Editing Sola fide (section)

===Faith and works===
While salvation cannot be achieved through works ([[Epistle to Titus|Titus]] {{Bibleref2-nb|Titus|3:5}}), faith being a unity with Christ in the Spirit naturally issues in love ([[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] {{Bibleref2-nb|Galatians|5:6}}).<ref>The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, [http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_4_justification.php#para111 Article IV: Of Justification], "We also say that love ought to follow faith, as Paul also says, Gal. 5:6: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love."</ref><ref>The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, [http://www.bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#part3.11 III. The Righteousness of Faith Before God] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620220939/http://www.bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#part3.11 |date=20 June 2016 }}, "We believe, teach, and confess that, although the contrition that precedes, and the good works that follow, do not belong to the article of justification before God, yet one is not to imagine a faith of such a kind as can exist and abide with, and alongside of, a wicked intention to sin and to act against the conscience. But after man has been justified by faith, then a true living faith worketh by love, Gal. 5:6, so that thus good works always follow justifying faith, and are surely found with it, if it be true and living; for it never is alone, but always has with it love and hope."</ref> This was Martin Luther's emphasis likewise.<ref>Richardson, A., Bwoden, J. (ed.), ''A New Dictionary of Christian Theology'', p. 208</ref>

In relation to ''sola fide'', the place of works is found in the second chapter of the [[Epistle to the Ephesians]]: Justification is by grace through faith, "''not from yourselves''" and "''not by works''". In other words, it is by faith alone since all human efforts are excluded here ([[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] {{Bibleref2-nb|Ephesians|2:8–9}}).<ref>Augsburg Confession, Article 20: Of Good Works, "First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins, grace, and justification, but that we obtain this only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ's sake, who alone has been set forth the Mediator and Propitiation, 1 Tim. 2:5, in order that the Father may be reconciled through Him. Whoever, therefore, trusts that by works he merits grace, despises the merit and grace of Christ, and seeks a way to God without Christ, by human strength, although Christ has said of Himself: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6. This doctrine concerning faith is everywhere treated by Paul, Eph. 2:8: By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of your selves; it is the gift of God, not of works, etc. And lest any one should craftily say that a new interpretation of Paul has been devised by us, this entire matter is supported by the testimonies of the Fathers. For Augustine, in many volumes, defends grace and the righteousness of faith, over against the merits of works. And Ambrose, in his ''De Vocatione Gentium'', and elsewhere, teaches to like effect. For in his ''De Vocatione Gentium'' he says as follows: Redemption by the blood of Christ would become of little value, neither would the preeminence of man's works be superseded by the mercy of God, if justification, which is wrought through grace, were due to the merits going before, so as to be, not the free gift of a donor, but the reward due to the laborer."</ref> Ephesians goes on to say that every person who has faith is to produce good works, according to God's plan ([[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] {{Bibleref2-nb|Ephesians|2:10}}). These works, however, are not a cause of forgiveness but a result of forgiveness. Faith alone justifies but faith is never alone. It is followed by works.<ref>The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, Article 4: Of Good Works, "First, there is no controversy among our theologians concerning the following points in this article, namely: that it is God's will, order, and command that believers should walk in good works; and that truly good works are not those which every one contrives himself from a good intention, or which are done according to traditions of men, but those which God Himself has prescribed and commanded in His Word; also, that truly good works are done, not from our own natural powers, but in this way: when the person by faith is reconciled with God and renewed by the Holy Ghost, or, as Paul says, is created anew in Christ Jesus to good works, Eph. 2:10."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Faith Alone - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=47&cuItem_itemID=9003 |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=wayback.archive-it.org |archive-date=27 September 2009 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090927120758/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=47&cuItem_itemID=9003 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In short, works of love are the goal of the saving faith ([[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] {{Bibleref2-nb|1 Timothy|1:5}}).<ref>The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, IV Justification, [http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_5_love.php#para124 Reply to the Arguments of the Adversaries]</ref>

According to the [[Defense of the Augsburg Confession]] of [[Philipp Melanchthon]], the [[Epistle of James]] clearly teaches that the recipients of the letter have been justified by God through the saving Gospel ([[Epistle of James|James]] {{Bibleref2-nb|James|1:18}}):
 
{{blockquote|Thirdly, James has spoken shortly before concerning regeneration, namely, that it occurs through the Gospel. For thus he says James 1:18: Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures. When he says that we have been born again by the Gospel, he teaches that we have been born again and justified by faith. For the promise concerning Christ is apprehended only by faith, when we set it against the terrors of sin and of death. James does not, therefore, think that we are born again by our works.<ref name="bookofconcord.org">The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, IV Justification, [http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_5_love.php#para126 Reply to the Arguments of the Adversaries]</ref>}}

In answer to a question on [[Epistle of James|James]] {{Bibleref2-nb|James|2:24}} ("you see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone"), the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has written: "In James 2, the author was dealing with errorists who said that if they had faith they didn't need to show their love by a life of faith (2:14–17). James countered this error by teaching that true, saving faith is alive, showing itself to be so by deeds of love (James 2:18, 26). The author of James taught that justification is by faith alone and also that faith is never alone but shows itself to be alive by good deeds that express a believer's thanks to God for the free gift of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ."<ref>{{Cite web |title=James 2:24 – Faith alone – Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) |url=https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=815&cuItem_itemID=7012 |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=wayback.archive-it.org |archive-date=27 September 2009 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090927142702/https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=815&cuItem_itemID=7012 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

According to the Defense of the Augsburg Confession again,

{{blockquote|James, therefore, did not believe that by good works we merit the remission of sins and grace. For he speaks of the works of those who have been justified, who have already been reconciled and accepted, and have obtained remission of sins.<ref>The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, IV Justification, [http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_5_love.php#para125 Reply to the Arguments of the Adversaries]</ref>}}

In ''Article XX of Good Works'', the [[Augsburg Confession]] states that:

{{blockquote|[I]t is taught on our part that it is necessary to do good works, not that we should trust to merit grace by them, but because it is the will of God. It is only by faith that forgiveness of sins is apprehended<ref>[http://bookofconcord.org/augsburgconfession.php#article20.27 Article XX: Of Good Works]</ref>}}

The Lutheran Churches teach that God does reward good works done by Christians; the [[Apology of the Augsburg Confession]] teaches: "We also affirm what we have often said, that although justification and eternal life go along with faith, nevertheless, good works merit other bodily and spiritual rewards and degrees of reward. According to 1 Corinthians 3:8, ‘Each will receive his wages according to his labor.’"<ref name="Preus2025">{{cite web |last1=Preus |first1=James |title=Rewards for Good Works |url=https://christforus.org/NewSite/index.php/2025/01/02/rewards-for-good-works/ |publisher=Christ for Us |access-date=14 May 2025 |date=2 January 2025}}</ref>

Martin Luther, [[Martin Luther#Antinomian controversy|who opposed antinomianism]], is recorded as stating, "Works are necessary for salvation but they do not cause salvation; for faith alone gives life."<ref>Ewald M. Plass, "What Luther says," p. 1509</ref>

In his Introduction to Romans, Luther stated that saving faith is,

<blockquote>
a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever...Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire!<ref>{{cite web |date=14 September 2020 |title=Luther, An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans |url=http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/luther-faith.txt |work=Luther's German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483–1546 |publisher=iclnet.org}} Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith from ''Dr. Martin Luther's vermischte deutsche Schriften''. Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63 (Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.&nbsp;124–125. [EA 63:124-125] August 1994</ref>
</blockquote>

Scottish theologian [[John Murray (theologian)|John Murray]] of [[Westminster Theological Seminary]] in Philadelphia, asserted:

<blockquote>
"Faith alone justifies but a justified person with faith alone would be a monstrosity which never exists in the kingdom of grace. Faith works itself out through love (Gal. 5:6). And Faith without works is dead (James 2:17–20)."
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
"It is living faith that justifies and living faith unites to Christ both in the virtue of his death and in the power of his resurrection. No one has entrusted himself to Christ for deliverance from the guilt of sin who has not also entrusted himself to him for deliverance from the power of sin."<ref>"Redemption Accomplished and Applied".</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://defendingcontending.com/2011/05/18/the-monstrosity-of-a-faith-that-is-alone|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708071516/http://defendingcontending.com/2011/05/18/the-monstrosity-of-a-faith-that-is-alone|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-08|title=The Monstrosity of a Faith that is Alone|work=Defending. Contending.}}</ref></blockquote>

Contemporary evangelical theologian [[R. C. Sproul]] writes:

<blockquote>
The relationship of faith and good works is one that may be distinguished but never separated ... if good works do not follow from our profession of faith, it is a clear indication that we do not possess justifying faith. The Reformed formula is, "We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone."<ref>{{cite book |title=Essential Truths of the Christian Faith |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DC-TRU4tEvsC&q=R.+C.+Sproul+Faith+and+Works&pg=PT211 |page=191|isbn = 9780842320016|last1 = Sproul|first1 = R. C.|year = 1998| publisher=Tyndale House Publishers }}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Michael Horton (theologian)|Michael Horton]] concurs by saying:

<blockquote>
This debate, therefore, is not over the question of whether God renews us and initiates a process of gradual growth in holiness throughout the course of our lives. 'We are justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone,' Luther stated, and this recurring affirmation of the new birth and sanctification as necessarily linked to justification leads one to wonder how the caricatures continue to be perpetuated without foundation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Are we justified by faith alone? |url=http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/articles/are_we_justified_by_faith_alone.shtml |publisher=mountainretreatorg.net}}</ref>
</blockquote>