The efforts of some recent Roman Catholic theologians to distance themselves from Trent and dialogues with representatives of other communions have nevertheless not altered official Roman Catholic teaching. At least some of the Roman Catholic signatories of these two documents have declared their continuing commitment to the teaching of the Council of Trent, as they should if they are truly Roman Catholics. We agree that faith is not merely intellectual assent and that saving faith includes the whole person and that it issues in a changed life. But this formula fails to address the actual controversy about saving faith. The Reformers believed that we are justified by faith alone because only faith receives and rests upon the imputed righteousness of Christ alone and appropriates his righteousness as the sole ground of our acceptance by God.
True faith is immediately effectual in securing justification.
Though faith works by love and produces the fruits of righteousness, its justifying efficacy is due solely to its embracing Christ. Saving faith, according to the Bible, is not only a necessary condition but is a sufficient condition for justification. Rome declares that a person can have such faith without being justified if a person commits a mortal sin. Such sin is deemed mortal because it kills the grace of justification, even if faith remains intact. Thus, Rome teaches that one can have faith without justification, which is a clear and persistent denial of sola fide.