But by that Faith - (Quote of the Day)

It's not scripture, but it certainly supports a scriptural truth: justification by faith...

"All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Clement of Rome; 1st Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (AD 30-100)

The church of rome will consistently appeal to the "unanimous consent" of the early church 'fathers' when trying to 'prove' many of their man-made traditions and unbiblical dogmas. Since clear Biblical understanding too often eludes them, proponents of roman catholic dogma will switch to patristic writings in attempts to reconcile their false teachings with some nebulous historical understanding. Then, when shown that their 'source' from an early church father either contradicts their tradition - or only remotely supports it - and at the same time either implicitly or explicitly opposes other traditions, they will retire to the last answer that remains "thus saith mother church so thus believeth us". The quote from Clement is only one quote from the early church that supports the biblical truth of justification by faith and contradicts the roman gospel of works/sacraments/merit - there are many others. But one thing is clear. Far from being a doctrine only of the reformation, justification by faith existed as a normative understanding for true Christians before the corruption of the roman church.