It may seem patently self-evident that faith must be primary in knowing God. But nothing seems more frequently and easily missed, especially by those who profess the greatest loyalty to Christ theologically! Protestants will often argue about the nature of faith alone in order to keep out all human works, or merit, in salvation. This is generally done in fierce opposition to Rome's teaching, because of the long debates about justification. The phrase sola fide becomes a kind of rallying cry for the faithful as if saying the words makes you faithful to the gospel. This is an argument that I have great sympathy for since I am persuaded that nothing I bring to God contributes a meritorious thing to my salvation. Catholics have responded to this sola fide argument by saying that real faith is always active. Thus any notion of "faith alone" that separates faith from love and active Christian obedience is not real faith at all. For Catholics, sola fide sounds like bare faith with no love and no action. I can also find biblical support for this argument in places like Hebrews 11. The Scripture puts this very simply: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

The Faith Chapter

The great faith chapter of Hebrews 11 makes it quite obvious that faith will always love. It will also be active in receiving God's promises, and it will faithfully obey God in the midst of real trials and challenges. Faith is never, not once, defined in passive terms in Scripture. In this sense we must never say that faith is alone. Hear the Word of the Lord:

I have been reading an unbelievable book entitled The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification: Growing in Holiness by Living in Union with Christ by Walter Marshall. The back of the book reads:

The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall, first published in 1692, is one of the classic works of Christian spirituality. It is a deep and rich biblical study of sanctification—how Christians grow in holiness and become more like Jesus. In a day when Christians are very prone to pursue self-help methods to grow in obedience to Christ, Walter Marshall lays out the biblical way of growth: Obedience comes as Christians live by grace, in union with Christ by faith. Growth comes, as Paul says in Galatians 2:20, through "Christ living in me."

I have been stunned by the gospel-centeredness of this book. I have been even more stunned that I have never heard of this book before, nor have I spoken with anyone else who has heard of this book either. Shocking for a book that Dr. John Murray, the late professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, said that this book was the most important book on sanctification that had ever been written. The introduction of the book, written by Bruce McRae, states:

The great theme of Walter Marshall's book is that Christians grow in obedience by the power of the gospel, not by their own strength. Christians are in union with Christ, and their Christian growth flows from this union, not from their own efforts. The gospel is essential for growth in holiness…The gospel says that through faith in Christ, you are completely forgiven of all your sins. Then, having been forgiven, you are called to sanctification by faith in Christ as well. Sanctification is the lifelong process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. All Christians agree on this point: Christians are called to pursue godly, holy living. On this point there is simply no debate. However, confusion sets in as soon as the question is asked, "How do Christians become holy? Where does the power for godly living come from?