#228 Protestant vs. Eastern Orthodox Debate: Can Your Works Help Save You?

Is salvation entirely God’s work—or must we cooperate with God to complete the process?

In this Protestant vs. Eastern Orthodox debate clip, Joel Settecase presses a crucial question: are sinners justified by grace through faith alone, or must sacraments, good works, and participation in the life of the church contribute to salvation?

The discussion quickly turns to deeper disagreements over theosis, synergism, James 2, the early church fathers, and the authority of church tradition. When Christians disagree about the Gospel, who gets the final word: Scripture or the historic church?

Joel argues that the early church was never infallible. Even during the apostles’ lifetime, churches embraced false teaching and added works to the Gospel. That is why Paul appealed to God’s revealed word and declared any competing gospel anathema.

This exchange gets to the heart of the Reformation divide: does God merely make salvation possible, or does He accomplish it completely as a free gift of grace?

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