Sola Fide Is Dead - Why Faith Alone Does Not Get You There

 Sola Fide, or the principle of "faith alone", is a core principle of the reformation among other the other sola-principles. It basically states that we are saved because of our faith in Jesus Christ, and our faith alone. No works of salvation needed, no small print, no nothing. There are different notions in the Protestant denominations that argue that faith once is enough and one cannot lose their salvation, while others state that faith has to remain active to have saving power. But how scriptural is Sola Fide? Well, if you take single verses out of context and ignore others, you could get to the conclusion it is a core doctrine. 

We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16, RSVCE) 

In these verses, Paul rebukes Peter for demanding obedience to Jewish laws for converts. What many people ignore is that Paul speaks against blind obedience to THE law, meaning the Mosaic law that faithful Jews have to follow. Of course, Paul is not speaking against all the laws. This would not make sense since he himself writes in some of his letters concerning obedience to law and authorities. Paul does not suffer from a split personality disorder, but some readers may have a very selective reading style. 

What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:14-17, RSVCE)

Faith without works is dead...what a statement. And indeed, having faith but doing nothing besides believing is simply not enough. What about baptisms? What about confirmations? If faith would be enough, then why did the saints preach, teach, baptize, confirm, bless, minister the sacramental elements, etc.? Jesus himself told the young wealthy man that he would have to sell all his riches, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus in order to the right thing. Jesus did not just say: Have faith. 

Can you imagine Paul's letters if Sola Fide was true? Letter to the Romans: "Have faith!" Letter to the Corinthians: "Have faith!" And so on. This would have saved the saints a lot of reading and the apostles a lot of persecution. But they constantly remind the saints that they should obey their governments, give alms, preach the Gospel, and many more things. 

But then why did the reformers come up with Sola Fide if they knew the scriptures. Well, because there was a time when the clergy tried to gain power, influence, and money from abusing the works of faith. When they preached an angry God that lusts for vengeance, people were sore afraid to spend all eternity in hell. Therefore, they bought indulgences for themselves and their relatives or worked for the clergymen for free. Apostasy and corruption had befallen Christ's church early on; it is no wonder that, at one point, opposition had to arise. 

To summarize, I think it is safe to say that Sola Fide, in the truest sense of the words, is wrong. No, faith alone does not do the job and it won't get you the exaltation you are longing for. But no, works themselves also don't do it. It needs both and a third ingredient: Jesus' sacrifice. Without his atonement, we could believe as much as we want, and we could do a thousand good works each day; but nothing would save us from eternal damnation and separation from the Father. 

Jesus laid the foundation, faith forms the pillars, and good works make a solid roof.

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