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Necessity of Faith in Salvation and Justification

Justification is "the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law" [1]. This forensic declaration stands at the center of Christian soteriology, yet the precise relationship between faith and justification has divided traditions since the Reformation.

The Biblical Foundation

Paul's letters establish faith as the instrument of justification. "A man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ," he writes to the Galatians, "even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law" [4]. Romans 3:26 identifies God as "the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus" [2], while Romans 10:9–10 links confession of Christ with salvation, declaring that such confession "must be connected with faith" [3]. The Pauline corpus consistently presents faith as the means by which sinners receive the righteousness that the law demands but cannot produce.

Protestant Formulations

The Reformation crystallized justification by faith alone (sola fide) as a defining doctrine. The Augsburg Confession and the Thirty-Nine Articles both address justification [14, 15], though the retrieved excerpts do not provide their full text. Reformed theology, articulated in Calvin's Institutes [16], holds that justification is "by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen" [7]. Charles Hodge argues that "God has sent his Son into the world to save sinners. Had any other method of salvation been possible, Christ is dead in vain" [11], echoing Galatians 2:21. In this framework, faith is not a meritorious work but the empty hand that receives Christ's imputed righteousness.

John Gill emphasizes that "the moving cause of [justification] is the free grace of God," which "is wonderfully displayed in the business of a sinner's justification" [10]. Adam Clarke similarly notes that "justification by faith, in the boundless mercy of God, is as reasonable as it is Scriptural and necessary" [6]. Faith functions as the instrument, not the ground, of justification—the ground being Christ's atoning work. Clarke adds that "faith must have an object and a reason for its exercise; the object is Jesus Christ—the reason is the infinite merit of his passion and death" [13].

Catholic and Orthodox Perspectives

The Council of Trent addressed justification in 1547 [18], though the retrieved excerpt does not detail its canons. Catholic theology, represented by Aquinas, treats confession of faith as "necessary for salvation" insofar as it "falls under an affirmative precept of the Divine law" [12]. The Scholastic tradition integrates faith with the sacramental system and views justification as involving both initial grace and subsequent cooperation with that grace through works of charity. This differs from the Protestant insistence that justification is a once-for-all forensic declaration based on faith alone.

Eastern Orthodoxy, represented by John of Damascus [17], approaches salvation through the lens of theosis—participation in the divine nature—rather than the juridical categories that dominate Western debates. While the retrieved excerpt does not elaborate on the Orthodox doctrine of justification, the tradition generally resists the sharp faith-works dichotomy, viewing salvation as a synergistic process in which divine grace and human response are inseparable.

Faith and Obedience

Romans 2:13 states that "obeying the law . . . makes us right in his sight" [8], a text that complicates any account of justification by faith alone. James 1:22 similarly calls believers to be "doers of the word" [8]. Protestant interpreters typically distinguish justification (the declarative act) from sanctification (the progressive work of the Holy Spirit) [5], arguing that while faith alone justifies, the faith that justifies is never alone—it necessarily produces works. Matthew Henry describes justification's "fruits" as distinct from its "fountain and foundation" in Christ's death [9].

The necessity of faith for salvation is affirmed across traditions, grounded in the conviction that "the world by wisdom knows not God" and that human effort cannot bridge the chasm sin has opened [11]. Whether faith is the sole instrument or one element in a broader sacramental economy remains the point of division, but all agree that without faith in Christ, no one is justified before God.

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justification — A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; an”
  2. Romans “to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. -- Romans 3:26”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confessing Christ — Influences of the Holy Spirit necessary to -- 1Co 12:3; 1Jo 4:2. A test of being saints -- 1Jo 2:23; 4:2,3. An evidence of union with God -- 1Jo 4:15. Necessary to salvation -- Ro 10:9,10. Ensures his confessing us -- Mt 10:32. The fear of man prevents -- Joh 7:13; 12:42,43. Persecution should not prevent us from -- Mr 8:35; 2Ti 2:12. Must be connected with faith -- Ro 10:9. Consequences of not -- Mt 10:33. Exemplified Nathanael. -- Joh 1:49. Peter. -- Joh 6:68,69; Ac 2:22-36. Man born blind. -- Joh 9:25,33. Martha. -- Joh 11:27. Peter and John. -”
  4. Galatians “yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law. -- Galatians 2:16”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:1”
  6. Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified - See the notes on Rom 1:17; Rom 3:24 (note), Rom 3:27 (note); Rom 8:3 (note). And see on Act 13:38 (note) and Act 13:39 (note), in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of any other law, could justify any man; and if justification or pardon could not have been attained in some other way, the world must have perished. Justification by faith, in the boundless mercy of God, is as reasonable as it is Scriptural and necessary.”
  7. Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 4:16: Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."”
  8. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 2:13: 2:13 obeying the law . . . makes us right in his sight: Regarding the promise of righteousness through obedience, see 2:7; see also Jas 1:22.”
  9. Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 5 (introduction): The apostle, having made good his point, and fully proved justification by faith, in this chapter proceeds in the explication, illustration, and application of that truth. I. He shows the fruits of justification (Rom 5:1-5). II. He shows the fountain and foundation of justification in the death of Jesus Christ, which he discourses of at large in the rest of the chapter.”
  10. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:20: Being justified freely by his grace,.... The matter of justification is before expressed, and the persons that share in this blessing are described; here the several causes of it are mentioned. The moving cause of it is the free grace of God; for by "the grace of God" here, is not meant the Gospel, or what some men call the terms of the Gospel, and the constitution of it; nor the grace of God infused into the heart; but the free love and favour of God, as it is in his heart; which is wonderfully displayed in the business of a sinner's justification before him: it appe”
  11. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 13: religious truth, must be as inefficacious in preparing men for the presence of God, as the waters of Syria to heal the leprosy. D. The necessary Conditions of Salvation . 6. Seeing then that the world by wisdom knows not God; seeing that men when left to themselves inevitably die in their sins; it 30 has “pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” ( 1 Cor. i. 21 .) God has sent his Son into the world to save sinners. Had any other method of salvation been possible, Christ is dead in vain. ( Gal. ii. 21 ; iii. ”
  12. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Outward Act of Faith, Art. 2: Article: Whether confession of faith is necessary for salvation? I answer that, Things that are necessary for salvation come under the precepts of the Divine law. Now since confession of faith is something affirmative, it can only fall under an affirmative precept. Hence its necessity for salvation depends on how it falls under an affirmative precept of the Divine law. Now affirmative precepts as stated above (FS, Question [71], Article [5], ad 3; FS, Question [88], Article [1], ”
  13. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 10:6: But the righteousness which is of faith - As it is most evident that there can be no justification by works, as all are sinful and all in a guilty state; if God will grant salvation at all, it must be by faith: but faith must have an object and a reason for its exercise; the object is Jesus Christ - the reason is the infinite merit of his passion and death. Who shall ascend unto heaven? etc. - As Christ is the end of the law for justification to every one that believes, no observance of the law can procure him. Who, by the practice of the law, can bring Christ down ”
  14. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article IV. Of Justification.: Article IV. Of Justification.”
  15. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 11.Of Justification.: 11.Of Justification.”
  16. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
  17. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: 9:5 9:5 9:5 9:19 9:21 9:21 10:4 10:4 10:6-9 10:13-21 10:17 11:8 11:25-27 11:28 11:32 11:33-36 11:36 11:36 11:36 12:3 12:13 15:10 15:12 16:25-27 1 Corinthians 1:9 1:10 1:17-25 1:20 1:20-25 1:23 1:23 1:23-24 1:24 1:24 1:24 1:27 1:27 2:2 2:7-8 2:8 2:8 2:8 2:10-11 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:14-15 3:8 3:8 3:16 3:17 3:19 7:2 7:25 7:31 8 8:5 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:7 10:1 10:17 10:31 11:2 11:24-26 11:29 11:31-32 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:4-7 12:4-11 12:5-6 12:5-6 12:8 12:8 12:8-10 12:11 12:12 12:24 13:10 14:32 14:37 15:3-4 15:16-17 15:20 15:2”
  18. Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic) “Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic, 1547), « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211: « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211”
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