Sola Fide Lie for Rhology

The Lie of Sola Fide Exposed by Rhology

Alan/Rhology on James 2
"When James says that faith alone does not justify, faith here refers to mere intellectual assent. For instance, demons affirm monotheism, but such “faith” is not wholehearted and glad-hearted assent that leads demons to embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead, the faith of demons is theologically orthodox, but leads them to shudder because they fear judgment (James 2:19). The faith that saves, according to Paul, embraces Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, placing one’s life entirely in his hands. James criticizes a “faith” that notionally concurs with the gospel but does not grip the whole person. In other words, James does not disagree with Paul’s contention that faith alone justifies, but he defines carefully the kind of faith that justifies. 

sw:  The point which Alan appears to be missing here is that St. James is contrasting faith with works vs. faith alone.  Faith alone is dead, whereas faith with works is not dead - and faith with works justifies.  THAT is the context of James 2.  We can fully understand why Alan would want and even need to minimize the actual context of James 2, for it flies in the face of his version of Calvinism - and there are several versions of Calvinism.  The demons St. James refers to do not have mere intellectual assent, they know that Jesus is God - and they also know that they are damned, and thus they shudder.

AR continues:  The faith that truly justifies can never be separated from works. Works will inevitably flow as the fruit of such faith. Faith that merely accepts doctrines intellectually but does not lead to a transformed life is “dead” (James 2:17, 26) and “useless” (James 2:20). Such faith does not “profit” (ophelos [James 2:14, 16 RSV]) in the sense that it does not spare one from judgment on the last day. 

sw: Alan confirms, accurately, that faith which truly justifies can never be separated from works.  By that testimony he is also affirming that sola fide is a lie, for faith which justifies is never alone.  

AR continues: Those who have dead and barren faith will not escape judgment. 

sw: We agree.

AR continues: True faith is demonstrated by works (James 2:18). 

sw: Again, we agree.

AR continues: James does not deny that faith alone saves, 

sw: Yes, in fact he explicitly states that such a faith is a dead faith and cannot save you!

AR continues:  ...but it is faith that produces (synergew) works and is completed (teleiow) by works (James 2:22). The faith that saves is living, active, and dynamic. It must produce works, just as compassion for the poor inevitably means that one cares practically for their physical needs (James 2:15-16)....

 

sw:  Alan confirms again that a faith which is alone is not living, active or dynamic - but is precisely what St. James condemns as a "dead faith."

AR continues: The foregoing comments, of course, need qualification. As I argued above, in some contexts Paul also emphasizes that good works are the fruit of faith and are needed for justification (e.g., Rom. 2:13; 4:17-22). The purpose of James as a whole, as is evident from this entire discussion, is to emphasize that good works are necessary for salvation. 

sw:  It is encouraging to see that Alan does agree that St. James is saying that good works are necessary for salvation, a statement we have not seen much - if ever - from the Calvinist camp.  The fact that good works are necessary and "needed for justification" tells us that faith is not alone and sola fide is indeed a lie.  Alan has not come out and said it is a lie and I'm quite certain that until his conversion is complete that he will deny he's saying sola fide is a lie but a plain reading of his own words exposes the truth here.

AR continues:  His letter apparently responds to a situation where moral laxity was countenanced. Nevertheless, James should not be interpreted to teach that believers can gain salvation on the basis of good works. Righteous deeds are the fruit of faith.

sw: It must be noted that Catholicism does not teach and has never taught that one can gain salvation on the basis of good works.  Again though, Alan's words betray his underlying Calvinism, for he says "James should not be interpreted to teach that believers can gain salvation..." believers are already given the gift of faith - if they are true believers.  True believers will not be without good works.  Again, true/saving faith is never alone.

AR continues: James recognizes that all believers sin in numerous ways (James 3:2), and that even one sin makes a lawbreaker of the one who commits it (James 2:10-11). Being sinners, humans lack the capacity to do the works required to merit justification. They are saved by the grace of God, for in his goodness and generosity he granted believers new life (James 1:18).

sw: On this point we concur.  The point that Alan appears to be missing is that God did provide the means of forgiveness of sins - and it was through his bishops.  Sins THEY forgive are forgiven and sins THEY do not forgive are NOT forgiven (John 20:23).

Even faith is a gift of God, for God chose some to “be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (James 2:5). What James hammers home is that such faith must always manifest itself in good works if it is genuine faith, but such good works are a far cry from perfection, as James 3:2 clarifies.”
-Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), pp.603-605.

sw: Yes, faith is a gift of God.  Jumping to James 3 does not negate what was said in James 2.   In fact, nothing in James 2 says good works equate to perfection - nor does Catholic teaching.  Good works are part of justification - which is a PROCESS TOWARD perfection.  We are, if we are faithful Christians, constantly in the process of perfection.  Yet, we do remain sinners - and we do fail from time to time and are in need of on of Christ's bishops - or one whom they have empowered to forgive sins.  My prayer remains that one day you will seek out one who truly has the authority from Christ to forgive your sins and that you will emerge from the lies of Protestantism which, in reality, keep you entrapped in your sins.
 
In JMJ,
Scott<<<

PS- Of note, it appears that Alan merely quoted Thomas R. Schreiner here, but those words become his argument too when he posts them on his blog.