⛪ Have You Deviated From Historical Christianity?
This ministry holds to the most academically sound and historically time-tested theology known to Christendom. My position is known as the “historic Protestant” position which has been a sanctuary away from heresy for over 500 years. Justification by faith alone (Sola fide) has been a primary belief of Protestants since the time of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.
| Five Solas | |
|---|---|
| Saved by Grace alone (Sola Gratia) |
Eph 2:8-10; Ti 3:5; Gal. 2:21;5:4 |
| Through Faith alone (Sola Fide) |
Ro 5:1 ESV; Gal. 3:24 ESV |
| In Christ alone (Solus Christus) |
Jn 14:6; Ac 4:12; 1Ti 2:5 |
| According to Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) |
1Co 4:6 |
| For the Glory of God alone (Soli Deo Gloria) |
1Pe 2:24; Is 43:7 |
This ministry holds to a monergistic theology, which rejects works based forms of salvation, and holds to the biblically sound concept of sola fide or justification by faith alone, which once justified or saved, always results in obedience to God. Therefore, Christ justifies no one whom he does not at the same time sanctify.
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John Calvin (1509-1564)
The first and most influential theologian in the Reformed tradition.
Therefore Christ justifies no one whom he does not at the same time sanctify. … Thus it is clear how true it is that we are justified not without works yet not through works. — John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 vols., trans. Ford Lewis Battles, 3.16.1
It is therefore faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone … — John Calvin, Tracts and Letters: Acts of the Council of Trent, Antidote to the Canons of the Council of Trent, Canon 11.
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Formula of Concord (1576)
The great summary and consensus of Lutheran doctrine.
III. & VIII. We believe, also teach, and confess that Faith alone is the means and instrument whereby we lay hold on Christ the Saviour … after that man is justified by faith, then that true and living faith works by love, and good works always follow justifying faith, and are most certainly found together with it, provided only it be true and living faith. For true faith is never alone … — The Creeds of Christendom, ed. Philip Schaff, 3 vols. 3:116, 118
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Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England (1571)
Doctrinal standard for Anglican and Episcopalian churches.
XII. Of Good Works: Albeit that Good Works, which are fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification… do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith… by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit. — The Creeds of Christendom, ed. Philip Schaff, 3 vols. 3:494
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Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
Doctrinal standard for Presbyterian and Reformed churches.
11.2: Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification: yet is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all the other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. — The Creeds of Christendom, ed. Philip Schaff, 3 vols. 3:626
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New Hampshire Baptist Confession (1833)
Statement for Baptist churches.
VII. & VIII. Regeneration … is effected … by the power of the Holy Spirit … its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life. … We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy … — The Creeds of Christendom, ed. Philip Schaff, 3 vols. 3:744-45
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John Wesley (1703-1791)
Founder of Methodism.
We are, doubtless, justified by faith. This is the corner-stone of the whole Christian building. … So that if good works do not follow our faith, even all inward and outward holiness, it is plain our faith is nothing worth; we are yet in our sins. — John Wesley, “The Law Established Through Faith,” in The Sermons of John Wesley
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Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths (1916)
One of the oldest and largest Pentecostal denominations.
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. … The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. (Eph. 4:24; Titus 2:12). — “Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths,” sec. 5
Saving faith does not include obedience, saving faith results in obedience. If anyone attempts to teach that “faith includes obedience,” or that “saving faith does not result in obedience” they have just admitted that they have deviated from academically sound, historically time-tested Christianity.
I believe saving faith will result in obedience… We must guard jealously the fact that faith alone is what saves us, not faith plus obedience. … No historic Protestant confession says that saving faith includes obedience. — Dr. Wayne Grudem (Ph.D., Cambridge) 1
Genuine saving faith will always be accompanied by good works that come after justification.
Justification by works (things we have done) is the heresy of legalism. Justification, as Luther insisted, is by faith only (‘faith apart from observing the law’, Rom. 3:28), because it is in Christ and by Christ only, and depends on what he is as distinct from what we are. But if ‘good works’ (activities of serving God and others) do not follow from our profession of faith, we are as yet believing only from the head, not from the heart: in other words, justifying faith (fiducia) is not yet ours. — Dr. J. I. Packer (Ph.D., Oxford) 2
1 Dr. Wayne Grudem (Ph.D., University of Cambridge; D.D., Westminster Theological Seminary), a distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies. He graduated Harvard, Westminister Seminary, and Cambridge. Member of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version of the Bible, the general editor of the ESV Study Bible, and the author of over twenty-five books.
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2 Dr. J. I. Packer (Ph.D., University of Oxford) Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College. He was a prolific writer, and he also served on the translation board of the English Standard Version of the Bible. The 2005 Time listed him as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals. During his time at Oxford, Packer attended lectures by C. S. Lewis, and hearing Lewis greatly affected his spiritual thinking. Concise Theology. 59. Works. p. 174.