Faith Alone
Salvation that means being righteous in the sight of God is one of the central doctrines of the Bible and the Christian faith. Yet it has always been one of the most controversial of teachings. Why is that?
Romans 4:3
What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Galatians 3:6
So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
I have quoted from three different letters in the New Testament to show that this is not an isolated doctrine, admittedly Romans and Galatians are generally attributed to Paul the apostle.
What is Faith?
Hebrews 11: 1-3 J.B. Phillips New Testament
Now faith means putting our full confidence in the things we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see.
Clement le Cossec Faith is the ACT of TRUST. It is trust that grasps the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Faith is not the gift of God but the possibility of receiving Salvation. Salvation is the gift of God
Ephesians 2: 8 TLV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God.
How are we saved?
Acts 16: 29-31 TLV
The jailer called for lights and rushed in; and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. After he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Put your trust in the Lord Yeshua and you will be saved—you and your household!”
Galatians 2: 15 PHILLIPS
know that a man is justified not by performing what the Law commands but by faith in Jesus Christ. We ourselves are justified by our faith and not by our obedience to the Law, for we have recognised that no one can achieve justification by doing the “works of the Law”.
The New Catholic Bible puts it this way
It Is Faith That Saves
Justified by Faith in Christ.
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, 16 yet we know that a man is justified not by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. So we too came to believe in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in him and not by the works of the Law, for no one will be justified by the works of the Law.
The New Catholic Bible Romans 3:28
28 For we maintain that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.
Sounds simple enough - even a child could understand
Matthew 18: 3 New International Version
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
How to know whether we are children of God?
Romans 8: 14 New Living Translation
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
John 1: 12-14
10 The Word was in the world, and the world was made by him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.