Catholic Answers Live: Faith and Works
I was on Catholic Answers Live again this week, this time taking calls on questions concerning faith and works. Enjoy!
The Good Thief and Salvation by Faith Alone
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” With these words, St. Dismas (one of the two thieves crucified with Jesus) was saved by Our Lord who promised: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43). Unfortunately, some Christians cite this beautiful story as evidence against the…
Does the Thief on the Cross Prove that Salvation is by Faith Alone?
St. Dismas (aka The Thief on the Cross, The Good Thief) Introduction “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom!” With these words, one of the two thieves who hung in crucifixion with Jesus was saved as he was promised by our Lord: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in…
Sola Fide: A Quick Argument Against Sola Scriptura
Introduction The two foundational Protestant doctrines are those of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) and Sola Fide (faith alone). These two “solas” are known, respectively, as the formal and material causes of the Reformation. Sola Scriptura might be thought of as the methodological doctrine of the Reformation, for Protestantism is said to be founded on Scripture Alone (as…
Why Hanegraaff’s Conversion is Not Really a Big Deal (But It Should Be)
Introduction As I mentioned earlier, on April 9th, 2017, Hank Hanegraaff, long time host of the Bible Answer Man radio program and president of the Christian Research Institute, became a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Naturally, many Christians freaked out. Evangelicals were saddened, fundamentalists said he was going to hell, Catholics were just happy he wasn’t…
Can We Know We Have Eternal Life (1 John 5:13)?
Introduction Many Christians point to 1 John 5:13 as being St. John the Apostle’s purpose for writing the epistle – namely, to assure believers of their final salvation based on their present belief. The verse reads, “I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in…
MacArthur’s Mistakes: Heresies of the Catholic Church (Grace vs. Works)
Introduction John MacArthur is a prolific and popular writer at the reformed end of the Evangelical spectrum. He is also a fierce anti-Catholic. On his blog he wrote a series of articles titled Exposing the Heresies of the Catholic Church which are (and I do not say this lightly) surprisingly bad. I will be responding to some of…
BOOK REVIEW: Justification – Five Views
James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy et al. Justification: Five Views. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011. [326 pages.$24.99. 978-0-8308-3944-5] Introduction Multi-view debate books have become a major publication genre, and, as many have noted, it is high time that one was released on the doctrine of justification. That such a publication is sorely…
Faith, Works, Souls, and Bodies – A Hylomorphic Look at James 2:26
Introduction In the Free Grace vs. Lordship Salvation debate particular focus is paid to James chapter two. Here James makes a number of troubling statements for those who favor a strict “faith alone” stance, and one of them has to do with James’s analogy of the body. In 2:26 he states, For as the body…
From Farts to Faith: Interesting, Surprising, and Amazing Quotes from Martin Luther
Introduction I have been reading a bit about Martin Luther lately, and I did not realize what a brawler this guy was! All I remembered from classes and movies was this pious guy crying out that, “there he stood and could do no other.” I knew he cussed and drank etc., and I had a vague notion…
