Justification by Faith and Works

A Quick Read Book #1

by Jimmy Akin

We constantly hear that, while Protestants believe we are justified by "faith alone," Catholics believe we are justified by "faith and works." Although both Protestants and Catholics say this all the time, it is misleading in the extreme. In this quick read, Catholic author Jimmy Akin quotes from official Church sources--including Pope Benedict XVI--to show you the startling truth about this issue, and what it means for Christians from both communities.

Genres: Catholic, Theology

17 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2016

About the author

Jimmy Akin (b. 1965) was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he was compelled in conscience to enter the Catholic Church, which he did in 1992. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is a Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to This Rock magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

Reviews

[Peter Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/review/R2LSJEW...


This is a very short and clear summation of the Catholic position on Justification as compared to the Protestant position on Justification/Sanctification.

Author Jimmy Akin makes the point that the Catholic and Protestant positions are essentially identical, except insofar as different terminology is used (which is something that many Protestants want to fight.) Protestants use the term "justification" to refer to the first moment of the forgiveness of sin and incorporation into Christ's body followed by sanctification, which involves a growth in holiness. Catholics have the same structure but refer to the entire process as "justification," referring to the initial moment as "initial justification." Both Catholics and Protestants believe that the first moment is possible only because God's grace has enabled the individual to have faith in God; both traditions acknowledge that performing that faith must work in love in the good works prepared beforehand in order to achieve the holiness which is necessary to see God.

Akin offers a fair warning to Catholics about the use of James 2:24, which speaks to being justified by works and not by "faith alone." That passage pertains to the phase of "sanctification", or for the Catholics, "justification" after "initial justification," which is only by grace through faith.

Akin also reminds the reader that the anathemas so beloved of Protestant apologists do not imply that the Catholic Church "damned" Protestants, but instead refer to a particular form of excommunication, applicable only to the original Protestants.

This is a short book, and, therefore, is extremely useful for a quick primer on the subject.

[Peipappy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing

Found the play on words and ways to express theological concepts not helpful. It may be ecumenically friendly, but only causes confusion in the individuals understanding of Gods will.
Mutually exclusives cannot be made coherant to the average Joe's ear. Either something is or isn't.

[Robbie Deacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work is concise and clear. Jimmy Akin does a good job of briefly presenting the differences and the similarities between Catholics and protestants on the issue of Justification.

This work isn’t comprehensive, but that isn’t its goal; Akin’s larger book “The Drama of Salvation” apparently covers the topic of justification much more thoroughly.

[Arthur Reynoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear as day

Jimmy in a quick, clear way give us the Catholic and Protestant understanding of justification and the misunderstanding of “faith alone” with charity and clarity.

[Rosa Barbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

a straight to the point illustration of the Catholic view of justification.