Can faith alone save you?

Proponents of this so called “faith alone concept” almost invariably cite our Lord jesus Christ statement in John 3:16 to support their alleged share in the promised everlasting life. 

Obviously enough, this expedient man conceived formula of salvation emerged from these preachers’ superficial and erroneous interpretation of biblical pronouncements regarding faith and salvation. 

Superficial in the sense that it does away with numerous important and vital commandments of God through Jesus Christ necessary for man’s salvation; and erroneous in that it purports faith alone to be the sole basis of attaining eternal life.

Let us quote in full citation in the book of John:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jn. 3:16

Who is appointed to by the verse as the recipient of the promised everlasting life? Whosoever believes in Christ. Faith, indeed, is indispensable for man’s salvation. But is it enough to believe in Christ to be assured of salvation?

Not by Faith Alone

Can faith alone justify man to be worthy before the sight of god to inherit life eternal? In James 2:24, this is documented:

“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

It is not faith alone, therefore, that makes man justified before God; to say otherwise is to question the righteousness of God’s justice! What does it mean that man is not justified even if he has faith but has no works? Apostle James states:

“What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has no works? Can his faith save him?” Jas. 2:14

The spirit of James’ discourse can easily be gleaned: faith alone, without works, cannot save man. How far from the truth and salvation are those who propagate and adhere to the so-called “Faith alone concept”? Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (Jas. 2:17)

Does this mean then that faith is devoid of any religious significance in man’s service to God? No!

It is in fact one of the three cardinal virtues mentioned by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians:

“So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
I Cor. 13:13

Faith by works

But what faith has value for it will certainly and ultimately lead to one’s salvation? In james 2:22, this is stated:

“Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect?”

This is then the kind of faith joined with works that everyone believing in Christ should possess to be worthy of God’s promise: perfect faith. What works should be done so that faith will be perfect? Apostle Paul writes:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10

Apostle Paul points to the good works which God had foreordained that we should do. What are these good works referred to by Paul? In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle states:

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Phil.1:11

This is the reason why faith alone is not sufficient for man’s justification before God: he needs to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, unto the glory and praise of God. What is the means prescribed for man to be filled with the fruits of righteousness? Apostle Paul’s statement is clear—“by Jesus Christ” .

What does it mean that “fruits of righteousness” are by jesus Christ? Does it simple mean to believe in Christ and profess him as Lord and savior? In John 15:4-5 this is written:

“Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, itself, neither can you, unless you are in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

But how could man be joined to Christ? Who are truly joined to Christ, as branches of the vine, according to the testimony of the bible? What is the equivalent of Christ being the vine and those joined to him being the branches? 

In Col. 1:18, this is written:

“He is the head of the body, the church...”

Which is the Church referred to by Apostle Paul as the “body” of Christ?

In eph. 5:23, 25, lets read:

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the savior of the body” “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

It is the Church which Christ so dearly loved. Why was it necessary, after all, for Christ to die for the church? Because the church is his body and he himself is its savior. Lets read Acts 20:28 (Lamsa translation) that says:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”

The redeeming power of the blood of our Savior is meant only for the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo). We have to believe in Christ and accept him as a Lord And Savior, but faith alone cannot justify us unto salvation, but it is faith by works of righteousness!