Objections to Justification Answered

The following post was in response to a Catholic objector on YouTube, @MrJayb76, on 6 Feb 25. He objects to the idea of justification by faith alone as a Roman Catholic. He has scorned and mocked Martin Luther’s insertion of the word “alone” into the German New Testament in Romans 3:28. Was Luther wrong to add the word “alone” into the passage? Does Romans 4 not present a salvation entirely by faith alone? Below are some points in response to the objections of @MrJayb76. His words are first, then my responses follow in italics. The matter often becomes to expansive in these debates. Especially in writing. I try to stay focused on Rom. 3:28 and the other passage we had brought up in Rom. 4.
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@MrJayb76: The word alone is not in that verse and you are making things up by saying it is implied.

The word “alone” is not merely “implied” there, you misunderstand, it’s “demanded”. To insert contrary word ideas like “some” or “most” into Rom. 3:28 would obscure the very point, sir. It would be contrary to the passage to render it: “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from [some or most] works of the Law.” The word “alone” need not be physically inserted to be demanded from the text. Using an opposite idea renders it absurd. Abraham, long before the Law, was not justified by any of his works is the point next in Rom. 4. We have brought up the chapter. Paul goes back to the very first Hebrew. Abraham had works as did David, surely dear sir, but he was not reckoned righteous on account of any of them. If he was, this would *destroy entirely* the main point in vs. 6: “…blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.” It would be like inserting “some” or “most” into Rom. 3:28 again. The chapter concludes by including each true believer in the same faith alone faith as Abraham. To say we can be justified (initially or otherwise) by 17 works would be as against Paul’s point there as saying by 1 work. If one does not see the demand of grace alone here supplied fully by Christ, a veil lies over one’s face.
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@MrJayb76: No one for 1500yrs said the word alone is implied in that verse. This is totally intellectual dishonesty.

Gobbledygook. I can provide you multitudinous resources to substantiate the contributions of each name (and far more) that follows, sir: Irenaeus of Lyons, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Hermas, Clement of Rome, Athanasius, Fulgentius of Ruspe, Didymus the Blind, Chrysostom, Augustine, Ambrose, Basil of Caesarea, Hilary of Poitiers, Cyril of Alexandria, Jerome, Oecumenius, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Ambrosiaster, Victorinus, and many more. These are all men from whom I find my present day Baptist/Reformed- now far more refined by the Holy Spirit and the exposition of the word of God- doctrine of justification loved and exalted. Rome, as you believe it to be, is less than one thousand years old. And these men named, all long before, would all oppose it as apostate today I say. None of them believed what you do, sir. None! Stop pretending they did. The necessary fights of these men were not against the later sacramentalists tacking their papal priestly payrolls onto the Cross of Christ for salvation. Others in the church later, removing the sinful tacks that came after them are the ones who fought that. We still do today. Amen. It’s true that justification by faith alone received its proper attention in the era of the Reformation. Sure. Like Trinity in the fourth or the opposition of homosexuality in the 21st, but this doesn’t make it a shred less apostolic! Period. God is most gracious to all who call on him. Grace was understood from the start. Articulations that underscored it later in the Reformation against departures into sola ecclesia invented nothing honestly.
 
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@MrJayb76: Furthermore Paul is clearly talking about circumcision in that chapter. Circumcision will not justify us before God but faith "working itself out through love".

Paul uses Abraham’s circumcision in Romans 4:9-12 as the quintessential example of his purpose stated up front in vv. 1-8. Here’s 4-5: “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Abraham’s imputation (ἐλογίσθη) of righteousness was unmerited. Entirely unmerited. This is what makes grace grace, sir. Your view, by the very words you offer next, are contrary to Paul’s, and try to make the works of Abraham (except circumcision apparently) the actual grounds of his final justification whereas Paul’s point is entirely otherwise (see vv. 4-5 yet again). You have I believe likely starved and killed the horse that should go before the cart, sir. I notice how you then import Galatians 5:6 to try to prop up your beliefs, but you are clearly the one blind to the glorious beauty of Christ in Romans 4, sir. https://biblecia.com/blog/2019/01/04/imputed-righteousness.
I don’t think this guy was confused: [Mathetes to Diognetus: “He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange (substitution)! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors! Having therefore convinced us in the former time that our nature was unable to attain to life, and having now revealed the Savior who is able to save even those things which it was [formerly] impossible to save, by both these facts He desired to lead us to trust in His kindness, to esteem Him our Nourisher, Father, Teacher, Counselor, Healer, our Wisdom, Light, Honor, Glory, Power, and Life, so that we should not be anxious concerning clothing and food.” Ante-Nicene Fathers: Volume I, Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 9.] This is the imputation of righteousness demanded in Romans 3-4 that we love and proclaim. It’s not new. I have nothing new to proclaim that Christ didn’t. This quote isn’t from the Reformation Era, but it could be!
 
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@MrJayb76: And how convenient for your to ignore Romans 6 where actions ARE required to maintain that initial salvation not gained by any actions.

Are you “ignoring” Leviticus 8:6 or any other passage if I simply bring it up in a response? I’d be silly to say so. I’m not “ignoring” Romans 6. Not in theology, and not in my life, sir.
Two audio messages from me on works in the Christian life:
https://biblecia.com/media/9rsnr9j/works-glorious-works-a-protestant-examination-of-the-role-of-works-in-the-christian-life-71-min
https://biblecia.com/media/7qzbq2w/christians-are-never-saved-without-their-works-25-min
 
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@MrJayb76: You are clearly confusing initial justification with ongoing sanctification.

No sir, we do not confuse that justification which is always by faith alone (Romans 4, et al) and the on-going daily process of sanctification, which is by the same grace alone, yet accompanied by a life of the repentant pursuit of holiness without which no one will see God. Your un-apostolic views assert that there is such a thing as “initial justification” and “final justification” but this is patently false. There is glorification to come, yes, but there is no probation and all true believers, contrary to modern Rome’s aberrations, are to speak of God’s love and grace toward them as the apostles did…without presumption, arrogance, or boasting. One writer (a non-pope) fully agrees (see 1 Peter 1:4-9). One justified will be glorified (Rom. 8:29-30) by the same Lord’s election, his same free and sufficient grace, and that salvation that I pray is for you too that began in Christ alone before the world was. Paul’s witness here in Romans 4 is that a man who “finds” what Abraham found is that same “blessed man” who’s sin will *not be imputed to him because it was imputed to Christ “who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” Rom. 4:25. He calls David to witness. And I bear mine as well.
 
Grace to you.