Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley continue to discuss how they wrestled with the doctrine of sola fide, or “faith alone,” on their way into the Catholic Church.

Sure, Noah, Abraham and Moses had to believe, and then obey, in order to receive God’s promise. But they were in the Old Testament! Surely everything changed with Christ?

But as Matt and Ken point out, those very Old Testament figures are held up by none other than Jesus himself, as well as St. Paul, as models for a right relationship with God.

In fact, both Jesus and St. Paul are so clear that we must have faith and obedience in order to be saved, that the only way around it is to twist their words into logical pretzels and claim that what they actually mean is the opposite of what they appear to be teaching.