Sola fide

Sola fide (by faith alone) is the doctrine held by some Protestant denominations of Christianity but rejected by other Christians, that God once and for all declares sinners righteous, on the basis of faith in Christ's work, death and resurrection, and not on the basis of good works which they have done. Thus, it is only through Christ's righteousness imputed to them, that believers have hope of eternal life. This doctrine as accepted by many Protestants, including Lutherans and Baptists, is rejected by Catholics.

As stated by Martin Luther, sola fide was the principal cause of the Protestant Reformation. As expressed by John Calvin, "every one who would obtain the righteousness of Christ must renounce his own". The doctrine asserts that faith in Christ is both necessary and sufficient for sinners to be accepted by God, to count them among His people, and to equip them with the motive of trust, gratitude and love toward God from which good works are to be done. Some Christian groups such as Catholics believe that faith is necessary for salvation but not sufficient.

The precise relationship between faith and good works is an issue of continuing controversy in Lutheran and other churches. Even at the outset of the Reformation, subtle differences of emphasis appeared. For example, because the Epistle of James emphasizes the importance of good works, Martin Luther sometimes referred to it as the "epistle of straw". Calvin on the other hand, while not intending to differ with Luther, wrote of the necessity of good works as a consequence or 'fruit' of faith. The Anabaptists tended to make a nominal distinction between faith and obedience. Recent meetings of scholars and clergy have attempted to soften the antithesis between Lutheran and Catholic conceptions of the role of faith in salvation, which, if they were successful, would have far reaching implications for the relationship between most Protestants and the Catholic Church. These attempts to form a consensus are not widely accepted among either Protestants or Catholics, so that sola fide continues to be a doctrinal distinctive of the Reformation churches, including Lutherans, Reformed and many evangelicals. Nevertheless, some statements of the doctrine are interpreted as a denial of the doctrine as understood by other groups.

Table of contents

1 Sola Fide Apparently Supported by the New Testament
2 Sola Fide Apparently Rejected by the New Testament
3 Sola fide in Protestant Confessions (Excerpts)

3.1 Anglican
3.2 Lutheran
3.3 Mennonite
3.4 Reformed (Continental)
3.5 Reformed (Presbyterian)
3.6 Reformed Baptist
3.7 United Methodist

4 Non-denominational Evangelicals
5 Unofficial Ecumenical statements

5.8 Evangelicals and Catholics Together
5.9 Lutheran-Catholic

Sola Fide Apparently Supported by the New Testament

Acts 16:31

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.

Acts 26:18

...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me...

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 5:1

...having been justified by faith...

Romans 10:9

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and belive in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Sola Fide Apparently Rejected by the New Testament

James Chapter Two (Excerpts)

...What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?...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?...Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Sola fide in Protestant Confessions (Excerpts)

Summary:

A typical Anabaptist confession of faith.

Salvation is variously expressed, sometimes as 'justification by faith', in which case it means that the just person has accepted the offer of a covenantal relationship, and lives according to that covenant.