My Daily Pause

Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees – between 1886 and 1894 – James Tissot (1836–1902)

“Faith Only” is doctrine that is easy to accept. What’s not to like? It is safe and there is no work to do.

But it is wrong.

There are many verses in the Bible that contradict “Faith Only” as the way to salvation. John 12:42-43 is a great single passage example. I love it because it makes the point in so few words:

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

Here is why this verse shows us there is more to salvation than faith:

• They would not confess Jesus – Jesus told us how he feels about that (Matthew 10:32-33)
• They failed due to social pressures – They were more interested in what other men thought than what God wants
• They did not want to repent – They wanted things to stay like they were.

Is there any way to argue that these people were in a saved state?

Faith simply cannot exist alone. Love and obedience are functionally synonymous with faith and give it life (John 14:15, James 2:17-19)

Complete and total faith is a requirement to be sure, but it is not the end of the road.

Here is a list of other posts I have written to dispute the faith only plan.

Here is the Gospel Plan of Salvation the way my Bible lays it out.