We are examples of really good Catholic teaching!!
Posted on 06/04/2017 12:29:15 PM PDT by ealgeone
Question: "Why is sola fide important?"
Answer: Sola fide which means "faith alone" is important because it is one of the distinguishing characteristics or key points that separate the true biblical Gospel from false gospels. At stake is the very Gospel itself and it is therefore a matter of eternal life or death. Getting the Gospel right is of such importance that the Apostle Paul would write in Galatians 1:9, “As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” Paul was addressing the same question that sola fide addresses—on what basis is man declared by God to be justified? Is it by faith alone or by faith combined with works? Paul makes it clear in Galatians and Romans that man is “justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law” (Galatians 2:16), and the rest of the Bible concurs.
Sola fide is one of the five solas that came to define and summarize the key issues of the Protestant Reformation. Each of these Latin phrases represents a key area of doctrine that was an issue of contention between the Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church, and today they still serve to summarize key doctrines essential to the Gospel and to Christian life and practice. The Latin word sola means “alone” or “only” and the essential Christian doctrines represented by these five Latin phrases accurately summarize the biblical teaching on these crucial subjects: sola scriptura—Scripture alone, sola fide—faith alone, sola gratia—grace alone, sola Christus—Christ alone, and sola Deo gloria—for the glory of God alone. Each one is vitally important, and they are all closely tied together. Deviation from one will lead to error in another essential doctrine, and the result will almost always be a false gospel which is powerless to save.
Sola fide or faith alone is a key point of difference between not only Protestants and Catholics but between biblical Christianity and almost all other religions and teachings. The teaching that we are declared righteous by God (justified) on the basis of our faith alone and not by works is a key doctrine of the Bible and a line that divides most cults from biblical Christianity. While most religions and cults teach men what works they must do to be saved, the Bible teaches that we are not saved by works, but by God’s grace through His gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Biblical Christianity is distinct from every other religion in that it is centered on what God has accomplished through Christ’s finished work, while all other religions are based on human achievement. If we abandon the doctrine of justification by faith, we abandon the only way of salvation. “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Romans 4:4-5). The Bible teaches that those that trust Jesus Christ for justification by faith alone are imputed with His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), while those who try to establish their own righteousness or mix faith with works will receive the punishment due to all who fall short of God’s perfect standard.
Sola fide—the doctrine of justification by faith alone apart from works—is simply recognizing what is taught over and over in Scripture—that at some point in time God declares ungodly sinners righteous by imputing Christ’s righteousness to them (Romans 4:5, 5:8, 5:19). This happens apart from any works and before the individual actually begins to become righteous. This is an important distinction between Catholic theology that teaches righteous works are meritorious towards salvation and Protestant theology that affirms the biblical teaching that righteous works are the result and evidence of a born-again person who has been justified by God and regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit.
How important is sola fide? It is so important to the Gospel message and a biblical understanding of salvation that Martin Luther described it as being “the article with and by which the church stands.” Those who reject sola fide reject the only Gospel that can save them and by necessity embrace a false gospel. That is why Paul so adamantly denounces those who taught law-keeping or other works of righteousness in Galatians 1:9 and other passages. Yet today this important biblical doctrine is once again under attack. Too often sola fide is relegated to secondary importance instead of being recognized as an essential doctrine of Christianity, which it certainly is.
“Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Galatians 3:6-11).
It would appear to me there are too many different Catholic Churches. 🙃😊
I see you are still worried about the messenger and not the message.
I see...
We are examples of really good Catholic teaching!!
Yeah; ain't it!!
Mackerel Hat Placemarker
When I was a Catholic, I was called a mackerel snapper too. We were told that if we ate meat on Friday, instead of fish, it was a sin, but it's been so long since I was a Catholic, that I don't remember if it was a mortal sin, or a venial sin.
I have no idea where the Catholics got the Friday fish thing. I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard a rumor, that there were a lot of fishermen in the church, so in order to help them, 🤑 this false doctrine came about. Who knows for sure, but I don't buy it. 👎
Basically, and officially, the early first century Catholic and the one that exists today teach the same truths...they never change. While the officiaal name Catholic did not exist from the beginning, you weren't Boatbums until 9 months after you existed....and the Christian communities in those days became known a Catholic and have been so for 2,017 years....
Of course it wasn't a prayer, but it is, indeed, a biblical passage....we merely repeat that passage when asking Mary to pray for us sinners....try it, it works.
The Roman rite is the original, however the orthodox rites, while schismatic, are still true forms of Catholicism....just in disagreement on hierarchy...
Nope, all Catholic, just divisions in hierarchy.
You should have paid attention in Catechism class....Not eating meat on Fridays was merely a church rule which you were obliged to obey....like attending Mass every week....the sin was not that you ate meat, but that you ignored a legitimate church rule....see now???
The EO claim otherwise.
Why should I believe you?
There you go with your "funny" math again!
No, you really can't claim that the "Catholic" church today is the same as the catholic churches from the start. There are many, many things that are different both doctrinally as well as practices. I know that this so-called history is what the Roman Catholic church likes to cram down everyone's throats as the truth but even though some of the doctrines are unchanged, many have been and many have been ADDED that were not held as Apostolic teaching (i.e., Pope; Mariology; Purgatory; Indulgences; prayer to/for the dead, etc.).
I already know you will dispute this but you will have nothing to prove what I said is wrong. We know what the Apostolic teachings are because they wrote them down in Scripture. God ensured that we would have a more sure word than man's opinions, interpretations, myths, legends and mysterious "oral" traditions.
Only a Catholic could make sense of that.
Because only someone thoroughly deceived could think that your statement even began to make sense.
So if eating meat isn't a sin, then why did the church make a rule about it and tell people that if they ate it, they sinned?
Don't you get it? This means that the Roman Catholic church can just ADD to the plan of salvation things that were not a part of the original gospel and place upon believer's shoulders whatever they wanted to. The Scribes and Pharisees did the same thing to the Jewish religion and Jesus condemned them for it. It's for this reason that the RCC is NOT the true church Jesus established.
I didn't pay attention at all in catechism class. I was more interested in flirting with the girls. Since I am my own pope, and make up my own rules 😀, I am just not into worthless church rules, that don't matter a hill of beans. What's more important, is how are people going to bluff their way into Heaven? What good does it do anyone, to follow all kinds of useless, dead works, (church rules) if they end up in Hell?
I don't know if you will choose Heaven or Hell, but it's YOUR choice. It's ridiculous to think Heaven and Hell is NOT a choice, made by the individual. Which choice have you made? Look bro, I probably have never agreed with you on ANY doctrine. I don't intend to start now. 😁 If you want to do good works, hoping you can bluff your way into Heaven, knock yourself out. Just don't insist the rest of us follow you, to wherever it is you are going. 🤣
“Not eating meat on Fridays was merely a church rule “
Yeah, I see the way Rome added to what God said and tried to pass it off as truth.
I’m hoping for salvation for you FRiend.
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