The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that man’s salvation from sin is “through faith” (Eph. 2:8), “being justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1). Unfortunately, certain denominations and individuals have grabbed that foundational truth and have twisted it to teach that man is saved “by faith alone.” That “destructive heresy” (cf. 2 Pet. 2:1) has confused many Bible readers and has cost many souls. The reality is that the doctrine of “faith only” contradicts their own doctrine and, more importantly, Bible doctrine.
The effort to emphasize salvation at the point of faith is simultaneously an effort to de-emphasize works as a part of salvation. A fundamental misunderstanding of the phrase, “not of works,” in Ephesians 2:9, has led some to teach that one is saved at the moment of faith, apart from any works. That is not what that passage or the New Testament teaches, and interestingly, that is not what their own doctrine teaches.
“Faith only” proponents are usually the same ones who urge individuals to “say the Sinner’s prayer and be saved.” “The Sinner’s Prayer” (a doctrine and practice foreign to the New Testament) typically confesses sin, asks for forgiveness and requests Jesus into one’s heart. But consider this for a moment: If salvation is by faith only, why would one need to say a prayer? Isn’t saying a prayer some step beyond faith? By requiring “a prayer,” proponents of the “faith only” doctrine themselves affirm that salvation is not by “faith alone.”
Even more critical and more destructive than contradicting themselves is contradicting plain Bible teaching. First, the Bible does teach there are requirements for salvation beyond (i.e., in addition to) and based upon one’s faith (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 17:30). The Bible teaches that “faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20, 26), for “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:17). The Bible teaches that one is “justified by works, and not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). The Bible teaches that “Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (Jas. 2:19).
Second, there is not one single example in the Bible of saving faith being a “faith alone,” apart from works. Read Hebrews 11 and try to make all of the “By faith” statements to mean “By faith only.” It makes the whole chapter nonsensical. There are examples of Jews who had faith in Jesus but clearly were not saved (John 12:42-43; 8:31-44). The reason is that believing in Jesus only gives one “the right to become” a child of God (John 1:12). One must act on that faith and exercise that “right” to actually become His child (John 3:3-5; Gal. 3:26-27).
The Bible teaches that salvation is by faith, but it also clearly teaches that salvation is not by faith alone.