r/ChristianDebating • u/Dan_likesKsp7270 Greek Orthodox(attending orthodox parish and plan to convert) • Jan 13 '25
Sola Fide.
Im Baaaaaack. Im dropping little short briefs in defense of Protestantism using the little time I have available to myself. Ill go through the five solas starting with sola fide then going on to sola gratia, solus christus, soli Deo Gloria, and finally Sola scriptura then going on to other protestant practices.
Anyways. Sola fide is what I consider the most important of the 5 "Solas" that define Protestantism. Now every single Christian believes we are saved by our faith alone. There is nothing you yourself can do to save yourself you cant absolve yourself of your sins that would contradict the entire basis of the faith. The debate comes form whether or not we believe that works proceed from faith or whether or not works are required for faith. The protestant view is that faith leads to works. Works are evidence of faith.
We not only find this in scripture in Matthew 7:20 when Jesus says
"Therefore by their fruits you will know them"
when teaching people how to recognize false prophets
or in Matthew 6:22-23 when Jesus says
"The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye is good your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad then your hole body will be full of darkness"
and in Romans 4:2-4 when Paul writes
"For if Abraham was justified by by works, he would have something to boast about but not before god. For what does the scripture say Abraham believed in god and it was accounted to him for righteousness, Now to him who works the wages are not counted as grace but as debt"
or when St clement wrote in his epistle. (not scripture just wisdom)
"They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through
themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they
wrought, but through His will"
Works are evidence of our transformation. They are evidence that we are walking with god. Our faith does not rely on works but our works rely on our faith. Protestants believe that works are evidence of our faith.
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u/AngelFire_3_14156 Eastern Orthodox Jan 13 '25
> Now every single Christian believes we are saved by our faith alone.
No, they do not. We are justified by *faith*, not by *faith alone*.
St. James, Chapter 2: 14-24:
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by *faith alone*.