Sola Fide is Correct, Here’s Why- A Roman Catholic
Before the outcry begins, I would like to make the distinction between the gift of faith and the act of faith. Both are unique inseparable parts of faith itself, one being something that is given by God, and the other a will of the person gifted it. These things are inseparable, and thus, faith being never alone, alone is sufficient for our justification; in short, because faith is never alone, it alone is necessary for salvation.
“For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God; Not of works, that no man may glory.” - Ephesians 2:8-9 DRA
Faith is not something that we can come to by ourselves, but is, like St. Paul says, a free gift of God. Jesus says, “No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day,” and that “Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.” When we are drawn to the Father by the movement of the Holy Ghost on our hearts, we are called to faith.
"Faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him. Before this faith can be exercised, man must have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth." - Catechism of the Catholic Church p. 153
Faith is a grace and gift of God, a move of the Holy Ghost within us- but it is still an “authentically human act” (CCC 154), whereby we are given it as a means of something greater than simply believing. No, faith is not simply believing, but hope and love united, and therefore faith is more concrete, or “certain,” than any other knowledge we can obtain. It is more bolstering than courage, and stronger than stream in willpower- it is an ever-growing flame consuming all that we do. Faith is the cohesion of hope and love, wherein we seek and do the things of the Kingdom of God.
The scripture describes faith as “the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not,” and it is that, but many of my separated brethren like to say that faith is just a belief in something not seen, or a trust in something which has no substance. And though it is that, this academic definition limits faith to an assent or “yes” to a proposition with little basis. “Just say ‘yes’ to Jesus!” is proclaimed, and while yes, we should all say “yes” to Jesus- don’t say yes to a person you’re not completely, totally, in love with. When the Holy Ghost moves on the hearts of men, it is not for assent, or proclamation, or preaching, or debating, or articulation, or writing- but for love of God.
“And now there remain faith, hope, and love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 DRA
Our Lord says, “if you love me, keep my commandments,” and “ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him,” then, “If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And the word which you have heard, is not mine; but the Father's who sent me.”
If love is greater than faith, and faith provokes us to love God, then the fruits of faith are manifestations of our love of God. Christ Our Lord says, “keep my commandments,” which are to be “born of water and fire,” and “eat my Flesh and drink my Blood,” therefore, it is by faith that we draw towards His commandments, His command towards salvation and holiness in the sacraments. Without faith, we cannot participate in them wholly, as He says, “the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spirit quickeneth.” Therefore, our own assent will not merit us this faith, this love for Him, but the spirit, which draws us in and quickens us to everlasting life.
It is this faith which makes us love Him all the more, and seek Him daily, and seek His ways daily, that we might do what He wills. Without this grace, which is of God and not ourselves, we could not love Him. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, our salvation is by this faith alone- because proceeding from it and working with it is our love for God and union with His Body.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, live and walk by faith alone, which itself suffices and quickens you, as a free gift for you from the Holy Ghost, that it may embolden you to do His command and make your abode with Him. Pray for this as the apostles, who cried, “increase our faith!”
Yours in Christ,
Chris
