Faith + Works Flashcards
Define Justification
Being made righteous in the sight of God
What happens at baptism?
God begins the process of making an individual righteous in his sight by removing original sin
Absolution
Declaration by a priest that a person’s sins have been forgotten
What did the Roman Catholic Church link justification with?
Baptism and penance
What did the Roman Catholic Church teach?
That if Christians died without having done adequate penance for their sins, they had to spend time in purgatory to complete their penance
Who was Martin Luther?
A German Augustinian Monk and professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg who was anxious about salvation and eventually fell into a deep spiritual despair
What did Martin Luther conclude?
That justification was entirely the gift of God, sinners are not saved by good works
Sola Fide
Saved by faith alone
Romans 1:17
‘The one who is righteous will live by faith’
What’s an indulgence?
A piece of paper issued by the Pope which granted a sinner remission from penance for a payment. The proceeds went towards the building of the church of St Peter in Rome
What did Johann Tetzel believe?
That indulgences not only liberated the living but also the dead
What did Luther do on 31 October 1517?
Posted his 95 theses against the clerical abuses in the Roman Catholic Church on the door of a castle church in Wittenburg.
When did the Council of Trent run?
1545 - 1563
What did the Council of Trent conclude in 1547?
- People must become righteous
- Good works are required
- People must co-operate with the grace of God
- Justification works in 2 phases: baptism and participation
- Initial justification is by faith but works are necessary for progressive salvation
How did the Council of Trent contradict the Bible?
The Bible teaches that good works do not merit grace. Grace is a gift. It’s unmerited.
