dudley
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
I have been asked to write out and give a brief explanation of “the doctrine of sola fide” to share this Sunday after the 11 AM service with a young man who has attended services with us on several occasions with his girlfriend who is a Presbyterian.
He was invited to join our inquirers class but said he is not planning to become a Presbyterian. However he wishes to know about what we believe as Reformed Protestants and Presbyterians at the request of his girlfriend. He and his family are Roman Catholics . He is only 19 and is willing to listen and learn about us as Presbyterians and what we believe because his girlfriend has requested it.
The pastor suggested having a coffee and Danish brunch after the service with some of the younger people in the congregation and a few of the adults to just sit and talk. He asked 5 of us to each take one of the solas of the Protestant Reformation and write a brief piece explaining what we believe as Protestants and Presbyterians. I was asked to prepare a brief piece on Sola Fide. I am placing what I have written and wish to share on Sunday and would appreciate any advice or suggestions any of my PB brothers may have in either making changes to the way I have written it or any other suggestions or if you think it is written well than I will leave it as is.
Sola Fide is Latin,and means “faith alone”
The historic Protestant doctrine Sola Fide is very important to those of us who are Protestants.It states that the only instrumental cause of justification, from the human perspective, is faith.
While God is the ultimate cause of justification, wewho are Protestants believe that faith in Christ through the message of the Gospel is necessary. There are no works, no matter how meritorious they may seem, that can add to justification (Eph. 2:8-9).
This doctrine, according to Protestants, finds its roots in the teachings of Paul but was obscured by the corruptions of the Roman catholic teachings up to the middle ages.It was restored during the Reformation. As a Protestant who like you was at one time a roman catholic I want to point out that it is not the doctrine itself that saves, but the reality that the doctrine represents. In other words, one is saved by faith alone, not by belief in the doctrine of faith alone. As well, most Protestants would say, “it is faith alone that saves, but the faith that saves will not be alone.” This doctrine represents a major point of distinction between Protestants and Roman Catholics
Thank you all …I am looking forward for any advice.
He was invited to join our inquirers class but said he is not planning to become a Presbyterian. However he wishes to know about what we believe as Reformed Protestants and Presbyterians at the request of his girlfriend. He and his family are Roman Catholics . He is only 19 and is willing to listen and learn about us as Presbyterians and what we believe because his girlfriend has requested it.
The pastor suggested having a coffee and Danish brunch after the service with some of the younger people in the congregation and a few of the adults to just sit and talk. He asked 5 of us to each take one of the solas of the Protestant Reformation and write a brief piece explaining what we believe as Protestants and Presbyterians. I was asked to prepare a brief piece on Sola Fide. I am placing what I have written and wish to share on Sunday and would appreciate any advice or suggestions any of my PB brothers may have in either making changes to the way I have written it or any other suggestions or if you think it is written well than I will leave it as is.
Sola Fide is Latin,and means “faith alone”
The historic Protestant doctrine Sola Fide is very important to those of us who are Protestants.It states that the only instrumental cause of justification, from the human perspective, is faith.
While God is the ultimate cause of justification, wewho are Protestants believe that faith in Christ through the message of the Gospel is necessary. There are no works, no matter how meritorious they may seem, that can add to justification (Eph. 2:8-9).
This doctrine, according to Protestants, finds its roots in the teachings of Paul but was obscured by the corruptions of the Roman catholic teachings up to the middle ages.It was restored during the Reformation. As a Protestant who like you was at one time a roman catholic I want to point out that it is not the doctrine itself that saves, but the reality that the doctrine represents. In other words, one is saved by faith alone, not by belief in the doctrine of faith alone. As well, most Protestants would say, “it is faith alone that saves, but the faith that saves will not be alone.” This doctrine represents a major point of distinction between Protestants and Roman Catholics
Thank you all …I am looking forward for any advice.