Sola Fide Vs Sola Opus? Or Sola Gratia?

Caleb B. -

Introduction
If you have been in Christian circles for a period of time, you have definitely came across different groups of Christians.  Non-denominationals, Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Nazarenes, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. All the groups I mentioned there besides the Catholics and Orthodox are called Protestants. If you are in any of these groups, you definitely have heard the discussions over Sola Fide, and the many arguments and debates over the topic. I being raised up as a Lutheran(WELS), was a proud and devoted Protestant and believed all the lies I was told about Catholicism. It is a funny thing, that I believed a Lutheran would tell me what Catholics believe, and I believed it instead of asking a Catholic. You do not ask a Mechanic to tell you the intricate matters of Physics, yet if you did would you accept the Mechanic's answer as complete truth? Or would you try to get your answer to someone who deals in the subject matter of Physics, and knows the ins and outs of Physics beyond the normal person? You see as a Lutheran who went to a Lutheran school, you constantly go over the Five Sola's or Five Solae, and you constantly go over mainly why the Catholic Church is wrong, corrupted, the church of the Antichrist, the Pope being the head of the Church, making Him the Antichrist. Your taught that Catholics believe that: "your saved by works alone!" Then we would be told by our Lutheran teachers and Pastors and Elders that: "we are saved by faith alone, sola fide!" However, I would argue that neither save you alone. Rather it is by the Grace of God that we are saved. [ 1. Eph.2:8-9 NCB  ] Ephesians 2:8-9 is a very common verse to the Protestant, especially the Lutheran, this verse is ingrained in your theology as a Lutheran to keep you in the train of thought that Sola Fide is Biblical, which to remind you teaches that FAITH ALONE SAVES, even though this passage tells us it is God's Grace not sola fide. In this Article I will be going over many verses and sets of passages, from various Bible Translations and I will be quoting various Early Christian Church Fathers. A problem I discovered when I had stopped going to my Lutheran church and I fell away from the faith for a while, then I had a moment that brought me back to realizing I need faith, and I came back with open eyes and I quickly realized I cannot be a protestant. 
    In the Lutheran Church we professed the Nicene Creed (Lutheran Version) often, in services, in our Bible study classes, and Catechism, except our version was slightly changed. They obviously had to take out the "Holy Catholic Church" and replace it with, "Holy Christian Church." However, Lutherans confess to Apostolic Succession. Lutherans like to outwardly confess to people who are not within their church and are not members that: "there is one holy, Christian Church. It is made up of all who believe in Jesus. Since faith is a matter of the heart it is invisible. Only God knows who has faith and therefore is a member of the Holy, Christian Church. " [ 2. What We Believe ] However, the slander of other Christians is quite prominent within the Lutheran Church and schools. I myself have experienced this slandering, and the Lutheran leaders even in strange way made it out to students and other members that other groups that are called "Christians" are false religions and fake, doomed to hell because they are not Lutheran. In school, I clearly remember having a Religions Class, and we went over major world religions, and then other Christian groups were added in there because they are deemed false and not Christian. This set aside for a later Article, back to Apostolic Succession. I personally was taught that Luther was used by God to bring God's church back to truth. It was some weird, mythical made-up story. The idea is simply that when the Apostles, and the other disciples died, Christ's church died and the people that came after them corrupted Christianity. However, I do remember being taught about St. Augustine of Hippo because of his great works on the Trinity. He was some sort of exception. So now within the year I am writing this, I found out that there are two groups that have truly Apostolic Succession that has not ended even in the present day. The Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodoxy, and suddenly it made sense to me that Martin Luther was not Apostolic. Which you think would be obvious but it took me many years until the present to realize that Luther cannot be Apostolic since he was not around in the First century. Lutheranism starts in the 1500s. 
    Within this Article I will be going over a handful of passages and breaking them down with the specific points I want to take from each passage to argue that this idea that Protestants, mainly Lutherans, have called Sola Fide, Faith Alone, and their extensive lie about Catholics believing Works Alone. Lutherans, from  my own experience, teach Sola Fide very liberally. The teachings I remember hearing year after year, and you probably have heard  as well is: "All you have to do is confess Christ is Lord once and your good for life!" I however growing up never believed this definition, I believed the second definition when I was taught about Catholics thinking good works saved. We were even told that you do not need good works, just faith because faith saves. Which I doubt according to the Scriptures. I will begin this Article going over passages that tell believers and show believers that you cannot just have faith, but you must also do good works and that just having faith does not seem to give you any leverage beyond non-believers. I will begin in the Old Testament and move into the New Testament and at the end I will go over Ephesians 2:8-9. , I will primarily use the New Catholic Bible.
Section 1. What Am I Arguing In This Article?
    Within this Article, I will be going over a variety of passages from across the entire Bible, the New Catholic Bible which includes the Deuterocanonical Books (considered Apocryphal to Protestants) that this man made idea of Sola Fide and Sola Opus(Works Alone) are not Biblical based on Ephesians 2:8-9. I will be destroying the Protestant teaching of Sola Fide, that you only need Faith to be saved and this Protestant idea that you do not need to Good Works. My conclusion within this Article is: True Faith and Good Works are dependent upon each other, meaning that when you have Faith, you must have Good Works and do them.  As Christ our Lord spoke about Trees and Fruit, a  Tree and when it grows and then is ready to bear Good Fruit. Similar is Faith in this aspect, when Faith grows within us to maturity and stability, it will bear Good Works and You need to give these Good Works to others just as the Farmer gives Good Fruit from His trees to His coworkers. Not only should we naturally give Good Works but God requires us to give them. I am not arguing that anything we do saves us, God saves us through His git of Grace, however I am trying to show you that you need Good Works and you need Faith so that you recognize God's will for you. 
Section 2. The Old Testament
 5 “Be faithful to the Lord all the days of your life, my son, and never succumb to the desire to sin or to transgress his commandments. Do good works all the days of your life, and do not walk in evil ways. 6 For if you lead an honest life, you will be successful, as will all those who live uprightly. 7 “Distribute alms from your possessions. If you do not avert your gaze from anyone who is poor, God will never turn his face away from you. 8 Your almsgiving should be in proportion to your means. If you have been blessed with great abundance, give much; if you possess little, do not be afraid to give even some of that. 9 In this way you will be accumulating for yourself a goodly treasure for the day of adversity. 
14 “Do not withhold until the following day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Be cautious, my son, in everything that you do, and let your behavior be disciplined. 15 Do not do to anyone what you yourself hate. Do not drink wine to excess or allow drunkenness to become your companion on your journey of life. 16 “Share your food with the hungry and your clothes with those who are in need of them. Whatever you have in excess, give as alms, and do so ungrudgingly. 
 21 Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. Great wealth is yours if you fear God, avoid every kind of sin, and do what is good in the sight of the Lord, your God.”

    Tobit makes it completely clear that you need faith and to be faithful to the Lord for your entire life.  Then Tobit adds that you need to also do good works for your entire life and to abstain from doing evil, which obviously is impossible for humans because we have a sinful nature and we are born into this sinful world.  The intention of the verse refers to our waking moments where with free will, we choose to do any action.  Tobit then lists off many good works you should do, which some of them should sound very familiar, these good works that are listed are intended to be done along side with other good works that are not listed but most definitely intended for you to come up with that will please the Lord. At the end of Tobit chapter 4, Tobit tells us that our reward will be great if you fear God by avoiding sinning(evil works) but by doing good works and faith the rewards will be given to you by the Lord in the End of Days. 
 9     The Lord is the judge of the nations. Therefore, pass judgment on me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my innocence, O Most High.

    The Psalmist tells us that the Lord is the Judge. That He will judge the nations and pass judgment on them according to their righteousness and innocence.  The righteousness not only refers to their works, but their Faith.  I would also infer that the innocence is directly pointing out our deeds/works. I would not completely say that the innocence is referring to works but could also be pointing to our Faith. Now what I am going to argue is for the perspective from someone who believes that Grace saves. As I have said, faith is undoubtedly being talked about here, yet from a quick glance to the average reader who does not search Scripture deeply, what would it appear God is going to judge us about? Our deeds/works. Not only will God judge us on the fact that anyone who was able to come to the knowledge of His existence and turned around and denied Him, surely that will be added into that particular person's judgement, but also their works. 
    1 O Lord, you are an avenging God; shine forth, O God of vengeance. 2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay the arrogant as they deserve.

    The Psalmist here talks about the Lord God who is the Judge of the Earth, and the Psalmist telling the Lord their desire to see the arrogant get judged according to what they deserve. Arrogant here will apply to both Faith and Works based on a very educated assumption. These arrogant ones will be the scoffers throughout history who have had all the opportunity, especially after the time of Christ and yet deny the existence of God and mock the idea of God. And not only denying God, but because they dislike God and hate His existence, their deeds will reflect upon their faith, which they have none, meaning they will do the opposite of what is pleasing to God(Works). [ 3. 2Pet.3-5]
    17 But I remained confident in my belief that God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter and he will issue a judgment on every work.
    13 This is the end of my teaching. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the responsibility of everyone. 14 For God will bring to judgment all of our deeds and reveal all of our secrets, whether good or bad.

    King Solomon here is telling us readers what he is confident in believing about God. He calls God the Judge of every type of people, the Righteous and Wicked. Then we are told that God has appointed a time to go over every thing and judge every work. Which is Judgement Day. This verse is strictly speaking about the works of all peoples, assuming the writer, Solomon, already knows that Works and Faith go together, the writer is not speaking about peoples Faith on Judgement Day, but how their faith reflects into all their works and that every single action and evil and good work a person does will be judged. Not only all our deeds/works but all our secrets that no one knows but the individual and God. 
14 Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have committed no iniquity and who has never harbored any wicked thoughts against the Lord; he shall receive a special grace for his faithfulness and a more illustrious share in the temple of the Lord. 15 For the fruit of good works is glorious, and the root of understanding is ever fruitful. 

    According to Tradition and some speculation based on Historical evidences, Philo, or commonly accredited to Solomon, writes here in The Book of Wisdom about a Eunuch, and the verse says that a eunuch, which can be swapped with any Believer who does not commit evil deeds and has kept faithfulness in the Lord will receive special grace.  Verse 15 here says glorious is the fruit of good works and fruitful is understanding. This reflects on works and faith saying that both are needed for each other. 
    10 Do we all not have the one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

    Here in Malachi we are shown that when faith is broken, it is because evil deeds are done. To summarize the verse: our faith is broken because we profaned the covenant of our fathers. 
Section 3. The New Testament

    15 False Prophets and True Disciples. “Be on guard against false prophets who come to you disguised in sheep’s clothing, but who inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Does one pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruits you will know them. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not perform many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!’ 

    Christ is not only speaking to His Disciples and Apostles, but to us, the Christians who never met Him or the Apostles. This passage may say prophets, which certainly is pointed out to be weary off, but it also applies to any Christian. Christ is telling everyone that people can claim to have faith in Him and do good works, but since their faith is not true faith, not sincere but rather they want to use Faith and Religion to indulge themselves in fame, power, and riches, their "good works" are evil because they do not have sincere faith. Christ is telling us that to have Faith means you will have good works, having one means you have the other, if you have one but not the other then the one you have is not sufficient. That will touched upon in the upcoming verse. Christ points out that many people will call Him Lord, they will have even done many things in His Name yet Christ denies them. Meaning they did many works that appeared good to the world and they acted like they had faith, yet the good works were not done to honor God, but to honor themselves. Many people often associate this passage with TV Preachers like Joel Olsten and Kenneth Copeland, but that is what people say and their opinions, not mine for my opinion on that matter is private for now. 
    27 “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone according to what has been done.

Christ here speaks about Judgement Day. Is it understood that Christ will judge everyone based on their Faith, and yet many times it is often over-looked that Christ will judge everyone's Deeds and Works. Christ will go over every action we have made and judge them based on if they are evil or Good. Again Faith and Works rely upon each other. 
    14 The Parable of the Talents. “Again, the kingdom of heaven will be like a man going on a journey who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, to a third one talent—to each according to his ability. Then he set forth on his journey. 16 “The servant who had received the five talents promptly went to invest them and gained five more. 17 In the same manner, the servant who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long period of time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing an additional five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you gave me five talents. Behold, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you much greater responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.’ 22 “Next, the one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Behold, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master said to -him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you much greater responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.’ 24 “Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 Therefore, out of fear I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Behold, I give it back to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant. So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered! 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have gotten back my money with interest. 

    Many of you have heard this Parable over and over, year after year and you definitely have had people explain what the passage means and represents. I most certainly do not remember being taught what I am about to say, but this section of the Gospel came to me in a random passing thought and this section of the Gospel is what inspired me to write this Article. I have come to the conclusion that meaning of this Parable heavily falls upon Faith and Good Works. This parable can possibly be used for many other things, but primarily I believe it was originally intended to speak about Faith and Good works. From the Protestant perspective, you only need faith and then your good for your entire life. If you are like that, you are the servant who buried the talent and did nothing with it. If you have faith and do good works to praise God, you are like the other two servants who made their talents increase. Faith is something we all should have as children and believers of God. When we have faith, we should also have good works. By having faith but not doing any good works to bring praise to God, what purpose is our faith if it only benefits ourselves? Faith is not something that should be kept to yourself, like a map to hidden riches, rather it should be like a public service announcement so all may hear and prepare for what is coming. My other conclusion is that the people who are like the servant who buried the talent given to him is part of the crowd that Christ spoke about previously. [ 4. Matt.7:21 ]
    31 The Solemn Judgment at the End of Time. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was ill and you took care of me; I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will say to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me; I was naked and you did not give me any clothing; I was ill and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 “Then they will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison and not minister to you?’ 45 He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you failed to do for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you failed to do for me.’ 46 And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life.” 

    Again I know many of you who read this, have read this section of the Gospels and recognize it. Now if your Protestant you would have thought this is the first time something like this has been said, but if your Catholic, you would recognize it, hopefully, and anyone reading this Article would recognize this from Tobit 4:5-16. The book of Tobit is estimated to be written as recently as 200 years before Christ. From across many sources I have found, they say that Tobit is/was verily regarded as a Historical and Cultural work by the Jews. A copy of the Book of Tobit was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls showing that it was of great importance to Jews. Meaning that the Jews in the First Century would have known the Book of Tobit and when Christ referred to it saying "if you don't do these things for the people on earth, you haven't done it to Me(Christ)" Now like I have said in my conclusion [that Biblically if you have Faith you will have Good Works and to have one but reject the other means you do not have either at all.] Christ here is obviously focusing on the works of people. Reminding them that a person's works/deeds are just as important as their faith.  According to my conclusion, this means that not all those who are on the left hand of Christ are unbelievers, pagans or atheists, but will include those who had faith but did no works and those who did works for self praise and had no true faith.  
    5 By your obstinate refusal to repent you are storing up retribution for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For God will repay everyone in accordance with what his deeds deserve. 7 To those who seek after glory and honor and immortality by persevering in good works, he will grant eternal life. 8 But for those who are slaves to selfish ambition and follow the path of wickedness and not of truth, wrath and fury will be their lot.

    My previous comment on Matthew 25:31-46 is not made purely based on speculation and meditation on the Scriptures alone, but with this verse here in Romans chapter 2. Here in Romans it reads that anyone who does Good Works to honor God and they seek righteousness will be rewarded, but anyone who does Good Works to gain honor for themselves and not God will be punished. 
    14 True Faith Is Proved by Works. What good is it, my brethren, if someone claims to have faith but does not have good works? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is naked and lacks his or her daily food. 16 If one of you says to such a person, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat well,” but does not take care of that person’s physical needs, what is the good of that? 17 In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it does not have works. 18 But perhaps someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and by works I will show you my faith. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well to assert that. But even the demons believe and tremble. 20 You fool! Do you want proof that faith without works is futile? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 Thus, you can see that his faith and his works were active together; his faith was brought to completion by works. 23 Thus, the words of Scripture were fulfilled that say, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You can see, then, that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, Rahab the prostitute, was she not also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away by a different road? 26 For just as the body is dead without a spirit, so faith without works is also dead.

    I, as a former Lutheran do not believe I recall this section of the Epistle of Saint James and I am completely sure we were never lectured on such verses for obvious reasons. It is quite ironic that Protestants who profess Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide have this verse within their own scriptures when it contradicts their teaching that they claim is Biblical when in fact their professions are not Biblically sound. Saint James does not sound like a Protestant; even though Protestants claim all the Apostles and Disciples were Protestants. Verse 14 starts off by saying, "TRUE Faith is proved Works."  He goes on to say that it is of no good for someone to have Faith but no Works. Then Saint James gives us an example where a brother or sister is naked and hungry and another brother or sister go to them and say peace be with you; eat well, but does not actually help the person. Saint James says it was of no use; their Faith is without Works so it is dead. Then Saint James points us back to Abraham, specifically Genesis 22, where Abraham not only had Faith in God, Hebrews 11:17-19, but also did Good Works by obeying God's Will. Saint James points out that man is justified by his Works, not just his Faith alone. Then he ends this section by giving an analogy. Just as a body is dead when they have no spirit, Faith is dead when it has no Works. Beautifully said. 
    14 Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied against them when he said, “Behold, the Lord is coming with tens of thousands of his saints, 15 to pronounce judgment on humanity and to convict all the ungodly for all the godless deeds that each has impiously committed and for all the defiant words spoken against him by godless sinners.”

    Here Saint Jude is looking back to Enoch who had prophesied about the End of Days. Enoch said that God will judge the entirety of Humanity. Then what Enoch says is very interesting, that the ungodly will be judged for all their ungodly deeds and for all the defiant words the speak against God. Meaning anyone who denies God and speaks against Him, their works whether good or evil, are ungodly because they have no faith in God to attach those works to. Rather those works are attributed to the ungodly people's  self faith in trying to gather praise for themselves. 
    11 Preparation for the Judgment. Then I saw a great white throne, and the one who was seated upon it. The earth and the sky fled so far from his presence that they could no longer be found.12 The Resurrection and Judgment. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their deeds, as were recorded in the scrolls. 13 The sea gave up all the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them. The dead were judged according to their deeds. 

    In the final book of the Bible, Revelation, the same idea that has been presented throughout the Bible is again laid out in front of St. John the Apostle of Christ. This idea that the long and thorough judgement that will take place on the Day of Judgement will consist of the judging of all works/deeds of every person that has ever lived. 
Section 4. Early Church Fathers
    Now that I have gone over the Scriptures to convey to you this concept that Faith and Works have to coexist to have this fullness of God's Grace. I will now be quoting from Early Christians, otherwise known as the Church Fathers who were disciples under the Apostles, or disciples under the disciples under the Apostles and so one with the discipleship that continued on for all the centuries to the present. 
    3. Our brotherhood, considering all these things according to your letter, and sorrowfully examining, have all promptly and willingly and liberally gathered together supplies of money for the brethren, being always indeed, according to the strength of their faith, prone to the work of God, but now even more stimulated to salutary works by the consideration of so great a suffering. For since the Lord in His Gospel says, "I was sick, and ye visited me,"1 with how much greater reward for our work will He say now, " I was captive, and ye redeemed me!" And since again He says, " I was in prison, and ye came unto me," how much more will it be when He begins to say, " I was in the dungeon of captivity, and I lay shut up and bound among barbarians, and from that prison of slavery you delivered me," being about to receive a reward from the Lord when the day of judgment shall come ! Finally, we give you the warmest thanks that you have wished us to be sharers in your anxiety, and in so great and necessary a work — that you have offered us fruitful fields in which we might cast the seeds of our hope, with the expectation of a harvest of the most abundant fruits which will proceed from this heavenly and saving operation. We have then sent you a sum of one hundred thousand sesterces, which have been collected here in the church over which by the Lord's mercy we preside, by the contributions of the clergy and people established with us, which you will there dispense with what diligence you may.

    Saint Cyprian here is speaking about Matthew 25:31-46, and He quotes it very well, but notice His thought process that doing these things for people on earth means: "being about to receive a reward from the Lord when the day of judgement shall come!" Saint Cyprian is pointing out that the Lord's judgment in the day of judgement will not solely focus on one's faith but the works they do before they pass away or the day of judgement comes. 
  35. But you, beloved brethren, whose fear is ready towards God, and whose mind, although it is placed in the midst of [a grievous] lapse, is mindful of its misery, do you in repentance and grief look into your sins ; acknowledge the very grave sin of your conscience ; open the eyes of your heart to the understanding of your sin, neither despairing of the Lord's mercy nor yet at once claiming His pardon. God, in proportion as with the affection of a Father He is always indulgent and good, in the same proportion is to be dreaded with the majesty of a judge. Even as we have sinned greatly, so let us greatly lament. To a deep wound let there not be wanting a long and careful treatment ; let not the repentance be less than the sin. Think you that the Lord can be quickly appeased, whom with faithless words you have denied, to whom you have rather preferred your worldly estate, whose temple you have violated with a sacrilegious contact? Think you that He will easily have mercy upon you whom you have declared not to be your God ? You must pray more eagerly and entreat ; you must spend the day in grief ; wear out nights in watchings and weepings ; occupy all your time in wailful lamentations ; lying stretched on the ground, you must cling close to the ashes, be surrounded with sackcloth and filth ; after losing the raiment of Christ, you must be willing now to have no clothing; after the devil's meat, you must prefer fasting ; be earnest in righteous works, whereby sins may be purged ; frequently apply yourself to almsgiving, whereby souls are freed from death. What the adversary took from you, let Christ receive ; nor ought your estate now either to be held or loved, by which you have been both deceived and conquered. Wealth must be avoided as an enemy ; must be fled from as a robber ; must be dreaded by its possessors as a sword and as poison.1 To this end only so much as remains should be of service, that by it the crime and the fault may be redeemed. Let good works be done without delay, and largely; let all your estate be laid out for the healing of your wound ; let us lend of our wealth and our means to the Lord, who shall judge concerning us. Thus faith flourished in the time of the apostles ; thus the first people of believers--
    --kept Christ's commands : they were prompt, they were liberal, they gave their all to be distributed by the apostles ; and yet they were not redeeming sins of such a character as these.

    In Part I of Treatise 3 the first highlighted section that starts with the sentence that starts like: "Even as we have sinned greatly," this section of his writing extremely well and seems to reflect upon Psalm 94:1-2;Romans 2:5-8; Jude 1:14-15. The understanding of the verses and ones similar to those ones is that unbelievers who do not love God and do not want God, their deeds and their accumulation of worldly riches have done only harm because these people want to be treated as their own god. Then in the next highlighted section that starts with: "Let good works be done without delay," starts off with a command or suggestion that Good Works should be done without hesitation and to even do lots of them. Nowhere in the writing does Saint Cyprian say that if you don't do the works, you won't be saved, they are not solely depended upon as in True Faith coexists with Good Work. Then Saint Cyprian says that the readers of the Treatise and even future readers, their Good Works should be in similar intention as that when the Apostles did such Good Works. 
    6. Riches, gold and silver, are not, as some think, the devil's property; for the whole world of riches is the faithful man's, but not but the unbelieving hath no peace: and nothing is more moved from faith than the devil. Also God saith plainly by the the Prophet, The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine; and his, to drian whomsoever I will give it. Do thou but use it well, and  there will be nothing to condemn in silver; but when thou usest a good thing ill, then, not choosing to blame thy management of it, thou impiously blamest its Maker. A man ma y even be justified by means of opulence. I was an  hungred, and ye gave Me meat; that is, from being opulent; I was naked, and ye clothed Me; that is, by being opulent;  nay, wouldest thou be told that riches may become a door of the kingdom of heaven? Sell, He says, that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. 

    Saint Cyril reflects upon Matthew 25:31-46 here in his writing. He speaks about how earthly riches are often considered to be the devil's property however that is not the case, all things belong to God because He has created them, and determined who receives them. Saint Cyril says: "the whole world of riches is the faithful man's," and I believe he is not meaning the physical riches of the world, but what he was referring to is how much more eternal life with the Lord in Heaven compared to riches, which doesn't even come close. The Saint Cyril reflects upon Christ who says that we will have great rewards because of the Good deeds we do. 
    26. Terrible in good truth is the judgment, and terrible is the news of it. The kingdom of heaven is before us, and everlasting fire is made ready. How then, some one will say, should we escape the fire? And how should we enter into the kingdom ? I was an hungred, He says, and ye gave me meat. Learn now the way; there is here no need of allegory, but to fulfil what is said. I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. These things if thou do, thou shalt reign together with Him; but if thou do them not, thou shalt be condemned. At once then begin to work these things, and abide in the faith; lest, like the foolish virgins, tarrying to buy oil, thou be shut out. Be not confident because thou merely possessest the lamp, but constantly keep it burning. Let the light of thy good works shine before men, and let not Christ be blasphemed on thy account. Wear thou the garment of incorruption', resplendent with good works; and that which thou hast received from God to dispense as a steward, dispense thou profitably. Hast thou been put in trust with riches ? Dispense them well. Hast thou been entrusted with the word of teaching? Be a good steward thereof. Canst thou bring over to the Church the souls of the hearers? Do this diligently. There are many doors of good stewardship. Only let none of us be condemned and cast out; so we may with boldness meet Christ the Everlasting King, who reigns for ever. For He reigns for ever, who having died for quick and dead, shall be judge of quick and dead. And as also Paul says, For to this end Christ both died and rose and om revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.

    Saint Cyril speaks of Christ's Words in Matthew 25:31-46 and Saint Cyril recognized that the Faithful, we the believers must do Good Works, Christ wants us to show love through Good Works to others just has He, Christ, showed us love through His First Coming, His Works, His Words, and His Suffering, Death and Resurrection. Saint Cyril calls all believers, stewards; that we may quickly dispense the works that God moves us to do through conviction so that all people may come to God's Mercy and Love, Saint Cyril also reflects upon the Parable of The Ten Virgins. He compares the lamps of the virgins to Faith and the oil to Good Works. I admire Saint Cyril's insight of the Parable and how it relates to Faith and Good Works. God gave us the ability to have these Lamps of Faith through the First Coming of His Son, now He expects us to keep the Lamps burning through Good Works. 
    Thus will each of you receive a reward in full, not only on his own behalf, but also for his brother's progress. And, as is fitting, you will be a source of mutual profit, both by your words and deeds, as a result of constant intercourse and exhortation. But above all I exhort you to be mindful of the faith of the Fathers, and not to be shaken by those who in your retirement would try to wrest you from it. For you know that unless illumined by faith in God, strictness of life avails nothing; nor will a right confession of faith, if void of good works, be able to present you before the Lord. Faith and works must be joined: so shall the man of God be perfect, and his life not halt through any imperfection. For the faith which saves us, as says the Apostle, is that which works by love.

    Saint Basil here is very wise in his letter here saying that our rewards in Heaven is not given to us only because of the things we do, but also for what our brothers and sisters in faith do and their faith. What does this mean? Saint Basil is appealing to Matthew 28:18-20. After Christ's Resurrection He met with His Disciples in Galilee. He says to them: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Christ says He is the Authority in Heaven and Over(within) the earth. Christ then commands His Disciples to go and make disciples and baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach them all the things He had commanded them. That even means what is being said here in Matthew 28:18-20. That is what I believe Saint Basil is touching upon on his insight that he writes down in this letter. Then Saint Basil says that Faith will not avail if it is void of Good Works. He then goes on to say that Faith and Works MUST be joined.
    11. I do not, however, lay on you as an obligation any extreme fasting or abnormal abstinence from food. Such practices soon break down weak constitutions and cause bodily sickness before they lay the foundations of a holy life. It is a maxim of the philosophers that virtues are means, and that all extremes are of the nature of vice; and it is in this sense that one of the seven wise men propounds the famous saw quoted in the comedy, "In nothing too much." You must not go on fasting until your heart begins to throb and your breath to fail and you have to be supported or carried by others. No; while curbing the desires of the flesh, you must keep sufficient strength to read scripture, to sing psalms, and to observe vigils. For fasting is not a complete virtue in itself but only a foundation on which other virtues may be built. The same may be said of sanctification and of that chastity without which no man shall see the Lord. Each of these is a step on the upward way, yet none of them by itself will avail to win the virgin's crown. The gospel teaches us this in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins; the former of whom enter into the bridechamber of the bridegroom, while the latter are shut out from it because not having the oil of good works they allow their lamps to fail. Matthew 25:1-12 This subject of fasting opens up a wide field in which I have often wandered myself, and many writers have devoted treatises to the subject. I must refer you to these if you wish to learn the advantages of self-restraint and on the other hand the evils of over-feeding.

    Saint Jerome in Letter 130 in the eleventh paragraph, briefly touches upon the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Saint Jerome like Saint Cyril, recognizes that the Lamp as Faith and the Oil that keeps the Lamp burning is Works. 
    Ver. 8. For by grace, says he have you been saved. In order then that the greatness of the benefits bestowed may not raise you too high, observe how he brings you down: by grace you have been saved, says he, Through faith; Then, that, on the other hand, our free-will be not impaired, he adds also our part in the work, and yet again cancels it, and adds, And that not of ourselves. Neither is faith, he means, of ourselves. Because had He not come, had He not called us, how had we been able to believe? For how, says he, shall they believe, unless they hear? Romans 10:14 So that the work of faith itself is not our own. It is the gift, said he, of God, it is not of works. Was faith then, you will say, enough to save us? No; but God, says he, has required this, lest He should save us, barren and without work at all. His expression is, that faith saves, but it is because God so wills, that faith saves. Since, how, tell me, does faith save, without works? This itself is the gift of God.

    Saint John Chrysostom speaks wonderfully in his Homily, the fourth Homily on Ephesians. He goes over Ephesians 2:8-9 and His explanation is incredible. He goes over the Scripture pointing out that GRACE saves us, Grace is a gift to us from God. Then Saint John Chrysostom points out something I myself have never thought about and or realized. He says: "Neither is faith, he means, of ourselves. Because had He not come, had He not called us, how had we been able to believe?" Meaning that if God in the Old Testament had not promised the coming of His Son, the Messiah, our Ancient Fathers wouldn't of had Faith, and If God had not come to them, then in the New Testament, if Christ had not been born and shown His Authority as the Messiah, we again would have nothing to believe in, so our Faith is not reliant on us in this sense, but it is reliant upon God. Then Saint Chrysostom speaks about Works and Faith particularly. He says that "the work of faith" is not of our own doing, but it is gifted to us by God and not given to us by the Works. Then it is said by Saint John Chrysostom that this does not mean that Faith can save alone; and that God requires us to do Works so we do not get punished for not doing His Will. Saint John Chrysostom finally ends the section by saying that Faith saves but that is because God wills it, but Faith requires works for it to stay burning within us. Salvation is a Gift of God.
     And again, "And let our people also learn to maintain good works." -Titus 3:14 And again, "These things are good and profitable unto men." -Titus 3:8 Listen to a certain other one who says, "Alms do deliver from death." -Tobit 12:9;

    Here Saint John Chrysostom points out to us three passages that make it quite clear that we need to do Good Works. First  Titus 3:14 is quoted and says in plain terms that Christians needs to learn to do Good Works and do them often. Then we back up in Titus in Saint John Chrysostom's Homily to verse 8 of the same chapter. This verse says in plain terms that doing Good Works is good in the sense of the right thing to do, and that Good Works are of value to men. At the end of the small section that I have quoted and inserted here, Saint John Chrysostom quotes Tobit, specifically chapter 12 verse 9; where Tobit says that Alms, Good Works, deliver from death. Meaning that doing Good Works which God requires of us and so that our Faith may flourish will keep us from Spiritual Death, but denying to do Good Works and denying to do the Will of God will lead to death through Spiritual Punishment. 
    How long shall we neglect our own salvation? Let us bear in mind of what things Christ has deemed us worthy, let us give thanks, let us glorify Him, not by our faith alone, but also by our very works, that we may obtain the good things that are to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, now and ever and world without end. Amen.

    In Homily 46 where Saint John Chrysostom reflects over the Gospel of Saint John, specifically chapter 6 verse 49. He says that we are to give thanks and to glorify Christ not only with our Faith in Him but with our Works. So that we may obtain the glory and magnificence of Heaven which comes to us by GRACE because we have done God's Will.
     For because He had said above, "He that hears My words and believes in Him that sent Me," "is not judged," lest any one should imagine that this alone is sufficient for salvation, He adds also the result of man's life, declaring that "they which have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment."

    Saint John Chrysostom again, quoting from the Gospel of Saint John and he quotes Christ speaking about Faith. Saint John Chrysostom goes on to say so that one should not think that Faith alone saves; and then quotes Christ again where Christ says that anyone who does good will come into the Resurrection. What Saint John Chrysostom is pointing out not only to his intended audience at the time but to us as well is that Christ alluded to the fact that a believer must have Faith and Works. 
     For though we have all faith and all knowledge of the Scriptures, yet if we be naked and destitute of the protection derived from (holy) living, there is nothing to hinder us from being hurried into the fire of hell, and burning for ever in the unquenchable flame. For as they who have done good shall rise to life everlasting, so they who have dared the contrary shall rise to everlasting punishment, which never has an end.

    This section of Homily 6 by Saint John Chrysostom on the Gospel of Saint John reminded my of a Catholic argument I had heard some time back. Here he says that even though all believers have faith and know Scripture does not keep us from being in eternal punishment. His choice of words is very profound and it connects to that argument I mentioned. The argument I heard sometime ago was as follows, "Sola Fide cannot be Biblical because do not Satan and all the demons believe God exists since they were made by Him and were in His presence at the beginning?" Some may call this a weak argument but that is only if they are mentally challenged to understand commonsense and do not dive into the Scriptures to truly find the meanings and the bases for our Doctrines because they would realize this argument comes directly from Scripture in the Epistle of Saint James; I on the other hand heard that argument long before I got interested in Apologetics and studying Scripture and it made sense to me but I passed by it and had forgotten about it until now. 
    For even in these mystical blessings, it is, on the one hand, God's part, to give the grace, on the other, man's to supply faith; and in after time there needs for what remains much earnestness. In order to preserve our purity, it is not sufficient for us merely to have been baptized and to have believed, but we must if we will continually enjoy this brightness, display a life worthy of it. This then is God's work in us.

    I know a true protestant will have read this and immediately felt like a incredibly smart thinking that, "Saint John Chrysostom just contradicted himself!" Earlier when Saint John Chrysostom spoke about Faith being a faith from God, and then in this excerpt he says it is on man's responsibility to have faith, he did not make a contradictory statement in any sense. Previously, he spoke about Faith being from God in the sense that is is readily available to everyone in our age because of what Christ has done in the Gospels. If God existed but had no interactions with us, we would be like athiests and would have nothing to bring us to have Faith in God. Now that God has given us plentiful evidence for His existence, we now have the responsibility to have Faith in Him. That is truly what I believe Saint John Chrysostom meant here at the beginning of this section of the Homily. Then in a roundabout way that not only does being Baptized and having Faith keep us in God's Love and Mercy, but doing Works will keep us there, that is what Saint John Chrysostom calls, "God's work in us."
    It is believed, moreover, by some, that men who do not abandon the name of Christ, and who have been baptized in the Church by His baptism, and who have never been cut off from the Church by any schism or heresy, though they should live in the grossest sin and never either wash it away in penitence nor redeem it by almsgiving, but persevere in it persistently to the last day of their lives, shall be saved by fire; that is, that although they shall suffer a punishment by fire, lasting for a time proportionate to the magnitude of their crimes and misdeeds, they shall not be punished with everlasting fire. But those who believe this, and yet are Catholics, seem to me to be led astray by a kind of benevolent feeling natural to humanity. For Holy Scripture, when consulted, gives a very different answer. I have written a book on this subject, entitled Of Faith and Works, in which, to the best of my ability, God assisting me, I have shown from Scripture, that the faith which saves us is that which the Apostle Paul clearly enough describes when he says: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love. But if it works evil, and not good, then without doubt, as the Apostle James says, it is dead, being alone. The same apostle says again, What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? And further, if a wicked man shall be saved by fire on account of his faith alone, and if this is what the blessed Apostle Paul means when he says, But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire; then faith without works can save a man, and what his fellow-apostle James says must be false. And that must be false which Paul himself says in another place: Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners; shall inherit the kingdom of God. For if those who persevere in these wicked courses shall nevertheless be saved on account of their faith in Christ, how can it be true that they shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

    Saint Augustine of Hippo the second biggest hero to Protestants, mainly Lutherans and Calvinists, is destroying Protestantism before it truly took off in the Reformation Era. He speaks about these groups of people who are baptized and are within the Name of Christ and commit absolutely terrible sins and do evil deeds and do not do any Good Works to redeem themselves because they are on the wrong path. I do not mean redeem in the same sense that Christ redeems, but in the sense of making some right that is wrong. To me who was formerly a Protestant, it is incredibly ironic that this second class hero of Lutherans and Calvinists has works that destroys their terribly unbiblical doctrines. The Saint Augustine speaks about how Faith works by love and if Faith has evil works which can be also turned to no Works, that person's Faith is dead. The we are told that Faith can save a man but he will be saved by fire; and that is directly from Scripture. What does this mean, Protestants have no clue, I know that when I was at my Lutheran Church and went through their Catechism, this verse was never spoken about. So what does 1Corinthians 3:10-15?  Why certainly Purgatory, which Saint Augustine goes on to speak about in the next chapter of The Enchiridion. Mind you Saint Augustine of Hippo was born roughly 1,029 years before Martin Luther and the Reformation, and before the schism of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in 1054.  
    Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." This is then to eat the meat, not that which perishes, but that which endures unto eternal life. To what purpose do you make ready teeth and stomach? Believe, and you have eaten already. Faith is indeed distinguished from works, even as the apostle says, "that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law:" Romans 3:28 there are works which appear good, without faith in Christ; but they are not good, because they are not referred to that end in which works are good; "for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes." Romans 10:4 For that reason, He wills not to distinguish faith from work, but declared faith itself to be work. For it is that same faith that works by love.

    Again, if you are a Protestant your thinking I mistakenly added this excerpt into the Article because it appears to contradict my Conclusion about Faith and Works. In the Context of Romans 3:28, Saint Paul is speaking about Justification, and Saint Paul asks, "Is God only the God of Jews?" Then he says that if God is the True God and only God, wouldn't that make Him the God of Gentiles? Saint Paul goes on to point out that God will justify the circumcised and un-circumcised. God will not justify by the Laws but by the Faith of people. Then Saint Augustine goes on to say something I pointed out earlier, that Good Works without Faith are not good because they are not benefitting the person because the Good Works have no Faith to be attached to. Then We are told that Christ will not distinguish Faith from Works because Faith is Work.
    For when the spirit of man does work together with the Spirit of God working, then there is fulfilled that which God has commanded: and this does not come to pass, except by believing in Him that does justify an ungodly man. Romans 4:5 Which faith the generation crooked and embittering had not: and therefore concerning the same has been said, The spirit thereof has not been trusted with God. For this has been said much more exactly to point out the grace of God, which does work not only remission of sins, but also does make the spirit of man to work together therewith in the work of good deeds, as though he were saying, his spirit has not believed in God. For to have the spirit trusted with God, is, not to believe that his spirit is able to do righteousness without God, but with God. For this is to believe in God: which is surely more than to believe God. For ofttimes we must believe even a man, though in him we must not believe. To believe in God therefore is this, in believing to cleave unto God who works good works, in order to work with Him well....

    Saint Augustine here is reflecting upon Psalm 78 and here in Paragraph 7, he reminds us of Romans 4:5. What Saint Augustine is saying in relation to Romans 4:5 is that Someone who has Faith but refuses to do Works places His Faith not in God but in the godless. Saint Augustine's insight tells us that when We do Good Works, our spirit is working with God's Spirit. So if you believe in God and have Faith, you must have Works to show for the Faith. 
    In which regard, dearly-beloved, you ought all to help one another in turn, that in the kingdom of God, which is reached by right faith and good works, you may shine as the sons of light: through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

    Saint Leo the Great wrote/spoke this section of his sermon incredibly well in respect to everything I have written and argued so far in this Article. Saint Leo says that we need to help each other so that we may be shine as sons of light in the kingdom of God. He says that to reach the kingdom of God is by RIGHT Faith and good works. Remember the works you or I or others do, don't bring you salvation, it simply is part of salvation but only in the respect of the action of doing Good Works. Good Works are a result of True Faith. Just as a beloved apple tree of a species bear delicious apples; Right Faith bears Good Works. 
Section 5. What the Church Says
    I will be quoting from the Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Edition.. I will be quoting from the sections they have within the Catechism. Why do I rely on what the Church says and not just the Bible? Because it is Biblical to follow what the Church says. [1Corinthians 11:2; 2Thessalonians 2:15; 2Thessalonians 3:6] I will be going over the topic of Sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone, in a future Refutation/Article.
    1059 "The holy Roman Church firmly believes and confesses that on the Day of Judgment all men will appear in their own bodies before Christ's tribunal to render an account of their own deeds" (Council of Lyons II [1274]:DS 859; cf. DS 1549).
    1316 Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds.
    2472 The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known.269
    2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit."53 Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.54
    2005 Since it belongs to the supernatural order, grace escapes our experience and cannot be known except by faith. We cannot therefore rely on our feelings or our works to conclude that we are justified and saved.56 However, according to the Lord's words "Thus you will know them by their fruits"57 - reflection on God's blessings in our life and in the lives of the saints offers us a guarantee that grace is at work in us and spurs us on to an ever greater faith and an attitude of trustful poverty.
    2008 The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man's free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man's merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit.
Section 6. Faith Alone and Works Alone Don't Save
    Throughout this Article I have gone over many verses of Scripture and over many excerpts from Church Fathers, and quoted from the Catholic Catechism Second Edition to argue against Protestant's teachings of Sola Fide; their false teaching of the supposed Sola Gratia that they teach Catholics believe, are both unbiblical. While I have shown that Biblically, Faith does not bring Salvation Alone, and neither does Works; God's gift of Grace brings us Salvation Alone. Right or True Faith results in Good Works, Good Works are only Good when they are in harmony with True Faith. If you have Faith but reject Good Works, your faith is not in God but in godlessness. While Faith and Works depend upon each other, both are in the same way different from each other. Faith is only possible because of God's gift of Grace; Good Works are again only Good by the Faith which traces back to God's Grace. Faith is partially part of our responsibility in the mere fact we have all the evidence to believe. God does 99% of the work in salvation, we do 1%, but our 1% is just as important as God's 99%. 
Final Section 7. Grace Alone
    8 For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith. This has not come from you but from the gift of God. 9 It does not come from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that God had prepared for us to do.

    Saint John Chrysostom said it in the best way as previously pointed out, By Grace we have been saved, through Faith, which does not come from us, like I said in the previous section, but it is a gift of God because of His giving of Grace. Works do not obtain our Salvation so we cannot boast over others, but God made us to live a life doing Good Works since we have Faith by His Grace. 
    I hope you have enjoyed reading my Article and reading my arguments and refutation on Sola Fide and Sola Opus and have shown both are Biblically inaccurate and have shown you the True Biblical answer to what brings us Salvation. If you have any suggestions on other topics you want to read, or any questions or objects; feel free to comment those down below. Also if you find any mistake or inaccuracies please comment those as well, I am always happy to be correct so that my writings are sounds.

"The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn His face toward you 
and give you peace." ☦
Location: Mt of Olives, Jerusalem

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