Faith Alone?
Introduction
This is "Part 1" of a three-part series of short essays addressing the "Faith Alone" error. In addition to addressing the "Faith Alone" error, we are going to examine two foundational verses wrested from context to support the "Faith Alone" error.
Isaiah 62:5 and 64:6 are probably two of the most misinterpreted verses used to support Paul's damnable "gospel." This is where we get the concepts of a "holier than thou" and "our righteousness is as filthy rags." In reality, as will be proven, salvation comes by obeying Jesus, which is defined as the will of the Father. As will be proven in this series, this neither makes you a "holier than thou" or your righteousness as filthy rags.
"Believe in" mean "Obey unto"
Now
John
3:16 is often cited to refute the claim that Jesus expected works
and acts as a sort of parallel to Ephesians 2:8,9.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The phrase "that whoseover believeth
in"
needs to be understood in light of the Greek.
The
English phrase “believe in” as it's found in the KJV and other
modern translations is
a weakened English
rendering of the Greek pisteuo
eis.
It's
not
that it's improper to "believe in" Jesus--it's
that
the force
is
hidden.
1. BDAG, “to entrust oneself [to a person] in complete confidence,
believe (in), trust w. implication of total commitment to the one
who is trusted” (pg. 817, 3rd ed.).
2. “2. to believe, comply, obey" (Liddell &
Scott’s, XXIVth edition, 1891, pg. 561).
3. “2. to comply” (LSJ, pg. 1408, 1968 edition).
4. “4...finally persons, in which case [πιστεύω] can
acquire the nuance ‘to obey’” (TDNT, vol. VI, pg. 178).
(We see from the Hebrew sense how this comes to be).
5. “2b Ac. 2:44 (those) who made their commitment.” (BDAG,
pg. 317).
6. “2. to instrust a thing to one, i.e. to his fidelity: Lk.
xvi. 11; Jn. ii. 24; to be instrusted with a thing:” (Thayer).
The
KJV translators either
knew
all of
this but hid it
or they didn't know it.
We
can test the claim easily. In
John 2:24,25, we see the following in the KJV: "But Jesus did
not commit
himself
unto them, because he
knew all men." If we look at an Interlinear like the Mounce
Reverse Interlinear, we uncover the truth: "24But de
as for Jesus
Iēsous,
he
autos
did
not ou
entrust pisteuō
himself
autos
to them
autos,
because dia
· ho
he autos
knew ginōskō
all pas
men." When "pisteuo" is "toward" or "in
relation" to a person, the emphasis is on commitment,
fidelity, obedience.
Jesus
did not piesteo
eis (commit unto) those people';
therefore,
the
inverse of John 2:24 is required of the disciple: we are to commit
unto, remain faithful to, or OBEY Jesus.
The
meaning is clear. John 3:16 could be translated thus:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son; that whoseover totally commits to/ obeys/ makes their commitment to/ is faithful to him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
We see this concept of obedience and fidelity expressed in other ways in the following passages:
- Jesus said unless we hear and do (obey) his teachings, we will be destroyed. Matthew 7:24-27.
- Jesus said if we don’t abide, we will be cast away. John 15.
- Jesus defined the will of God as obeying him. John 6:40.
- Jesus said his family are the ones who do the will of God (obey). Matthew 12:50.
Mercy
comes to the ones keeping God’s commands, not the ones casting them
away as “a yoke of bondage” (Gal5). This is seen in Exodus 20:6. Jesus
said that if we put our hands to the plow and turn back, we aren’t fit
for the kingdom in Luke 9:62.
Galatians alone contradicts Jesus’ version of the Kingdom Gospel. The Gospel is what Jesus said: “
The time is fulfilled. Repent ye and believe the Gospel,
for the kingdom of God is at hand.” We see from this proclamation in Mark that the Gospel concer
ns the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the long awaited messiah and the inauguration of his kingdom. He calls us to repent and enter that kingdom through that narrow gate, which is him and his teachings as demonstrated above. Kingdom entrance is dependent upon our obedience. Without such, there's
no salvation; only destruction. As already demonstrated by just a few verses and the Greek,
he expects us to follow, not merely believe in some facts. We’re expected to be occupied with Kingdom Work as our means of inheriting eternal life. This is what it means to follow Jesus. So a person who has no works won’t be saved, no matter how alone their faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is.
No, Paul Agrees with Jesus!
To try and maintain "consistency" and cover any perceived contradictions, people object and say that Paul says the law is righteous, citing Romans 3:31. Sometimes they use Romans 2:13 and others like these to support the idea that law keepers are justified by law keeping. Is this so?
Mainstream apologists say that Paul’s concept of us establishing the righteous law means "that we agree that we’re incapable of keeping it." We agree or establish the fact that it is righteous, and we aren’t. He says that unless the law hadn’t commanded “thou shalt not covet,” he wouldn’t have know sin or what sin was—so because of that law, he died because the law rouses sin in our members (Romans 7). In light of the fact that people sin when still trying their best to keep "the Torah," his conclusion is that, yes, the doer of the law will be justified, but he concludes that none have kept the law. Therefore, justification is by “faith alone,” not works, as he says here in chapter 3, especially in v28:
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Paul’s conclusion in Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians is that a man is not justified by works. Faith alone. Faith only. That’s his constant refrain. He says this is "being witnessed by the law and the prophets." This isn't true. This is why Paulinists misinterpret Isaiah 62 and 64. This contradicts what Jesus said.
Conclusion
Jesus requires obedience to him and his teachings, for example in Matthew 7:21-27, not some pretended works; and Jesus’ brother says the following in the second chapter of his epistle:
24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
For Jesus and his brother James, salvation (“justification”) is by works, not faith only because, “faith without works is dead.” Paul preaches a dead faith. James uses Paul’s Abraham example (Romans 4; Galatians) to conclude the opposite of Paul. The reality is that God doesn’t despise a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51). Mercy comes only to the law keepers (Exo 20:6), as it's revealed in the Teachings of Jesus Christ. To the contrary, Paul says mercy comes to those who simply believe, without works (Romans 10:9,10).
In the other studies in this series, we will look at "the prophets" and
see if their message is the same as Paul's. We've already seen how it
differs from Moses' and Jesus' message. What about Isaiah? Ezekiel? Is trying to live
according to Jesus' commands, or the commands of God, for salvation
"filthy rags"? Does it make me or you a "holier than thou"?
