Paul informed the Philippians, “unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” (Philippians 1:29 KJV) He reminded them that their faith was a gift. Paul spoke this way to those at Ephesus about faith: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8 KJV). The word “that” refers back to faith because in Greek the pronoun (in this case “that”) almost always refers back to the closest noun (faith). In Acts 16:14 we are told that Lydia, like those from Philippi and Ephesus, was a person “whose heart the Lord opened” to the Gospel Paul preached. The pattern in the New Testament is to speak of faith as a gift. 

          One way to understand faith is to recognize what it is not. In Romans four Paul contrast faith with works. We are not justified by works. We are justified by faith. What is the difference? Works refers to any action or conduct performed to comply with God’s will or keeping His law. Faith is constantly and specifically contrasted with law-keeping.  

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20 KJV) 

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11 KJV) 

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: ( Philippians 3:9 KJV) 

          One highly recognized Romans scholar equates justification through law-keeping as implying justification by anything done in obedience. Both are equally rejected as the means to justification: 

As in [Romans] 3:20, what is meant is not certain kinds of works, or works viewed in a certain light, but anything a person does in obedience to the law and, by extrapolation, anything a person does. This being the case, Luther’s famous addition of sola (“alone”) to fide (“faith”) . . . brings out the true sense intended by Paul.¹ 

          Theologian Dr. Robert Reymond agrees: 

Whereas the latter [law-keeping] relies on the human effort of the law-keeper looking to himself to render satisfaction before God, the former [faith] repudiates and looks entirely away from all human effort to the cross work of Jesus Christ, who alone by his sacrificial death rendered satisfaction before God for men.² 

          Roman Catholics strongly reject the use of “faith alone” (sola fide), misinterpreting James 2:24³ and saying that a person is not justified by faith alone. Their argument is that Paul does not mean faith without works. They don’t mean works of keeping the Mosaic law. But, they do see good works of charity as essential to justification. Many Protestants follow this theology and in essence equate justification with sanctification. This is blending faith and works in justification. 

          Is this how Paul intended us to understand faith. How else is one to understand Paul’s language of faith if he doesn’t mean faith alone. What does he mean? Reymond traces the logic of Paul’s teaching as he carefully laid it out in Romans: 

I would insist, as the above citations indicate, that when Paul declares (1) that a man is justified “by faith apart from [cwriH, choris] works of the law,” (2) that the man “who works not but believes in him who justifies the ungodly” is the man whom God regards as righteous, (3) that a man is “not justified by works of the law but through faith,” and (4) that “by the Law no man is justified before God . . . because ‘The righteous by faith shall live,’ “ he is asserting the “aloneness” of faith as the “alone” instrument of justification as surely as if he had used the word “alone,” and he is asserting it even more vigorously than if he had simply employed monoH, monos (“alone”) each time.⁴ 

          John Calvin also questions any other conclusion. He queries how it can be by anything but faith alone if everything is taken away from works: 

How will a free gift agree with works? . . . Does not he who takes everything from works firmly enough ascribe everything to faith alone. What, I pray, do these expressions mean: “His righteousness has been manifested apart from the law”; and, “Man is freely justified”; and, “Apart from the works of the law”?⁵ 

          For a further look at the objections and answers to the issue of “faith alone” read my article, “What is the Problem with ‘Faith Alone’?”⁶ 

          Next, we need to know what faith means in it’s common biblical usage. First, it means far more than knowledge or mental assent. It means to have trust, confidence or reliance in somone. “Reliance upon a thing or person supposed to be trustworthy, this is Faith.”⁷ To have faith means more than to have an opinion, belief or conviction. Some make the mistake of faulting those who hold to “faith alone.” They claim it is “easy believism” or mere “mental assent.” This was the argument Romanists used frequently against the Reformers. The issue is not one of “easy believism” or “uneasy legalism.” The issue is the clear meaning of faith as presented in Scripture. 

          The phrase “easy believism” betrays the lack of understanding of what is meant throughout Scripture by saving faith. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 when speaking of saving faith in Romans chapter four. “Abraham believed God and it was counted (imputed, reckoned) unto him for righteousness.” This faith is an attitude of trust in the character of God. Some say it this way, “Abraham BELIEVED God,” with the emphasis on “believed.” However, it should be said, “Abraham believed GOD,” with the emphasis on God. Faith is trust in the character of God! 

To have faith in a commander does not mean merely to entertain a conviction, a belief, how­ever positive, that he is skillful and competent . . .  No, to have faith in a commander implies a view of him in which we either actually do, or are quite ready to, trust ourselves and our cause to his command.⁸ 

          For example, when one gets on a plane one does not simply hold an opinion as to the competence of the pilot. One literally entrust one’s life into his hands. This is faith as trust (fiducia) or reliance. Faith must have something worthy of trust as its object or end. In the Gospel, the object of faith is Jesus Christ. By faith we place our souls in His hands. This is why we say it is by faith alone, because when we trust in Jesus, we don’t need to trust in anything else. He is sufficient. It is by faith alone because it is in Jesus alone. 

          The whole of one’s relationship to God is a commitment of trust. Peter says that we entrust our souls to God because we believe Him to be a faithful Creator. 

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:19 KJV) 

          Trust is the essence of faith. Those who challenge and question faith alone as being insufficient, easy believism or lacking in any way, are really questioning the sufficiency of Christ and the grace of God. They do not truly understand the effectiveness of the Cross, nor do they fully value the immense grace of God as they should. The reason that it is by faith alone is because Christ is enough and God’s grace is sufficient. “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; . . .” (Romans 4:16 KJV) 

          We must be careful of our definitions of faith. Some have alluded to Hebrews 11:1 as a definition of faith. It is not a definition, but, a description of what happens because of faith. Faith is not a power or faculty in itself which “moves” or “compels” God. It is an attitude of confidence in God Himself. It always points to the One in whom it is placed. 

Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, they all treated the hoped-for and the unseen as solid and certain because they all relied upon the faithful Promiser . . .  It was reliance on the Promiser. It was taking God at His Word.⁹ 

          We must always remember that the quality or power of our faith is based on what or in whom we trust and not in our faith itself. If our faith is in the omnipotent, eternal, living God, who became the man, Jesus Christ, then our faith is most excellently and wonderfully placed. Reliance upon the Maker of Heaven and Earth is the most powerful faith. Not because of the believer, but because of Whom the believer believes. Faith is so great, effective, and powerful for us because it is in Jesus Christ. His is the Glory, the Kingdom, the Power forever. It is faith in the One worthy of all “power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing.” He is the “Blessed and Only Potentate the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1 Tim 6:15,16 KJV) 

          This is why we are justified by faith alone. It is God who is the author of salva­tion. If we add any mixture of our obedience or self-righteousness with our faith, we take glory from God. The beauty of faith alone is that it makes Jesus Christ supreme - Savior alone - in the work of salvation.