{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050952.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050952.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050952.htm","text":"Chapter 18.\u2014Faith Without Good Works is Not Sufficient for Salvation.\nUnintelligent persons, however, with regard to the apostle\u2019s statement: \u201cWe conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law,\u201d 3051 have thought him to mean that faith suffices to a man, even if he lead a bad life, and has no good works. Impossible is it that such a character should be deemed \u201ca vessel of election\u201d by the apostle, who, after declaring that \u201cin Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision,\u201d 3052 adds at once, \u201cbut faith which worketh by love.\u201d It is such faith which severs God\u2019s faithful from unclean demons,\u2014for even these \u201cbelieve and tremble,\u201d 3053 as the Apostle James says; but they do not do well. Therefore they possess not the faith by which the just man lives,\u2014the faith which works by love in such wise, that God recompenses it according to its works with eternal life. But inasmuch as we have even our good works from God, from whom likewise comes our faith and our love, therefore the selfsame great teacher of the Gentiles has designated \u201ceternal life\u201d itself as His gracious \u201cgift.\u201d 3054","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise on Gra...","type":"page"}