Christ Alone/Faith Alone?
THE GOSPELPAUL


The Christ alone and Faith Alone doctrines, on the surface, have the appearance of humility... But are they actually the total opposite of what they present?
Growing up in a Baptist Church and attending a Baptist private elementary school, I'm very familiar with these doctrines. The doctrine "Christ Alone" and "Faith Alone" go hand in hand, so I'll hold both up to the Light of the 1 and only True Gospel that Christ was Anointed to Preach. The teaching typically goes something like this "Only Christ can save you! There is nothing you can do to save yourself. It is Christ Alone!... Thru Faith Alone!... there is nothing that you can do to save yourself because it's not of works! It is not Christ plus Works but Faith Alone in Christ Alone!".
This doctrine, on the surface, appears to give all of the Glory to Messiah. It also appears to place the speaker in a place of humility before the King of Kings. Some will go so far as to say if you believe that it's "Christ plus works" then you will die and go to a place called hell where the devil and his demons will torture you for ever and ever and ever, all because you didn't believe in "Christ Alone!".
The prior all being stated, I want to make one thing clear. I do believe that there is no salvation apart from Messiah. Messiah paid the ultimate sacrifice and paid the penalty of transgressing Yahweh's Law. The offense's that I've committed that should have been placed above my head, the torture and the open shame and ultimately the death that I should have suffered... He bear on that tree. That said, He also came to bear witness to the Truth. Christ's sacrifice and His Testimony are not contrary to each other. He preached the 1 and only True and everlasting Gospel.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but MY WORDS shall not pass away.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
The question in actuality should not be, do we believe in Christ plus works but rather it should be do we believe in Christ minus Truth? If we remove Truth from Christ, what are we left with? This is a very important question. In actuality the removed Truth has to be replaced with something and whatever is placed in Truths stead will always be a lie. In this case the "Christ Alone/Faith Alone" doctrine uses a very old lie that goes back to the very beginning.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
To promise people life that are living in outright disobedience to Yahweh is to prophesy falsely. People that do this are doing exactly what the false prophets did in ancient Israel.
Eze 13:22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, BY PROMISING HIM LIFE:
Eze 13:23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am Yahweh.
Yahweh wants to set us free. This freedom comes only through His son.
Joh 8:31 Then said Yahshua to those Jews which believed on him, IF ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
We are most certainly are saved by Faith but that Faith has to be in the Truth.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to Elohim for you, brethren beloved of the Master, because Elohim hath from the beginning chosen you to SALVATION through sanctification of the Spirit and BELIEF OF THE TRUTH:
We should cherish the Truth, after all, Messiah is the Truth. How can we claim to love Him and not love the Truth? How can we claim to follow Him and follow after lies? Can Faith in a lie save us? These are very important questions.
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; BECAUSE they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 AND FOR THIS CAUSE Elohim shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
If I were to say I believe in Kamala Harris, what would I be communicating? I'm obviously not saying I believe she exists or that I believe she is running for President. Everybody would understand that I meant I believe what she says and that I stand behind her message. Now why is it different when it comes to the King of Kings?
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Master, Master, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth MY SAYINGS, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
He is our foundation if we believe His Testimony and walk in it. Yahshua taught the full council of Yahweh. To take a few select verses from Paul's letters and make that the foundation for our faith is a huge error. The foundational verse for the doctrine in question is from Paul's letters to the Ephesians.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the gift of Elohim:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Paul clearly says that it is not of works while Christ say's to Strive (Struggle, Fight, Labor Fervently) to enter in at the Straight gate.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Is Paul teaching against the Gospel of Messiah? Is Paul saying the disobedient will inherit the Kingdom? Not according to Chapter 5 of his very same letter.
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, HATH ANY INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM of Christ and of Elohim.
Eph 5:6 LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of Elohim upon the children of disobedience.
So what does Paul mean "Through Faith", "Not of Yourselves"? I believe the answer lies in the subject of the previous chapter.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Yahshua the Messiah to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
The subject of Predestination is a heavily debated topic but it is extremely important in understanding certain parts of Paul's letters. Paul was not teaching against the Words of Messiah. He was teaching directly from them.
Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ORDAINED YOU, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Paul continues...
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Paul is saying that we are predestinated according to His purpose. This brings us to a very important verse which seems to be not as often quoted as Eph 2:8-9.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua unto good works, which Elohim hath BEFORE ORDAINED that we should walk in them.
Note the similar language from the Gospel in John 15:16 where Yahshua states that He Ordained His disciples to bring forth fruit and Ephesians 2:10.
Paul goes further by telling the assembly at Rome...
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
There is only 1 place in the bible that speaks about Faith Alone.
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, IS DEAD, being alone.
When we give Christ's Doctrine the preeminence and make His words our foundation, everything comes into alignment. The Crooked is made straight and we are able see clearly in order to discern the Truth from False doctrines of men.