> For example, these two popular (and probably the most important!) verses have very clear meanings:
> For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16 (NIV)
That is your choice of a "very clear meaning"?! Ok, then do you believe man goes to heaven through faith alone, or by faith and actions that prove their faith?
Because a billion Protestants would say that the verse tells you it is by faith alone, and a billion Catholics will quote James 2 20:24 in saying that faith without works is useless:
"You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone."
> Because a billion Protestants would say that the verse tells you it is by faith alone, and a billion Catholics will quote James 2 20:24 in saying that faith without works is useless:
In 1999 the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation signed a joint statement on justification which admitted they had agreed but had never sat down and done the difficult work of making the fine distinctions and assuming good faith until then! In my experience faith and works is like that with the two groups making different emphases but when one makes the fine distinctions there is essential agreement. There are genuine disagreements but fewer than even the faithful realize. Why the vehement opposition and recriminations? The proximate causes are legion but the efficient cause IMHO involves liberal portions of late medieval to Renaissance European politics that still curses us today.
Lutherans are 70-90 million of the 1 billion Protestants. You've barely nudged the numbers of disagreement even if Lutherans and Catholics agree entirely. All the disagreements on the most core aspect of Christianity are found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sola_fide#Supporting_confessio...
There’s a long road to Christian unity but the first Protestant group and Catholics agreeing on one of the key justifications (pun not intended) of the reformation is a massive and far reaching development that will reverberate for centuries. Healing these kinds of wounds is not simple or quick but unexpectedly there are great signs of hope springing up like this and many other developments in recent decades.
> do you believe man goes to heaven through faith alone, or by faith and works that prove their faith?
To clarify, Protestants believe Sola Fide (justification by faith alone), but they also believe faith implies good works. The difference is that Catholics consider faith and works more independent entities. They believe works are another requirement to be saved, in addition to faith.
From Protestants' point of view, faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement to be saved. At the same time, works are a great way to display someone's faith, as Jesus says:
> By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. — John 13:35 (NIV)
You might say "So, we can just believe in God and do any despicable things we want, then?" Not really. You couldn't say you love your spouse and at the same time keep hurting them, could you? Your actions would contradict your words, and no one would believe your words that you love your spouse.
Similarly, Christians who realized how great the love and sacrifice that God gave to pay their sins are will (or at least try to) live accordingly. They do good things, not to be saved, but because they have already been saved and they want to show their gratitude through their works and glorify God. Jesus says:
> In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. — Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
This is the unique distinction between Christianity and other religions. If human beings could by their own effort save themselves from the wages of sins, Jesus wouldn't have needed to come into this world and die to pay for our sins.
"Can God just simply forgive humans?" If God did so, He was neither just nor consistent with his words. The penalty of humans' sins must be paid if humans are to be saved. Note that humans don't need to be saved—God could just leave humans condemned and He is still just. Only because God so loved us that He himself paid for our sins.
Yet, even you quote man himself rather than the perfect Word of God. Should not something as perfect as the Word of God be the most simple, encouraging, and enlightening on such a crucial matter of Christianity itself? The evidence before us doesn't indicate so.
That is when a Protestant might say, "Well it is clear and perfect in it's [Protestant / sola fide] meaning. And that the billions of other Christians, try as extremely hard as they may, with millions spending immense portions of their live trying to ascertain what God meant for them, have been led astray for all of time."
> For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16 (NIV)
That is your choice of a "very clear meaning"?! Ok, then do you believe man goes to heaven through faith alone, or by faith and actions that prove their faith?
Because a billion Protestants would say that the verse tells you it is by faith alone, and a billion Catholics will quote James 2 20:24 in saying that faith without works is useless:
"You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone."