JOS3 I am an ex Roman Catholic and left that church in 2006. For many reasons I became very disenchanted with the Roman catholic church, which under Joseph Ratzinger I thought was moving backwards to a pre Vatican II mentality. I decided to leave the RCC in January 2006 and I spent 4 years exploring all the major Protestant denominations. I also started reading about the Reformation and I read the scriptures. When I started to read about John Calvin, and John Knox and the Presbyterians and the Reformed faith I knew that I had found the pure gospel of grace and the faith the way it is according to the scriptures. I made a Public affirmation of faith in the Presbyterian church I am now a member of and I wrote this piece several years ago and I think it may answer some of the questions you addressed particularly faith alone verses the RC teaching of faith and works. Please also feel free to ask me any questions, you may e amail me at
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“I am now completely Protestant in Doctrine and Conviction”
by Dudley Davis
I just completed an intense study of the Protestant doctrine of faith alone. I am a former Roman catholic and have been a Presbyterian now for almost 8 years. I have renounced all Roman catholic teachings which contradict the scriptures. I am now convinced and believe it is by Grace alone we are saved,and that grace opens us to have faith alone in Christ alone which is the true message of the Gospel of salvation. It is Scripture alone which is our only and final authority, not the pope of Rome or any man, only Jesus Christ heads His church. I believe all praise and glory belongs to God alone and not Mary or the Roman Catholic saints. I am now completely Protestant in doctrine and conviction.
I also now believe that the way that I understand the Gospel is that we are saved by faith alone apart from any works. I think that is the way that the Gospel needs to be preached and understood. In my notes I wrote a paper last year on the subject called "The Roman Catholic view of Justification and the Protestant view is a strong dividing line between being RC and being Protestant"
I realize now as an ex Roman catholic that I was brainwashed with teachings which were not biblical and defied the true message of salvation. I found tonight the following list of verses about being saved by faith. I took note that faith and works are contrasted. In other words, we are saved by faith "not by works" and "apart from works", etc. The point is that there are only two options. We are saved by faith alone or we are not. Since we have faith and works (both conceptually and in practice), then we are either saved by faith alone or by faith and works. There is no other option.
If we see that the scriptures exclude works in any form as a means of our salvation, then logically, we are saved by faith alone. I took a look at what the Bible says about faith and works. Last year we did a study of Romans in our bible class. Saved by faith alone is all throughout Romans. Roman Catholicism uses as the argument for faith and works James statement in James 2:24 I also looked again at James' statement about "faith alone" which was always used by the RCC as an argument against the Protestant doctrine of Justification by faith alone and I will state what I believe is the misinterpretation Rome gives or implies with James.
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."
Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"
Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith."
Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
Gal. 3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."
Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith."
Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9 Not by works, lest any man should boast."
Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
Again, works/Law is contrasted with faith repeatedly and we are told that we are not justified by works in any way. Therefore, we are made right with God by faith, not by faith and our works; hence, faith alone.
James 2:24, not by faith alone.....or the misinterpretation Rome gives.
The scriptures clearly teach that we are saved (justified) by faith in Christ and what He has done on the cross. This faith alone saves us. However, we cannot stop here without addressing what James says in James 2:24, "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."
There is no contradiction. All you need to do is look at the context. James chapter 2 has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us not to show favoritism. Verses 8-13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works.
James begins this section by using the example of someone who says he has faith but has no works, "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" (James 2:14 ). In other words, James is addressing the issue of a dead faith, a faith that is nothing more than a verbal pronouncement, a public confession of the mind, and is not heart-felt. It is empty of life and action. He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17, words without actions). Then he shows that type of faith isn't any different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith that has words followed by actions. Works follow true faith and demonstrate that faith to our fellow man, but not to God. In brief, James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20). But, he is not contradicting the verses above that says salvation/justification is by faith alone.
The Roman catholic church so sadly distorts the true message of salvation. I can now say as John says: “I confess that through my faith in Jesus Christ I have full assurance of salvation” (1 John 5:11-13).
I know now “I am saved” not that I will be saved. I think I am beginning to shed some of the last false teachings of Roman Catholicism which had lead me to almost loosing faith altogether. I thank God my eyes were opened to the truth and I am now a Protestant.
Dudley A Davis Jr
