#3 Grace- (SOLA GRATIA– BY GRACE ALONE)
The third plank in the Reformers cry would be “solia gratia” (by grace alone). This emphasis ties into the last one on faith. It is our faith not what we do that saves us (see number 2) but it is God’s grace (gift, act of God) that does the actual saving. So even though it is our faith (trust-placing believe) the actual saving is not the act but the giving of the gift from God (you can’t understand 2 and 3 separately). The Catholic church would stress that salvation is only by grace but that faith and works is there and people are sustained by grace. The Reformers wanted to clarify and correct this and make it absolutely clear that it is God alone that is saving us through grace. Grace is God’s free gift made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is given to us through the Holy Spirit.
How is faith alone and grace alone different? Faith alone is still a work (we are placing ourselves in God’s hand but it is a choice we make) and without grace it still couldn’t save us. Grace is the free gift God offers. So we aren’t working our way to heaven but we are accepting (faith) the gift God is giving (grace).
In 1999 Lutherans and Catholics issued the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” which read, “”By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.” In 2006, delegates to the World Methodist Conference voted unanimously to adopt the declaration. The Methodists’ resolution said the 1999 agreement “expresses a far-reaching consensus in regard to the theological controversy which was a major cause of the split in Western churches in the 16th century” over salvation by grace alone or by grace and good works. And so the heirs of Martin Luther and the Catholic Church have agreed that Luther was right. There are still Protestants who see major differences among Catholics and Protestants regarding this issue and I suppose it will never be settled. Old wounds remain for a long time.
Is this important today? Yes. Again it is a stress on Christ and Christ alone for our salvation. Both 2 and 3 reject works and are human attempts to explain a God thing. Jesus saves and we either accept or reject that salvation.
With all due respect, to imply that the RCC gave in, changed her doctrine and declared Martin Luther “right” is to gloss over the truth. This is purely an oversimplification. Oh, and just a little trivia – Martin Luther also wanted to cut the book of James from the Canon -something about “faith without works is dead” seemed to trouble him- glad nobody said “Hey Marty you’re right again!” Of course we all know and believe that faith produces good works in us. 2 sides 1 coin.
Just to illustrate to your blog readers what the RCC has always and WILL continue to teach, here are some quotes from the Church Fathers. This is Tradition(what is handed down)
Clement of Rome: “We also, being called through God’s will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves, neither through our own wisdom or understanding, or piety, or works which we have done in holiness or heart, but through faith” (Epistle to Corinthians).
Ignatius: “His cross, and his death, and his resurrection, and the faith which is through him, are my unpolluted muniments; and in these, through your prayers, I am willing to be justified (Epistle to Philadelphians). Note: “muniments” are title deeds, documents giving evidence of legal ownership of something.
Polycarp: “I know that through grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God, through Jesus Christ (Epistle of Philippians).
Justin Martyr: “No longer by the blood of goats and of sheep, or by the ashes of a heifer…are sins purged, but by faith, through the blood of Christ and his death, who died on this very account (Dialogue with Trypho). “God gave his own Son the ransom for us…for what, save his righteousness, could cover our sins. In whom was it possible that we, transgressors and ungodly as we were, could be justified, save in the Son of God alone? …O unexpected benefit, that the transgression of many should be hidden in one righteous Person and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors” (Letter to Diognetus).
Ireneus: “Through the obedience of one man who first was born from the Virgin, many should be justified and receive salvation.”
Cyprian: “If Abraham believed in God and it was imputed to him for righteousness, then each one, who believes in God and lives by faith, is found to be a righteous person.”
Athanasius: “Not by these (i.e. human efforts) but by faith, a man is justified as was Abraham.”
Basil: “This is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness and to be justified by faith alone in Christ.”
Ambrose: “Without the works of the law, to an ungodly man, that is to say, a Gentile, believing in Christ, his “faith is imputed for righteousness” as also it was to Abraham.”
Origen: “Through faith, without the works of the law, the dying thief was justified, because…the Lord inquired not what he had previously wrought, nor yet waited for his performance of some work after he should have believe; but…he took him unto himself for a companion, justified through his confession alone.”
Jerome: “When an ungodly man is converted, God justified him through faith alone, not on account of good works which he possessed not.”
Chrysostom: “What then did God do? He made (says Paul) a righteous Person (Christ) to be a sinner, in order that he might make sinners righteous… it is the righteousness of God, when we are justified, not by works…but by grace, where all sin is made to vanish away.”
Chrysostom: “Again, they said that he who adhered to Faith alone was cursed, but he shows that hewho adhered to Faith alone, is blessed.”
Augustine: “Grace is give to you, not wages paid to you…it is called grace because it is given gratuitously. By no precedent merits did you buy what you have received. The sinner therefore received this grace first, that his sins should be forgiven him…good works follow after a justified person; they do not go before in order that he may be justified…good works, following after justification, show what a man has received.”
Augustine: “Now, having duly considered and weighed all these circumstances and testimonies, we conclude that a man is not justified by the precepts of a holy life, but by faith in Jesus Christ,–in a word, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith; not by the letter, but by the spirit; not by the merits of deeds, but by free grace.”
Anselm: “Do you believe that you cannot be saved but by the death of Christ? Go, then, and …put all your confidence in this death alone. If God shall say to you, “You are a sinner”, say to him, “I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sin.”"
Bernard of Clairvaux: “Shall not all our righteousness turn out to be mere unrighteousness and deficiency? What, then, shall it be concerning our sins, when not even our righteousness can answer for itself? Wherefore…let us flee, with all humility to Mercy which alone can save our souls…whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness, let him believe in thee, who “justified the ungodly”; and thus, being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God.”
http://www.catholic.com
This is a great site for anyone who wants to understand what Catholics really believe. There is so much misinformation and many of us (Protestants) judge the RCC by the actions of bad Catholics. The same could be said for the Baptist believers. The sooner Christians realize that believers from other “tribes” are NOT the enemy- Satan behind the mask of secular humanism is clearly our present danger- the more effective the Church will become as a witness for Jesus Christ.
That said, I think Dr. Hamby is right in hammering out the essence of “orthodox” Christian beliefs so the faithful will be fully equipped for our mission to the world.
You wrote:
With all due respect, to imply that the RCC gave in, changed her doctrine and declared Martin Luther “right” is to gloss over the truth. This is purely an oversimplification. Oh, and just a little trivia – Martin Luther also wanted to cut the book of James from the Canon -something about “faith without works is dead” seemed to trouble him- glad nobody said “Hey Marty you’re right again!” Of course we all know and believe that faith produces good works in us. 2 sides 1 coin.
You wrote:
“With all due respect, to imply that the RCC gave in, changed her doctrine and declared Martin Luther “right” is to gloss over the truth. This is purely an oversimplification. Oh, and just a little trivia – Martin Luther also wanted to cut the book of James from the Canon -something about “faith without works is dead” seemed to trouble him- glad nobody said “Hey Marty you’re right again!” Of course we all know and believe that faith produces good works in us. 2 sides 1 coin.”
I probably did oversimply a big big discussion. However it seems to me a bit of a settling/making peace. I do know about Luther’s frustration with James. He called it an “epistle of straw.” While I appreciate and am glad for Martin Luther I would not make him totally spotless!!!! He also once said, “What shall we do with the damnable race we call the Jews!!” I am uncomfortable with that as well. So Luther was far from perfect. And Protestants are for that matter. My main point is to show some basic themes we have as Protestants that are important to who we are.
Protestant and Catholic conversations need to continue. It is a far different conversation than with Mormonism. I don’t see RC as heretics (please don’t think that from my blogs) but Prot and Catholics have had some big divisions. Thankfully we are more in a discussion mode than doing violence toward one another!!!!!!! I believe we can learn much from one another. However Protestant theology is impt to us and the solas I’ve listed are major for us. Thanks for your input!
You wrote:
“With all due respect, to imply that the RCC gave in, changed her doctrine and declared Martin Luther “right” is to gloss over the truth. This is purely an oversimplification.
I appreciate your comment. I don’t think the RC ever taught we work our way into heaven. I love your quotes by the way. But I do think Luther was concerned that works were too much in the mix and wanted to really clarify salvation by faith alone. I also would think that the statements I quoted also were an attempt to make that clear. I don’t think that until 1999 RC believed differently than shifted but rather came to a settling of understanding.
How do you see the statement in 1999? I’d love to get your perspective.
Thanks for your comments Dr. Hamby!
Here is my perspective on the 1999 statement: “By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.”
The wording is quite satisfying to me personally for the following reasons:
1- by grace alone- these words come first and they speak of the sole initiative of God in saving us. Our new birth is something God does apart from us just as our physical birth was not our own doing. We didn’t have a say in being born in the flesh why would we claim to have anything to do with our spiritual birth? (Some teachers imply that we somehow actively participate in our own regeneration)
2- having been born again we respond immediately by faith, which is the gift of God. Maybe it’s like our first mortal breath as babies, God gives us the lungs and air to breathe, but we also participate in continuing to breathe. Possibly not the best analogy, but you get the idea.
3- not because of any merit of our own… Grace is not earned or it wouldn’t be grace. This statement makes it clear we do not merit salvation by what we do(exercising faith or doing good deeds).
4- the Holy Spirit renews our hearts – this covers the fact that we need a new heart fit for God. Old wineskins cannot hold new wine! For God the Holy Spirit to indwell us, He has to make us a fit dwelling place. Once God moves in the work of sanctification begins and we toddle along getting stronger (hopefully) as we grow in His grace. God equips us and works in/through us to do good works. It’s not our good works commending us to God. That’s putting the cart before the horse.
So, I think the wording of the above statement is something I would agree with at this point of my understanding.
I would agree with it and with your comment, amen!!! Very good descriptions!
How would you relate Luther’s struggle in the reformation? What do you see was going on?
I also realize the RC went thru a counter reformation as well.
Thank you for your insight. Well put.