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Justification by faith, “Justification by works is the most important…
Justification by faith
RC church, justification by works, justification by works comes from baptism but can be lost if you commit mortal sins. Can be regained through confession, reconciliation and penance which involve confessing sins and doing good things to make up.
Purgatory , illudes to idea of good works being needed to get to heaven as perfatory is for people who have not done enough penance.
Ipistle of James , points out that if someone is in need of food, faith won’t help, actions are needed. Also points out that even demons believe in God, which shows faith alone is not enough as demons are clearly not saved.
Abraham was justified by his works in his willingness to sacrifice his son, Issac. “Faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works…you see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone…faith without works is dead”. - James 2:14-26.
Parable of sheep and goat. Sheep go to heaven as they give clothes to naked, food to hungry, visit those in hospital and prison. Sheep go to hell. Goats do not do these deeds and thus they go to hell for a lack of justification by works. Mathew 25:31-36
Martin Luther, pro justification by faith. Protestant reformer, influenced by St. Paul. Main scripture that influences him is from romans. Paul claims that “salvation comes to everyone who has faith” Romans 1:16-17
Based on:
”he who threw faith, is righteous shall live”
St Paul claims humans are not good enough to gain gods grace as we all sin, justification by faith must be more important.
Claims it was Abrahams faith in God when he went to sacrifice Issac, that made him righteous.
Through Exegesis, different scholars have interpreted this to mean different things
Luther was influenced by Augustine’s teaching on original sin, which is essentially the idea that humans are incapable of saving themselves therefore it is by faith alone that humans can be saved, not works. Justification can be received by humans passively , not due to effort they put in.
Luther also saw the corruption in RC church and claimed that faith is the only thing necessary as he wanted to turn people away from paying the church eg paying way into heaven.
Faiths and works are like fire and heat, the later flows inevitably from the former.
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Council of Trent - the function of faith was to bring the person into fellowship with Jesus, but faith could not forfill that function unless combined with function and charity.
“Faith, hope and charity are the 3 Christian virtues”, Aquinas - this council says faith alone neither unites man with Christ neither makes him a living member of his body.
Council of Trent made reference to James, saying demons have dead faith as it involves evil works, and the other kind of faith that unites with Christ.
Good works are not “merely the fruits and signs of justification but are part of the cause and preservation of justification”
Justification is both faith and works as faith disconnected from charity and works is dead.
Protest response to council of Trent (Martin Luther) Grace cannot be earned by good works, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you cannot take credit for this ; it is a gift from God.” - Ephesians 2:8
Catholics respond by saying that righteousness is enabled by baptism and righteousness is gained by participation in the eurachist and by penance which includes doing good works.
Predestination means that faith is only possible for those who God has predestined to have faith and thus it is down to free will.
Pelagius, Gods command of moral action pre supposes free will, God would. Not have commandments if he had predestined what people do already.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.” -Philippians 2:13
“Justification by works is the most important aspect needed for a Christian to enter heaven” assess this view. Plan
For (Catholic church , James the Ipistle, Abraham sacrifice son, sheep and goat parable from Jesus.
Against, Martin Luther, st Paul,
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Conclusion, touch on predestination
Justification by actions, in the eschatological sense, could be argued to be the most important aspect needed for a Christian to achieve salvation. This question has been debated by catholics and Protestants since Martin Luther in the 15th centuary and is still questioned today. I would argue that a combination of both works and faith is required for Christians to achieve salvation in heaven.
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Martin Luther would argue that,
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