Faith Without Works Is Dead - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Summary

This discourse delves into the enduring debate between faith and works in Christianity, particularly highlighting the perspectives of Martin Luther and the Catholic Church. Luther's 'sola fide' doctrine emphasizes salvation through faith alone, contrasting with the Catholic view that while faith initiates justification, it is through subsequent works that one grows in salvation. The speaker draws parallels to the healing process in 12-step programs, suggesting that faith is the first step towards spiritual health, but ongoing engagement with the sacraments and works of love are essential for spiritual growth and deification.

Takeaways

• 📜 The speaker revisits the longstanding debate between faith and works in Christianity, focusing on the perspective from the Letter of James.
• 👨‍🦲 Martin Luther's personal struggle with assurance of salvation led him to emphasize 'justification by faith alone', setting the stage for Protestant beliefs.
• 🧩 Luther's 'tower experience' in 1515-1516 was pivotal, where he found solace in Romans' message that 'the just shall live by faith', distinct from monastic works.
• 🤲 The Protestant stance, as represented by Luther, is that while good works are a consequence of faith, they are not a requirement for salvation.
• 📖 The Catholic Church, in response, through the Council of Trent, agreed that salvation comes through Christ's grace, not works, but also emphasized the growth in justification through faith and works.
• 🌱 The concept of 'justification' in Catholicism is seen as an ongoing process, where faith is the beginning, and works contribute to spiritual growth and healing.
• 🛐 The speaker draws a parallel between the process of healing in 12-step programs and the Christian journey, where surrender to a higher power is just the start.
• 💡 The metaphor of 'salvation' is explored beyond legal terms, linking it to concepts of health and healing, suggesting a holistic transformation through faith and works.
• 🙏 The Catholic view presented suggests that while faith initiates the process of justification, ongoing engagement with the sacraments and the Church community is essential for deepening this justification.
• 🌟 The ultimate goal of the Christian path, as hinted at by the speaker, is not just salvation from sin but a process of deification, where believers partake in the divine nature.

Q & A

What is the central issue discussed in the script?

The central issue discussed in the script is the debate between faith and works in the context of Christian salvation, particularly focusing on the perspectives of Catholicism and Protestantism.

What is the significance of the Letter of James in the script?

The Letter of James is significant as it provides a key text for Catholics on the issue of faith and works, emphasizing that faith without works is dead and that good works are necessary to demonstrate living faith.

Who is Martin Luther and what is his role in the script?

Martin Luther is a central figure in the script, known as the initiator of the Protestant Reformation. His struggle with the assurance of salvation and his 'tower experience' led to the principle of justification by faith alone, which is a fundamental tenet of Protestantism.

What does 'sola scriptura' mean in the context of the script?

In the script, 'sola scriptura' refers to the Protestant belief that the Bible is the sole and ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, which was a significant departure from the Catholic view that also values tradition and Church teaching.

What is the 'Tower experience' mentioned in the script?

The 'Tower experience' refers to a pivotal moment in Martin Luther's life when he had a profound realization about salvation through faith alone, as opposed to works, while studying the text 'The just shall live by faith' from Romans.

How does the script describe the Catholic view on justification and works?

The script describes the Catholic view as recognizing faith as the origin and root of justification, but also emphasizing that works, particularly works of love and participation in the sacraments, are necessary for an increase in justification and spiritual growth.

What is the Council of Trent and its relevance to the script?

The Council of Trent is a significant ecumenical council in the Catholic Church that addressed the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. In the script, it is mentioned as the Catholic Church's response to the teachings of Martin Luther and John Calvin, reaffirming the importance of both faith and works for salvation.

What metaphor does the script use to explain the Protestant view of salvation?

The script uses a forensic or legal metaphor to explain the Protestant view of salvation, where justification is seen as a declaration of righteousness by God, based on faith alone, similar to a judge's declaration in a courtroom.

How does the script suggest the process of salvation in the Catholic view?

The script suggests that in the Catholic view, salvation is a process that begins with faith but requires ongoing cooperation with God's grace through works, sacraments, and a life of love, leading to spiritual healing and eventually deification.

What is the concept of 'deification' mentioned in the script?

Deification, or theosis, is the concept that not only does God want to save and heal humanity from sin, but He also intends for humans to participate in His divine nature, becoming more like Him in character and holiness.

What does Pope Francis's metaphor of the 'field hospital' signify in the script?

Pope Francis's metaphor of the 'field hospital' signifies the Church as a place of healing and salvation for those who are spiritually wounded, emphasizing the role of the Church's sacraments and practices in facilitating this process of healing and growth in faith.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Faith and Works in Christian Theology

This paragraph delves into the historical and theological debate between faith and works in Christianity, particularly focusing on the perspectives of Martin Luther and the Catholic Church. It begins with a quote from the Letter of James, emphasizing the necessity of works alongside faith for salvation. The narrative then shifts to Martin Luther's personal struggle with the assurance of salvation, leading to his 'tower experience' where he found solace in the idea of salvation through faith alone, apart from works. The paragraph contrasts this with the Catholic view, which acknowledges faith as the foundation but sees an increase in justification through good works and participation in the sacraments.

05:00

🔍 The Metaphorical Debate on Salvation

The second paragraph explores the metaphorical language used in discussions of salvation, contrasting the legal metaphor of being declared righteous with the metaphor of healing and growth in faith. It draws parallels between the Protestant emphasis on justification by faith alone and the Catholic view of a progressive sanctification through works and participation in the Church's life. The speaker suggests that while faith is the starting point, the journey towards salvation involves a commitment to works that express and deepen one's faith, much like the process of recovery in 12-step programs that require ongoing commitment and action beyond an initial surrender to a higher power.

10:05

🛐 The Journey from Salvation to Deification

The final paragraph extends the discussion to the ultimate goal of the Christian life: deification or theosis. It argues that while faith is essential for initiating the process of salvation, the journey continues through active cooperation with divine grace, expressed through works of love, participation in the sacraments, and adherence to the teachings of the Church. The speaker emphasizes that Christ's intention is not merely to heal humanity from sin but to elevate believers to a state of sharing in the divine nature. This process is described as a progression from justification, through sanctification, to deification, culminating in a transformative union with God.

Keywords

💡Faith and Works

Faith and works are central to the video's discussion on the theological debate between Protestantism and Catholicism. Faith refers to a believer's trust in God and adherence to religious doctrine, while works are the actions or deeds performed by believers as a result of their faith. The video emphasizes that while faith is essential for salvation, works are also necessary to demonstrate the authenticity of one's faith, as highlighted in the Letter of James: 'So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.'

💡Martin Luther

Martin Luther is a pivotal figure in the video's narrative, as he is the originator of the Protestant Reformation. His struggle with the assurance of salvation and his eventual insight that faith alone, rather than works, justifies a believer before God, is a key moment in the video. Luther's 'tower experience' and his interpretation of Romans as emphasizing faith over works are significant in shaping the Protestant doctrine of 'justification by grace alone, through faith alone.'

💡Justification

Justification is a theological term used in the video to describe the process by which a person is declared righteous in the eyes of God. It is a central concept in the debate between faith and works. The video contrasts the Protestant view, which emphasizes justification by faith alone, with the Catholic view, which sees justification as beginning with faith but growing through good works. The video illustrates this through the metaphor of a courtroom declaration of righteousness.

💡Grace

Grace is a theological concept referring to the unmerited favor of God, which is freely given to humanity for their salvation. In the video, grace is discussed as the fundamental gift that enables justification and salvation. Both Protestants and Catholics agree that salvation is through God's grace, but they differ on the role of human works in the process. The video suggests that while faith is the starting point, grace is the power that works through believers to bring about salvation and deification.

💡Sacraments

Sacraments are ritual practices in the Catholic Church that are believed to confer divine grace. The video mentions sacraments as part of the Catholic understanding of how works contribute to the process of justification and salvation. They are seen as channels through which God's grace is received and expressed in the life of the believer, aiding in the growth of justification and the process of becoming more Christ-like.

💡Council of Trent

The Council of Trent is a historical ecumenical council of the Catholic Church that took place in the 16th century as a response to the Protestant Reformation. In the video, the Council of Trent is highlighted as the Catholic Church's formal response to the teachings of Martin Luther and John Calvin. The video references the decrees of the Council of Trent to illustrate the Catholic position that, while justification begins with faith, it is through works that a believer grows in grace and justification.

💡Deification

Deification, or theosis, is a concept in Christian theology that refers to the process by which believers become partakers of the divine nature and are transformed into the likeness of God. The video discusses deification as the ultimate goal of salvation, where believers are not only healed from sin but also elevated to share in God's own nature. This concept is used to contrast the idea of salvation as a mere declaration of righteousness with a transformative process that involves both divine grace and human cooperation.

💡The Letter of James

The Letter of James is one of the books in the New Testament and is often cited by Catholics to support the necessity of works in conjunction with faith for salvation. In the video, the Letter of James is used to argue against the idea that faith alone is sufficient for salvation. It is presented as a key text that emphasizes the importance of works as evidence of genuine faith, challenging the Protestant doctrine of sola fide (faith alone).

💡Salvation

Salvation in the video is discussed as the ultimate goal of the Christian faith, encompassing more than just forgiveness of sins. It is presented as a process of healing, transformation, and deification, where believers are not only saved from the consequences of sin but also made holy and conformed to the image of Christ. The video uses the metaphor of a 'field hospital' to describe the church as a place where the wounded come to be saved, healed, and made whole.

💡Works of Love

Works of love refer to the acts of kindness, charity, and service performed by believers as a response to God's grace and as an expression of their faith. In the video, works of love are highlighted as essential components of the Catholic understanding of salvation, where they are seen as necessary expressions of a living faith. They are contrasted with the Protestant emphasis on faith alone, illustrating the Catholic view that faith is active and demonstrated through love in action.

Highlights

The speaker addresses the ongoing debate between faith and works in Christianity, referencing the Letter of James as a key Catholic text on the subject.

The importance of Martin Luther's personal struggle and his 'tower experience' in shaping the Protestant view on justification by faith alone is discussed.

Luther's realization that salvation comes through faith in Christ's grace, not through monastic works, is highlighted.

The speaker clarifies that while works are not necessary for salvation in Protestant thought, they are expected to follow from justification.

The Catholic response to the Reformation, as seen in the decrees of the Council of Trent, is summarized, emphasizing grace as the sole source of justification.

The Catholic view that faith is the beginning of justification, but that works of love and sacraments contribute to an increase in justification is explained.

The metaphor of the courtroom is used to describe the Protestant understanding of justification as a legal declaration of righteousness.

The speaker introduces an alternative metaphor, drawing from the language of health and healing, to explain the Catholic view of salvation as a process of spiritual growth.

The concept of 'salus' as the root of the word 'salvation', linking it to ideas of health and healing, is explored.

A comparison is made between the process of justification and the 12-step programs for addiction recovery, emphasizing the necessity of ongoing action beyond an initial surrender to a higher power.

The speaker argues that faith is the root of justification, but that works are necessary for the increase of justification and spiritual healing.

The idea that God does not save us without our cooperation is presented, aligning with the Catholic teaching on the necessity of works in the process of salvation.

Pope Francis's metaphor of the church as a field hospital for the spiritually wounded is referenced to illustrate the church's role in the process of salvation.

The ultimate goal of salvation as described in 1 Peter, to become partakers of the divine nature, is discussed.

The concept of 'theosis' or deification, as seen in the teachings of the ancient Greek and Western Church Fathers, is explained as the ultimate goal of the Christian life.

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that faith is necessary but not sufficient for salvation; works are essential for the process of deification.

Transcripts

Peace be with you.

Friends, I guess,

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

I'm going to go once more into this great issue that

has been a dividing Western Christianity since the Reformation:

the issue of faith and works.

I do it not just because I'm a glutton for punishment,

but because it's in our second reading

from the Letter of James,

which is a key text for Catholics on this issue.

Let me just read you a couple lines

from the Letter of James.

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters,

if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Can that faith save him?

So also faith of itself, if it does not have works,

is dead."

So, pretty strong stuff, huh?

That faith and works seem both necessary for salvation.

Now, you know where this issue emerged.

It emerged out of the very powerful experience

of a young Martin Luther,

this intense Augustinian monk.

So, we're at the beginning, now, of the 16th century.

Luther, brilliant, a teacher of theology,

expert in scripture,

but wrestling with this problem of,

"Do I know I'm saved?"

Luther was a monk, he was a friar,

and so he had all kinds of works at his disposal,

if you want.

He had the sacraments and sacramentals

and disciplines and ascetic practices and all these things.

And he said, famously,

"If a monk were ever saved by monkishness,

I was that monk."

So, he tried, in all these ways,

to convince himself that he was saved.

But it didn't work,

he still had this inner turmoil.

And then it's somewhere probably around the year 1516 or 1515,

Luther has, what's called in the

technical literature, his Turmerlebnis,

German for his tower experience.

So, in the tower of the monastery,

Luther comes to this great insight,

and he gets the text from the beginning of Romans.

"The just shall live by faith."

It struck him as the solution to his problem.

It's not by all these works, all these monkish exercises,

that he's saved, but by the great act of faith

by which he laid claim to the grace of Christ.

The blood of Christ, now covering him.

It's in that great act of faith that he found salvation.

As I say, for Luther, this was like a liberation.

And even though there's all kinds of different expressions

of the Protestant religion,

I think at least the vast majority

would have this great principle in common;

justification by grace alone,

seized through faith alone.

Work's not necessary for salvation.

Now, just to be fair and to be clear,

Luther himself and everyone that's followed him,

has always been insistent

that good works follow from justification.

So, once you've accepted the Lord in faith

and you know you're saved,

now, in Luther's language,

you want to bring the outer person

in line with the inner person.

So, of course you want this faith of yours

to express itself in works.

However, the works are not ingredient in salvation.

Okay, that's a quick summary of the basic Protestant position,

if you want.

Now, Martin Luther himself knew

the text I just read, and remember,

he was a scripture man,

sola scriptura, by the Bible alone.

Bible was the clear, infallible source of authority.

So, Luther knew this text was a problem,

which is why he even suggested

perhaps it doesn't belong in the canon of scripture.

Now, how did Catholics deal with this problem?

Can I urge, especially my Catholic listeners,

go online, it's a great thing about the internet,

now we can find anything we want,

go online and look up the

decretals of the Council of Trent

So, the Council of Trent, that happened now

after the Reformation,

was the Catholic Church's great response

to Luther and to Calvin.

Now, there were very powerful people at Trent,

I mean Ecclesiastics and theologians

who didn't dismiss the Protestant Reformers,

by no means.

They read them with great care,

and they nodded, even vigorously,

in their direction.

So, if you read the decretals of Trent,

you'll see we're not justified by our works.

It is really only through grace,

the grace of Christ,

that we will come to salvation.

What's the difference, then?

The Catholic view is

faith indeed is,

and this is the language of Trent,

is the “the initium et raix omnis justificationis”.

It's "the origin and root of all justification".

But then, through works, the works of love,

through the sacraments,

through the life of the church,

there is an increase in justification.

It's not a one-and-done deal.

The root and origin of all justification is indeed faith,

when I opened my life to the power of Christ.

But now Christ, working in me,

in my cooperation with His grace,

I grow in justification.

Okay, so as I say,

this debate's been going on for now over 500 years,

and I'm not going to settle it,

I'm quite sure, in this sermon.

But I want to draw attention to something.

Notice, please, how this whole discussion

is drawn from the world of the courtroom.

The prime metaphor here is a forensic metaphor,

the declaration of righteousness.

Think of someone now in a courtroom,

they're before a judge.

The judge declares them guilty or innocent.

So, Luther's insight was,

"Even though I am guilty, I'm covered in my own sins,

through the grace of Christ, I've been declared,

nevertheless, righteous."

Now, in a juridical framework,

it is kind of a all or nothing, isn't it?

You're not a little bit innocent,

a little bit guilty.

You're either innocent or you're guilty.

And so Luther saw that as a key moment,

"When, through the grace of Christ,

I'm declared righteous."

Okay, but can I suggest something now?

That's one set of metaphors,

drawn from that forensic world of the courtroom.

I think this language of the Letter of James

is drawn from a different context.

Listen again.

"If someone says he has faith but does not have works?"

"What good is that?"

"Can that faith save him?"

Can that faith save him?

So, one metaphor is this legal one,

this forensic one, of the declared righteousness.

But now we have a different metaphorical context.

What does it mean to be saved?

The word, think of our word, English,

our English word, "save",

from salus in Latin.

That's why Jesus is called the Salvator.

He's the one who brings salus.

What's salus?

Health.

Healing.

I find it very interesting that our word salve,

S-A-L-V-E,

is maybe the closest relative of that.

In ancient Roman times, if you said

“salve” to someone, that's the way

of saying hello. "How are you?"

salve meant, "Good health to you."

How are we saved?

How are we cured?

How are we healed?

I think what you see in James,

and the Catholic Church has expressed in its own teaching, is

indeed that process has to begin with faith.

Where we accept the grace of Christ into our lives,

yes, indeed.

But now, through our cooperation with that grace,

we come increasingly to salvation,

to health.

Go back to that first metaphor.

Yes, justification, being set right,

begins with faith,

but then there's an increase in justification.

Let me give you another comparison.

A lot of us today would be familiar with this now,

from the various 12-step programs.

Suppose somebody is caught in an addiction,

addiction to alcohol, or to drugs,

or to pornography, or whatever it is.

What's a fundamental move, if you want to find healing?

You have to admit

that you can't solve this problem on your own.

Talk to anyone that's been in the grip of an addiction.

If you think, "Oh no, I'll solve it myself.

Don't worry, I can do this.

I can kind of pull myself up by the bootstraps,

and I can solve this problem."

Uh-uh.

What's step one in 12-step processes,

but to turn your life over to a higher power?

Indispensable, indispensable, in the 12-step programs.

You can't save yourself, you have to

surrender to a higher power,

which can now work in you and through you.

Okay, but now stay with the 12-step process.

Does it end with that?

Mm-mm.

It is indeed the indispensable root and origin

of the process of healing.

But what does someone now who's wrestling with an alcohol addiction,

for example, have to do?

All right, you've surrendered to the higher power.

Now you have to see your sponsor on a regular basis.

Now you have to go to AA meetings.

You got to be faithful to it.

And above all, you have to stop drinking.

So, what if someone were to say,

"You know what? I'm an alcohol addict.

And I've turned my life over to a higher power."

And let's say you really have.

There was a key moment when you said,

"I can't do this. Lord, you come and help me."

Okay, good, good.

But after that, "You know what?

I never call my sponsor.

I never go to meetings.

And you know what?

I still drink from time to time."

What's the reaction?

The reaction is, you're not going to be cured.

You're not going to be healed.

You're not going to be saved.

Listen, “if someone says he has faith but does not have works,

can that faith save him”?

See, according to the metaphor I've been developing,

the answer is clearly no, it won't heal him.

There's an old adage in the Catholic tradition that

God created us without our cooperation.

That's true, because we're created from nothing.

But He won't recreate us without our cooperation.

He won't save us without our cooperation.

God's not in competition with us.

He wants us now, through our works of love,

to grow in salvation, in spiritual healing.

Okay, one more step in the couple minutes I have.

So, Christ wants to save us, to heal us,

from the effects of sin, yes indeed.

Pope Francis said,

"The church is like a field hospital,"

same metaphor, right?

"Where deeply wounded people come to be saved."

But what's our version of seeing your sponsor

and not drinking and going to meetings?

It's like the sacraments and Mass

and the Eucharist and the works of love.

Those are all the things that we do now

to work that grace more deeply into our lives.

But here's the next step,

or the last step I want to emphasize.

Christ doesn't simply want to heal us of our sin.

He wants to deify us.

The great text here is in 1 Peter,

that we become

"partakers of the divine nature".

He's not satisfied that we're just healed of our sin.

That's a necessary prerequisite.

But what He wants above all

is that we become sharers in His own nature.

He doesn't want to leave us in our sin,

as though we're simply declared righteous,

but remain sinners. No, no.

He wants, really, to save us

and then to elevate us.

Read the ancient Greek fathers,

long before Martin Luther.

They spoke of theosis, deification.

Look at the Western fathers, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas;

both speak of deificatio,

deification.

How's that happen?

Yes, through grace, of course,

you can't do it on your own.

You have to open yourself to Christ in faith.

But then, through our cooperation with that grace,

through the works of love, through the sacraments,

we are saved, we're cured.

But then, in the great plan of God,

we are deified.

So, here's James.

"So also faith of itself, if it does not have works,

is dead."

Right, we begin with faith,

it's the beginning and root of all justification.

But then, through our cooperation,

justification increases,

salvation, healing comes,

and indeed, deification comes.

And God bless you.