What does the Bible really teach about salvation by faith alone—and does Scripture actually support the Protestant doctrine of Sola Fide? In this direct conversation, Sam Shamoun challenges a Protestant brother to define what “faith alone” really means and then tests that definition against Ephesians 2, Romans 10, Matthew 7, 1 John 1, and James 5. The discussion quickly becomes intense when Sam Shamoun points out that Paul speaks not only about believing in the heart, but also confessing Jesus Christ with the mouth.
Sam Shamoun explains that Catholics and Orthodox Christians do not believe salvation is earned by human works. Instead, salvation begins entirely by the grace and mercy of God. But Sam Shamoun argues that biblical faith cannot be separated from faithfulness, obedience, repentance, and the good works that God prepared beforehand for Christians to walk in. Ephesians 2:8–10 becomes central to the discussion as Sam Shamoun challenges the common practice of stopping at “not by works” without continuing into verse 10.
The conversation then turns to Romans 10:9–10. When the Protestant caller insists that salvation is by faith alone, Sam Shamoun asks how that fits with Paul’s command to both believe in the heart and confess Jesus Christ as Lord with the mouth. The caller eventually admits that confession is also involved, leading Sam Shamoun to challenge whether the phrase “faith alone” accurately describes what Paul actually teaches. Sam Shamoun also brings in Matthew 7:21 and the necessity of doing the will of the Father.
Finally, Sam Shamoun addresses repentance and confession of sin. Using 1 John 1 and James 5:13–16, Sam Shamoun argues that Christians continue confessing their sins throughout their lives and points to James’ command to “confess your sins to one another.” The discussion then turns toward Catholic and Orthodox confession, the role of Church elders, and whether Protestant objections to sacramental confession are actually consistent with Scripture.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 Coming up… Best moment
0:20 Faith alone—or faith and confession?
1:27 Does Ephesians 2:8–10 teach Sola Fide?
2:57 Why stop at “not by works”?
3:15 Romans 10:9 challenges “faith alone”
4:19 Believe AND confess—what does Paul actually say?
5:40 Do Christians need obedience and good works?
7:47 Baptism, repentance, and continued confession
8:41 Why Christians must continue confessing their sins
10:00 Does James 5 support confession to the Church?
12:06 Why Catholic and Orthodox Christians confess their sins
13:19 The Protestant caller acknowledges what Scripture says
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
I am not Sam Shamoun. This channel edits and shares clips from his teachings with permission in order to make his content more accessible and help spread the Word of God. All credit for the teaching belongs to Sam Shamoun.
