The Illogic of Sola Fide
By: Joe Moreaux and Brad Morrell
One of the favorite phrases of Protestant apologetics in regards to Sola Fide is the statement, “We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” This is formulated in a very crafty way, so as to keep the focus on salvation being by “Faith Alone,” yet with the admission that they are aware works play a crucial role in the process.
The Bible’s emphasis on the role of our works within the context of justification is undeniable. St. Paul writes, “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:6-7). St. James writes, “See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone… For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:24,26). Our Lord states, “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).
The Protestant is often aware of this, and so they must labor hard at finding a way to fit these clear teachings within the parameter of their man-made Sola Fide dogma. The strategy they use is to admit that works are a part of the process only in the sense that one who has “true saving faith” will obviously display good works, since good works will automatically flow out of the one who is truly saved. In the event that good works do not automatically flow, or habitual sin is still present, they will judge that the person was never really saved to begin with.
However, good works do not always flow automatically out of the one who is converted. We need to cooperate with grace in order to combat our vices and strive for holiness. It is not just about “habitual sin,” but even one single willfully committed mortal sin. One can be a Christian and yet still fall into sin, even habitual sin. But they must repent if they hope to regain sanctifying grace which gets us to Heaven.
The Protestant is also in the dilemma of ordaining themself Judge, Jury, Pope, and Magisterium of such cases. What if one uses artificial contraception? Are they no longer a Christian? Protestants do not even consider such an act to be serious sin anymore these days. What if they divorce and remarry? The same rule applies. What if they struggle with looking at pornography? How many instances qualifies for, “That person was never a Christian to begin with?” What if they lie? What if they gossip?
And on the opposite side of the coin, since they claim good works automatically flow, does the Protestant automatically begin feeding the homeless, giving alms to the poor, visiting the imprisoned, counseling the doubtful, forgiving injuries, bearing wrongs patiently?
True faith does not always produce good works. James does not say that faith without works is false faith. He says it is DEAD faith, meaning even if you have true faith in Christ but do not repent then your faith cannot save you. The Protestant says “Faith = Salvation + Works.” The Bible says, “Faith - Works = Death.” So they are in conflict with Sacred Scripture.
St. Peter was given a revelation from Heaven regarding the identity of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. And yet he ended up denying Jesus three times at the outset of His Passion. Later on, God revealed to him the truth concerning Gentiles within the Kingdom, but then years later he fell into the sin of hypocrisy and had to be reprimanded by St. Paul. Did good works automatically flow from him? Was he never truly a Christian?
King David was called a man after God’s own heart, and chosen by God to be the king of Israel. Later in life, he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then orchestrated for her husband to be killed to cover up his crime. Did good works automatically flow from David? Was he never truly a believer?
In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25), the bad servant accepts the master’s talents but does nothing with them. As a result, he is cast into darkness. This is equal to us accepting God’s grace but then not producing fruit.
The Protestant argues, “We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith must be accompanied by good works.” So by deduction, the Catholic can ask, “So are you saved by good works alone, but saving works must be accompanied by faith?”
Technically, the Protestant has no grounds for rejecting this, since the two are equivalent side by side. So then, the Protestant would have to admit that faith and good works are both necessary to be saved.
Here is the thinking behind this logical deduction: They claim “faith alone” is all you need. But then they claim that the “faith” which alone saves you must also, of necessity, have works with it, otherwise they say it is not saving faith. So if the works are not there, they say you are not truly saved. Thus, they make an unbreakable connection between faith and works, even though they say “Faith Alone.” If we were to switch this, then, one could say that our works alone save us, however they must be works which are accompanied by faith, otherwise the works can not save you.
The logic works identical both ways. So then whichever way you want to explain it, faith and works are both necessary.
This approach applies logically because the Protestant makes the unbreakable connection between both faith and works. One must be present for the other to truly exist; so then, by deduction, vice versa applies as well. Both must be there of necessity; one does not exist without the other. Faith and Works are both required, and if they deny this, then they deny their own claim that works must be present for the faith to be classified as saving faith.
Example 1: In order to be married, you must be a husband. If you are a husband, then you must show that you have a wife.
So then: in order to be married, you must be a wife. If you are a wife, you must show that you have a husband.
Thus: A husband and wife are both required for there to be a marriage. It is not just the “Husband Alone,” or “Wife Alone,” but rather, Husband and Wife for a true Marriage.
Example 2: In order to be alive, you must have a body. If you have a body, you must have a soul.
So then: In order to be alive, you must have a soul. If you have a soul, you must have a body.
Thus: body are soul are both required to be alive. It is not “Body Alone” or “Soul Alone,” but rather body and soul to be alive.
So then, that leads us to the illogic of the Protestant claim of Sola Fide.
In order to be saved, you must have faith. If you have faith, then you must have good works (this is their position).
So then: in order to be saved, you must have good works. If you have good works, then you must have faith.
Thus: faith and works are both required for there to be salvation. Not “Faith Alone.” Not “Works Alone.” But faith and works are necessary to be saved.
