FAITH AND WORKS

1
FAITH AND WORKS
2
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
3
PENANCE OR CONFESSION "At first, penance had
consisted in certain public expressions of repen-
tance, required by the church from those who had
been excluded on account of scandals, and who
desired
to be received again into its bosom. "By
degrees penance was extended to every sin, even
to the most secret, and was considered as a sort
of punishment to which it was necessary to
submit, in order to obtain the forgiveness of God
through the priest's absolution. "Instead of
looking to Christ for pardon...it was sought for
principally in the Church through penitential
works.
4
"The penitential works, thus substituted for the
salvation of God, were multiplied in the Church
from Tertullian down to the thirteenth century.
Men were required to fast, to go barefoot, to
wear no linen, c. to quit their homes and their
native land for distant countries or to renounce
the world and embrace a monastic life." (History
of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century,
J.H.Merle d'Aubignè p. 15, Baker publ.)
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
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INDULGENCES The "Treasury of Grace "There
are...works of supererogation, performed by
Christ and by the saints, with corresponding
extra-merits and extra-rewards and these
constitute a rich treasury from which the Pope,
as the treasurer, can dispense indulgences for
money. This papal power of dispensation extends
even to the departed souls in purgatory, whose
sufferings may thereby be abridged." (History of
the Christian Church, Philip Schaff, v. VII, pp.
147-148)
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The Sale of Indulgences "Somewhat later, in
order to reduce this traffic to a system, they
invented (probably under John XXII) the
celebrated and scandalous Tariff of Indulgences,
which has gone through more than forty editions.
The least delicate of ears would be offended by
an enumeration of all the horrors it contains.
Incest, if not detected, was to cost five groats
and six, if it was known. There was a stated
price for murder, infanticide, adultery, perjury,
burglary, c." (d'Aubignè, p. 16)
8
The great cathedrals and monas- tic
establishments were either built or kept in
repair (by indulgences, sw)(New Catholic
Encyclo- pedia , Catholic University of America,
"Indulgences", Vol. VII, pp. 482-484, via
http//www.lib.usm. edu/archives/m198.htm?m198
text.htmmainFrame)
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
C. Righteousness by works and the N.T., Rom.
930- 32 Rom. 41-5
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Romans 41-5
Regarding justification, cp. 321-31 42
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our
forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory but not toward God. 3 For what
saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not
reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness.
11
Romans 41-5
Regarding justification, cp. 321-31 42
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our
forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory but not toward God. 3 For what
saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not
reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness.
12
Romans 41-5
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our
forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory but not toward God. 3 For what
saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not
reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness.
13
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
C. Righteousness by works and the N.T., Rom.
930- 32 Rom. 41-5
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
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MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS (His Understanding of
Justification by Faith)
"Henceforth the doctrine of justi- fication by
faith alone was for him to the end of life the
sum and sub- stance of the gospel, the heart of
theology, the central truth of Christianity, the
article of the standing or falling of the church.
By this standard he measured every other doctrine
and the value of every book of the Bible." (my
emph, sw) (Schaff, p. 124)
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
C. Righteousness by works and the N.T., Rom.
930- 32 Rom. 41-5
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
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Consequences re. Luthers Convic- tions about the
Epistle of James "Luther's hasty and unjust
estimate (of the epistle of James, sw) is well
known. In the preface of the New Testament
(1522) he calls it a right
strawy Epistle, for it has no true evangelical
charac- ter.' This remark disappears from later
editions, but it was never formally retracted.
Nor does it stand alone. Huther quotes also
statements to the effect that it is no genuine
apostolic Epistle' (Sermons on the Epistles of
St. Peter, 1523) that it was neither written by
an apostle nor has the true apostolic ring, nor
does it agree with the pure Doctrine' (Kirchen-
postille, delivered in 1527-8). So in his Table
Talk,
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Many have endeavoured and laboured to reconcile
the Epistle of James with Paul. Philip
Melancthon refers to it in his Apology,' but not
with earnestness for faith justifies' and
faith does not justify' are plain
contradictions. Whoever can reconcile them, on
him I will put my cap, and allow him to call me a
fool.'" (Pulpit Commentary, vol. 21, E.C.S.
Gibson, "Introduction to the General Epistle of
James, pp. xii-xiv)
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
C. Righteousness by works and the N.T., Rom.
930- 32 Rom. 41-5
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
A. The two chapters are speaking of different
kinds of works, Jas. 222 Gen. 222 Rom.
41-5
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Romans 41-5
Boasting works, cf. 327 42
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our
forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory but not toward God. 3 For what
saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not
reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness.
21
Romans 41-5
Boasting works, cf. 327 42
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our
forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory but not toward God. 3 For what
saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not
reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness.
Meritorious works, cp. 930-32 Lk. 1811-12
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
A. The two chapters are speaking of different
kinds of works, Jas. 222 Gen. 222 Rom.
41-5
B. The N.T. differentiates between meritorious
works and works which meet conditions God
has laid down, Rom. 931-32 Heb. 1130
Rom. 320 617-18 Gal. 56
23
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
IV. SAVING FAITH IS WORKING FAITH
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Hebrews 11 and Works of Faith
PERSON FAITH ACTION
BLESSING
by faith offered declared
sacrifice
righteous
Abel, v. 4
by faith prepared became heir of
ark righteousness
Noah, v. 7
Abraham, vs. 8-10
by faith obeyed land, city
built by
God
Moses, v. 24ff
by faith refused, recompense
forsook of reward
by faith compassed walls fell
Jericho
down
Israel, v. 30
by faith received perished
spies
not
Rahab, v. 31
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FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
IV. SAVING FAITH IS WORKING FAITH, Gal. 56
Phil. 212 Jno. 1242-43 Matt. 2531-46
26
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
A. Penance, or confession
B. Indulgences
C. Righteousness by works and the N.T., Rom.
930- 32 Rom. 41-5
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
27
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
A. The two chapters are speaking of different
kinds of works, Jas. 222 Gen. 222 Rom.
41-5
B. The N.T. differentiates between meritorious
works and works which meet conditions God
has laid down, Rom. 931-32 Heb. 1130
Rom. 320 617-18 Gal. 56
28
FAITH AND WORKS
I. ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND WORKS IN THE 16th
CENTURY
II. MARTIN LUTHER AND WORKS
A. Consequences His convictions about the
epistle of James
B. Faith only and the N.T., Jas. 221-26
III. HARMONIZING ROMANS 4 AND JAMES 2
IV. SAVING FAITH IS WORKING FAITH, Gal. 56
Phil. 212 Jno. 1242-43 Matt. 2531-46