Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone

Roman Catholics continue to believe that salvation is by faith plus works, grace plus merit, and Christ plus our own righteousness. In this brief clip, R.C. Sproul looks at the Reformers' objections to this view.

[mimitovar]

such a simple explanation but so profound! Thank you, I will adopt this explanation for my women's theology class!

[billreal]

Amen! Thanks Ligonier for remaining faithful to God's inerrant word.

[superbee]

Our inherent righteousness? They must have missed the verse that teaches ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags ... utterly useless for our redemption.

[scriptureexamined]

How are we Reformed Christians to understand Titus 3:5 as regeneration and justification can't be mixed together according to our doctrine?

[follow_the_way]

John 17:3 says

And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

The Bible says that eternal life is to KNOW the Father and Jesus.

How are we able to know that we have come to KNOW the Father and Jesus?

1 John 2:3-4 says

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

So, assurance of eternal life in Christ is to keep the commandments(plural) of Christ and by this we can KNOW that we KNOW Him and have eternal life. The Bible clearly says that whoever says they KNOW Him but does not keep His commandments(plural) is a LIAR!! Plain and simple.

The gospel that is taught to many people today has been reduced down to just "faith alone". This false gospel of "faith alone" has made following the commandments of Christ null and void. Obeying His commandments have been eliminated from the gospel and have been made subsequent and optional to salvation. Walking in the Spirit has been made optional as well. This false gospel of "faith alone" changes what Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 - For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Instead of following the biblical teaching on salvation in Christ, they follow this false gospel which tells them that they can be saved by "faith alone", apart from having to keep the commandments of Christ.

By teaching that we do NOT need to keep the commandments(plural) of Christ as the gospel, the saving power of the gospel has been neutralized. The end result is that millions of people have been deceived by the devil's masterpiece into thinking they have eternal life in Christ when they actually do not.

[purgatorean]

Is there just one single son of a reformer among you that can produce just one single example of a person being saved like a reformer in the Biblical New Covenant Church? The Catholic Church, and therefore the Bible, teach that the Sacraments are necessary for the reception of God's Saving Grace. Christ gave us the His Church. He filled the Church with the Holy Spirit on that First Christian Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. From that moment to the end of the Book of Revelation, and right down to this very day, we can find Grace only in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Jesus is the One that said that it is Faith PLUS Baptism that saves us. The Church can not change that teaching. Reformers can not change that teaching. Reformers can ignore it. Reformers can teach against this, which is heresy of course. However, reformers can never change what Jesus taught. Want proof. Just read Acts 2:37-41 and you will see that the Believers were not saved until they repented, and received Baptism for the forgiveness of their sins and reception of the Holy Spirit. Try to find just one person that was saved without this most beautiful Sacrament. No, my friends, it was and is the reformers that have it wrong, Heaven does not await them.