"If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema." -- Council of Trent, Session 6, Canon 9
BIBLE QUESTIONS FOR PROTESTANTS: SOLA FIDE
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life." John 5:24
Question 1: Does this passage teach that all we need to do is believe in God the Father to have eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day." John 6:54
Question 2: Does this passage teach that all we need to do is eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
"There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, 'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' He replied to him, 'You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." Luke 10:25-28
Question 3: Does this passage teach that all we need to do is obey the law to have eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 4: Are these last three verses exclusive in any way, or do they all mention different things we must do to have eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 5: Is it safe to say, based on Christ's own words, that we must not only believe in him, but also eat his flesh and drink his blood, and obey the law to have eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
"What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith. For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law." Romans 3:27-28
Question 6: Does this verse say a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 7: Does this verse say a person is justified by faith alone?
A. Yes
B. No
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Gal 2:16
Question 8: Does this verse say that no one can be justified by works of the law?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 9: Does this verse say that man is justified by faith alone?
A. Yes
B. No
"Thus the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called the "friend of God". See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." James 2:23-24
Question 10: Does this verse say that a person is justified by works?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 11: Does this verse say that a person is not justified by faith alone?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 12: Can it safely be said that Scripture explicitly states that people are NOT justified by faith alone?
A. Yes
B. No
"What good is it my brothers 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." James 2:14-17
Question 13: Can faith without works save you?
A. Yes
B. No
"If I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing…So faith, hope and love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor 13:2
Question 14: Is faith without love worth anything?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 15: What is greatest:
A. Faith
B. Love
"For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love." Gal 5:6
Question 16: According to this Scripture, what counts?
A. The Mosaic covenant
B. Faith alone
C. Faith working through love
"Circumcision means nothing, and uncircumcision means nothing; what matters is keeping God's commandments." 1 Cor 7:19
Question 17: According to this Scripture, what matters?
A. The Mosaic covenant
B. Faith alone
C. Keeping God's commandments
"If you wish to enter eternal life, keep the commandments." Matt 19:17
Question 18: Does Christ here make keeping the commandments a condition of eternal life?
A. Yes
B. No
"Whoever says, 'I know him', but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live just as he lived. " 1 Jn 2:4-6
Question 19: Can the truth be in someone who does not keep Christ's commandments?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 20: Can anyone who is not in union with Christ be saved (have eternal life)?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 21: Can anyone be in union with Christ who does not keep his commandments?
A. Yes
B. No
"Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned." Jn 15:6
Question 22: Is it possible to not remain in Christ once you have believed in him?
A. Yes
B. No
Question23: Will those who do not remain with Christ be saved or cast out into fire?
A. Saved
B. Cast out into fire
"A sower went out to sow…some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched and withered from lack of roots…The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no roots and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away." Matt 13:3-21
Question 24: According to Christ, it is possible to receive His word with joy, then later fall away.
A. True
B. False
Question 25: Will those who fall away from Christ receive eternal life? (See Question 23)
A. Yes
B. No
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father in heaven." Matt 7:21
Question 26: Will everyone who claims Jesus as their Lord enter the kingdom of heaven?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 27: According to this passage, who will enter heaven?
A. Everyone who accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and savior.
B. Only the one who does God's will.
"So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present, but all the more now that I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Ph 2:12
Question 28: According to St Paul here, salvation is a matter of:
A. Faith alone
B. Working with fear and trembling
"And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Tim 5:8
Question 29: St Paul here tells Timothy that those in his church who fail by their own fault to provide for their family are:
A. Still justified by their faith
B. Deniers of the faith and worse than unbelievers.
Question 30: Can an unbeliever be justified?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 31: If someone has the faith, but does not provide for their family, can they be saved?
A. Yes
B. No
"Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Matt 24:10-13
Question 32: Christ here says that many will fall away from the faith.
A. True
B. False
Question 33: According to Christ, the one who will be saved is the one:
A. Who has faith alone
B. Who endures to the end
"I tell you, on the day of judgement people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Matt 12:36-37
Question 34: Christ says here that on judgement day we will render an account according to:
A. Whether or not we had faith in Jesus
B. Our words
Question 35: According to Christ, on judgement day we will be acquitted or condemned according to:
A. Our faith alone
B. Our words
"For the Son of Man will come with his angels in His Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct." Matt 16:27
Question 36: According to this Scripture, when Christ comes again to judge the world, he will repay everyone according to their:
A. Faith alone
B. Conduct
"Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation." Jn 5:28-29
Question 37: According to this Scripture, the dead will will receive either life or condemnation based on:
A. Their faith alone
B. Their deeds
"By your stubbornness and impenitent heart , you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works, eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness." Rom 2: 5-8
Question 38: According to this Scripture, those who receive eternal life are those who:
A. Have faith
B. Persevere in good works
Question 39: God repays everyone according to their:
A. Faith alone
B. Works
"For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Cor 5:10
Question 40: According to this Scripture, we will receive recompense at the judgment seat of Christ according to:
A. Whether we received Jesus as our personal Lord and savior.
B. Our good or evil deeds
"Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each ones works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning" 1 Pt 1:17
Question 41: According to this Scripture, God the Father judges according to works:
A. True
B. False
"Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds." Rev 2:23
Question 42: According to this Scripture, we will receive recompense according to:
A. Our faith alone
B. Our deeds
"All the dead were judged according to their deeds." Rev 20:13
Question 43: According to this Scripture, the dead are judged by their:
A. Faith alone
B. Deeds
Extra Credit Questions:
Question 44: Does the Bible ever state that we are saved by faith alone?
Question 45: Does the Bible ever state that we are not saved by faith alone?
Question 46: Does the Bible ever state that we will be judged on the last day according to our faith in Christ?
Question 47: Does the Bible ever state that we will be judged on the last day according to our deeds?
Question 48: According to the Bible alone, therefore, are we justified by faith alone or by faith that works through love?
Church Fathers questions:
"Let us therefore join with those to whom grace is given by God. Let us clothe ourselves in concord, being humble and self-controlled, keeping ourselves far from all backbiting and slander, being justified by works and not by words." - Pope Clement, 1st Letter to the Corinthians 32:3-4
Question 49: According to Clement in the late 1st century, we are justified by:
A. Faith alone
B. Works
"For not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved, according to His word." - Justin Martyr, First Apology, CH 43
Question 50: According to Justin Martyr in the mid 2nd century, those are saved who:
A. Profess Christ as their personal Lord and savior
B. Those who do the works of faith
