Posted on 06/08/2018 8:54:57 AM PDT by Salvation
There are a lot of solos sung by our Protestant brethren: sola fide (saved by faith alone), sola Scriptura (Scripture alone is the rule of faith), and sola gratia (grace alone). Generally, one ought to be leery of claims that things work alone. Typically, many things work together in harmony; things are interrelated. Very seldom is anyone or anything really alone.
The problem with solos emerges (it seems to me) in our mind, where it is possible to separate things out; but just because we can separate something out in our mind does not mean that we can do so in reality.
Consider, for a moment, a candles flame. In my mind, I can separate the heat of the flame from its light, but I could never put a knife into the flame and put the heat of the flame on one side of it and the light on the other. In reality, the heat and light are inseparableso together as to be one.
I would like to argue that it is the same with things like faith and works, grace and transformation, Scripture and the Church. We can separate all these things out in our mind, but in reality, they are one. Attempting to separate them from what they belong to leads to grave distortions and to the thing in question no longer being what it is claimed to be. Rather, it becomes an abstraction that exists only on a blackboard or in the mind of a theologian.
Lets look at the three main solos of Protestant theology. I am aware that there are non-Catholic readers of this blog, so please understand that my objections are made with respect. I am also aware that in a short blog I may oversimplify, and thus I welcome additions, clarifications, etc. in the comments section.
Solo 1: Faith alone (sola fide) – For 400 years, Catholics and Protestants have debated the question of faith and works. In this matter, we must each avoid caricaturing the others position. Catholics do not and never have taught that we are saved by works. For Heavens sake, we baptize infants! We fought off the Pelagians. But neither do Protestants mean by faith a purely intellectual acceptance of the existence of God, as many Catholics think that they do.
What concerns us here is the detachment of faith from works that the phrase faith alone implies. Let me ask, what is faith without works? Can you point to it? Is it visible? Introduce me to someone who has real faith but no works. I dont think one can be found. About the only example I can think of is a baptized infant, but thats a Catholic thing! Most Baptists and Evangelicals who sing the solos reject infant baptism.
Hence it seems that faith alone is something of an abstraction. Faith is something that can only be separated from works in our minds. If faith is a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ, we cannot enter into that relationship while remaining unchanged. This change affects our behavior, our works. Even in the case of infants, it is possible to argue that they are changed and do have works; its just that they are not easily observed.
Scripture affirms that faith is never alone, that such a concept is an abstraction. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Faith without works is not faith at all because faith does not exist by itself; it is always present with and causes works through love. Galatians 5:6 says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love. Hence faith works not alone but through love. Further, as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:2, if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
Hence faith alone is the null set. True faith is never alone; it bears the fruit of love and the works of holiness. Faith ignites love and works through it. Beware of the solo faith alone and ask where faith, all by itself, can be found.
Solo 2: Grace alone (sola gratia) By its very nature grace changes us. Again, show me grace apart from works. Grace without works is an abstraction. It cannot be found apart from its effects. In our mind it may exist as an idea, but in reality, grace is never alone.
Grace builds on nature and transforms it. It engages the person who responds to its urges and gifts. If grace is real, it will have its effects and cannot be found alone or apart from works. It cannot be found apart from a real flesh-and-blood human who is manifesting its effects.
Solo 3: Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) Beware those who say, sola Scriptura! This is the claim that Scripture alone is the measure of faith and the sole authority for the Christian, that there is no need for a Church and no authority in the Church, that there is only authority in the Scripture.
There are several problems with this.
First, Scripture as we know it (with the full New Testament) was not fully assembled and agreed upon until the 4th century.
It was Catholic bishops, in union with the Pope, who made the decision as to which books belonged in the Bible. The early Christians could not possibly have lived by sola scriptura because the Scriptures were not even fully written in the earliest years. And although collected and largely completed in written form by 100 AD, the set of books and letters that actually made up the New Testament was not agreed upon until the 4th century.
Second, until recently most people could not read.
Given this, it seems strange that God would make, as the sole rule of faith, a book that people had to read on their own. Even today, large numbers of people in the world cannot read well. Hence, Scripture was not necessarily a read text, but rather one that most people heard and experienced in and with the Church through her preaching, liturgy, art, architecture, stained glass, passion plays, and so forth.
Third, and most important, if all you have is a book, then that book needs to be interpreted accurately.
Without a valid and recognized interpreter, the book can serve to divide more than to unite. Is this not the experience of Protestantism, which now has tens of thousands of denominations all claiming to read the same Bible but interpreting it in rather different manners?
The problem is, if no one is Pope then everyone is Pope! Protestant soloists claim that anyone, alone with a Bible and the Holy Spirit, can authentically interpret Scripture. Well then, why does the Holy Spirit tell some people that baptism is necessary for salvation and others that it is not necessary? Why does the Holy Spirit tell some that the Eucharist really is Christs Body and Blood and others that it is only a symbol? Why does the Holy Spirit say to some Protestants, Once saved, always saved and to others, No?
So, it seems clear that Scripture is not meant to be alone. Scripture itself says this in 2 Peter 3:16: our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, Our Brother Paul speaking of these things [the Last things] as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures. Hence Scripture itself warns that it is quite possible to misinterpret Scripture.
Where is the truth to be found? The Scriptures once again answer this: you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim 3:15).
Hence Scripture is not to be read alone. It is a document of the Lord through the Church and must be read in the context of the Church and with the Churchs authoritative interpretation and Tradition. As this passage from Timothy says, the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth. The Bible is a Church book and thus is not meant to be read apart from the Church that received the authority to publish it from God Himself. Scripture is the most authoritative and precious document of the Church, but it emanates from the Churchs Tradition and must be understood in the light of it.
Thus, the problems of singing solo seem to boil down to the fact that if we separate what God has joined we end up with an abstraction, something that exists only in the mind but in reality, cannot be found alone.
Here is a brief video in which Fr. Robert Barron ponders the Protestant point of view that every baptized Christian has the right to authoritatively interpret the Word of God.sss
Well; the Magisterium says that the pope Rome now has was selected by GOD; so why so many do not follow what he says?
Anything to diminish Scripture and place a church above it.
IF that is so; why did the Catholic Church ever compile those various dusty writings into a book?
True; but most of us STILL have the main textbook and use it from time to time to look things up that we've misremembered over the years.
What is it with all the removed posts belonging to Catholics?
Are they trying to get the thread locked again?
Give it up.
The pig must WANT lipstick on it first.
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg?
Four.
Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
OUCH!!!!!
You don't know the literacy rates during the first century. the only guesses are speculation at best.
And even if there were not a lot, those that were literate would most certainly be interested in a copy of the Scripture themselves.
It is absolutely mind boggling the lengths Catholics will go to diminish the value and integrity of the God breathed, Holy spirit inspired word of God and subjugate it to their church, the corrupt, immoral organization that it is.
I made very clear early on that Christ never instructed his disciples to reduce his teachings to writing.
HMMMmmm...
Jesus has made it 'very clear' that HE relied 100% or so on what had been WRITTEN in the past. Strange that He'd leave the impression that His teachings should be transmitted orally only.
Absolute balderdash.
Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
People have ALWAYS places a high value on literacy.
And they took advantage of it when they could.
A REAL ankle-nipper usually responds to a good kicking across the yard...
Hell; our ADULTS don't rate very high in this regard either!
Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth (CCC 1250).
Chapter and verse in Scripture please?
No babies are said to be baptized in the NT.
Date composed Book Author
51-52 AD 1 and 2 Thess Paul 50-55 early version of Gospel of Mt in Aramaic Matthew 50-60 Jas James 54 Gal Paul 57 1 Cor Paul 57-58 2 Cor Paul 57-58 Rom Paul 60-70 Mk Mark 62? Phil Paul 62 Col, Philem, Eph Paul 62-70 Lk Luke 63 Acts Luke 64? 1 Pet Peter 64 2 Pet Peter? 65 1 Tim and Tit Paul 65? Heb Paul? 66 2 Tim Paul 68-70 Mt Matthew 70? Jude Jude Thaddeus 85-95 Rev John 95-100 1,2, and 3 Jn John 98-100 Jn John (This information is mainly drawn from the Navarre Bible, Introduction to the Books of the New Testament)
Many FR Catholics must be as well; since they have very little (if any) respect for the pope that Rome duly elected to sit in "Peter's seat".
Agreed.
It seems to be part of the mentality that people are not going to behave unless forced to by an outside force. That they aren't responsible enough to live an upright and moral life without someone watching over them and setting the boundaries for them.
As someone posted recently, and I think it was bb, Catholicism doesn't trust people to live right on their own.
Damned PROTS!!!
The one thing that also never ceases to amaze me, is that Catholics believe that means it is ok to commit mortal sins galore, cuz, after all, you have a fella in a box that will FORGIVE you of them; as long as you say the prescribed number of Hail Marys and count the requisite number of beads.
Agreed.
It seems to be part of the mentality that people are not going to behave unless forced to by an outside force. That they aren't responsible enough to live an upright and moral life without someone watching over them and setting the boundaries for them.
As someone posted recently, and I think it was bb, Catholicism doesn't trust people to live right on their own.
As if the Roman church is any example of right living before God.
What hubris that they should set themselves up as some sort of overseer for other people's behavior when they are such a train reck themselves. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.