvation that we can accept or reject
The problem happens when one takes one section of the word in isolation.