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 candle’s 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 inseparable—so 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.
Let’s 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 other’s position. Catholics do not and never have taught that we are saved by works. For Heaven’s 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 don’t think one can be found. About the only example I can think of is a baptized infant, but that’s 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”; it’s 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 Christ’s 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 Church’s 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 Church’s 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
I basically quit on Catholicism at that point too, but didn’t find Christ until several years later.
I actually went back to Catholicism after I got saved, but since I was also reading Scripture, I began to see the error’s in Catholicism’s teaching and just could not justify staying in a church that supplanted God’s word.
Amen. Count me in too!
From the thread entitled Martin Luther was a ‘teacher of the faith’, say [Catholic] German bishops
To: ealgeone
I wear a brown scapular. And the rest of your post is a broken, protestant record.
50 posted on 8/12/2016, 10:55:20 PM by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: ealgeone
I have more faith and hope in wearing a brown scapular and staying in a state of grace by going to Confession as instructed in John 20:23 than “sinning, and sinning bolding”.
It’s easy to see how Luther’s revolt was so quickly accepted by weak and/or uneducated Catholics. Kind of like Mohammed’s religion. It’s so easy and so physically pleasing to the flesh.
63 posted on 8/12/2016, 11:54:35 PM by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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Wanna kieep playing?
Well if that is the case, then I expect you will exit this thread since all it looks like you want to do is spurt insults and accusations and not answer any countering questions. Kinda misses the point of an OPEN RF thread.
And FYI...I am not a “hostile anti-Catholic”. As a born again FORMER Catholic I reject many of the doctrines of Catholicism including the false and accursed gospel of salvation by faith AND works, but if I were truly hostile against Catholics, I’d not say a word and let y’all traipse merrily along the broad path to destruction. Instead, I am being obedient to God by earnestly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints.
MM, I am surprised at you. I didn’t know you were a hostile anti catholic. 😁🤣 I suppose, if I was still a catholic, I would probably think so too. Since I am an ex catholic, I don’t, but I have to ask the question. If someone disagrees with your Bible doctrine, does that make them a hostile anti Christian? Inquiring minds want to know. 😇
You don't receive any grace from being baptized...Grace is a free gift, for doing nothing...An unbaptized baby gets just as much grace as a baptized baby...
+1
Well, I don’t see y’alls posts being pulled regularly for inappropriate content.
NTW, Catholicism has strayed so far from Christinaity that I call it 'another religion', with the Episcopalians running them a close second. The methodology is the same in both, adopting paganism as part of the agenda ends the denomination as a Christian ORG. Both try to look Christian, but they have so much worldliness in them now that they are far from Christian.
Only two years ago during primary season!
I get kind of intense sometimes, heh heh.
I wonder if it’s pride or despair that prompts such hateful replies on these threads.
And some wonder why some get banned from time to time.
Have a good evening.
I’m sure I can imagine the disappointment they get. Every time one of these threads comes up, they think that it’ll be all about proving those cursed Christians wrong.
And every time we use simple Scripture to prove them wrong.
No wonder these poor souls are so consumed by hatred.
Then a Catholic who calls non-Catholics *heretics*, could easily be labeled a hostile anti-Prot.
And it really is sad; we were starting an informative discussion about baptism, the grace of Christ, and what Scripture says about so many things.
And then the hate-screechers come in and suddenly that conversation is gone.
Thank you! I truly am having one.
X
You are practicing deception and dishonesty...
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Act 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Act 16:34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
His entire house believed...Either the two week old baby believed in Jesus Christ as his Savior, OR, there wasn't anyone there young enough who was incapable of believing...
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