Faith Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification

this is one of the finest introductory books on the historical doctrine that split rome with the reformers... the book is concise and easy to read coming from an apt teacher who always seems to make difficult concepts easy to understand which is the true art of a teacher...this book should be read by all christians, especially evangelicals who have departed from their reformation heritage...this doctrine is, as luther said, that which the church stands or falls on.

Rev. Sproul's work compels the reader to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints." He logically, scripturally, and systematically destroys the eccumenical position on salvation as its proponents have arrogated to themselves the responsibility to decide what is "essential" for man to be saved, even though Jesus Himself said that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Papists and their apologists will hate this book, for Rev. Sproul leaves no doubt that there cannot be "two Gospels." He masterfully shows how the signers of the ECT have been duped into thinking they have achieved some great milestone for "unity," when what they really have done is compromised on a key doctrine (justification)the loss of which threw Christendom into 1000 years of the Dark Ages. A classic work to be read by all Christians in order to gain a foundational understanding of our faith. Far too many who profess Christ no so little about what His Word teaches. This book is an exhortation to all to "endure sound doctrine."

When Evangelicals and Catholics talk about justification, they are not really speaking the same language or placing the same meaning on the word. In order to have any meaningful discussion (or debate) on the truth of the matter (and therefore the gospel itself), one at a minimum has to understand what the other side means. This book should help the reader from either side do just that. Hopefully it will also help the reader from falling for strawman type arguments that ignorant or disingenuous people often make. E.g. a common strawman argument Evangelicals sometimes make against Catholics is that they believe in salvation by works--meaning works alone. A common strawman argument Catholics sometimes use against Evangelicals is that forensic justification (faith alone) is a "legal fiction". If you happen to hear or read someone making those type arguments, you can be sure you are dealing with an ignoramus, a liar, or worse! Anyone who misrepresents (intentionally or not) what the other actually believes isn't helping his case or pleasing God. This book does a good job of dealing with the APPARENT contradiction between Paul and James on justification. Since both Catholics and Evangelicals believe in the infallibility of Scripture (as Sproul acknowledges) there cannot be a REAL contradiction between Paul and James. It might surprise some Catholics that Evangelicals believe, like James, that those justified by faith alone will NECESSARILY have good works and be a changed person as a result--the Holy Spirit guarantees as much (cf. 1John 3:6, 3:9). Perhaps Sproul should have also mentioned that it is a settled rule of hermeneutics that unclear and isolated passages (like James 2) must be interpretted by more clear and numerous ones. When Paul writes that a person is justified BY faith and NOT BY works or law (e.g. Rom. 3:28, 4:6; Gal. 2:15-16; 3:11; Eph. 2:8-9) there can be no doubt that he is teaching justification by faith alone. If someone said their lawnmower or car (or any internal combustion engine) ran BY gas and NOT BY water, no one would think they were saying it ran on BOTH gas and water! In fact, if ANY water was put in the gas tank and made it's way to the carburetor, the engine wouldn't run at all! Trying to mix faith and works for justification (just like trying to mix gas and water) is just as bad effectively as having neither. Some may argue "works" is just legal or ceremonial works, but this is a distinction Paul NEVER made about works. Indeed, the example of works he uses that didn't justify Abraham with God, were moral works, since Abraham lived some 400 years before Moses was ever given the Law! Another good book that goes into some detail on key verses on justification and imputation is Charles Hodge's COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. Just keep in mind though, that you do not have to believe in a Calvinist (or Thomist) view of election to believe in justification by faith alone.

To one of the reviewers below who accuse Sproul of not being a good scholar for saying that Luther held to calvinst views, or similar to Calvin's, apparently it is you who need to do some good research! Try reading Bondage of the Will, by Luther, for a change. Here is what he wrote on election, freewill,preservation of the saints and human depravity: "He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His own immutable, eternal and infallible will. This bombshell knocks freewill flat and utterly shatters it...Hence it follows that freewill without the grace of God is not free at all, but is the permanent prisoner and bondslave of evil, since it cannot turn itself to evil...So, too, I say that man, before he is renewed into the new creation of the Spirit's kingdom, does and endeavors nothing to prepare himself for that new creation and kingdom, and when he is re-created he does and endeavors nothing towards his perseverance in that kingdom; but the Spirit alone works both blessings in us, regenerating us, and preserving us when regenerate, without ourselves; as James says, 'Of His own will begat He us with the word of His power, that we should be the firstfruits of His creation'(Jas. 1.18). So it is certain that Paul's view here accords with Christ's teaching in John 3(v. 6), that everything which is not of the Spirit is flesh...For the Spirit of Christ is needed, and without Him all is nothing but a matter of condemnation..."