79. It is due solely to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone that, in accordance with the above prediction, there is at this day such thick darkness in the Christian Churches that there is no light from the sun by day nor from the moon and stars by night. For this doctrine teaches that the only means of salvation is faith; the influx, progress, indwelling, operation and efficacy of which no one has hitherto seen any sign, and into which neither the Law of the Decalogue, nor repentance, nor concern for newness of life, nor charity, nor good works, enter; nor are they in any way connected with it. For it is asserted that these things follow spontaneously, without being of any use either for preserving faith or for procuring salvation. Further, this doctrine teaches that faith alone confers on the reborn, that is, on those who have acquired this faith, the badge of liberty, so that they are not subject to the law. In addition, it is taught that Christ covers over their sins in the presence of God the Father, Who remits them as though they were not seen, and crowns the reborn with renewal, holiness and eternal life. These and many other points of a similar nature are the inner things of that doctrine; whilst the outward things, which do not enter into those interior matters, are the precious things of charity, good works, acts of repentance, and exercises of the law. For these are accounted by the upholders of the aforesaid doctrine as merely slaves and drudges who follow their mistress, faith, without being permitted to come near her. But, as these leaders know that the laity esteem the things of charity as saving equally with faith, they carefully include them in their sermons and conversation, and pretend to join them with, and insert them into, justification. However, they do this only that they may soothe the ears of the common people and safeguard their oracles, lest these should appear like enigmas or the utterances of soothsayers.

Many translations of the Bible often use the word "save" in a secondary way, as a synonym for "except." In those cases its meaning is clear. To be saved or rescued means getting true ideas that we can hold to even in the face of a storm of false thinking. Sometimes these can be profound and simple truths like "the Lord loves me and wants the best for me," the golden rule or the 10 Commandments. And if we pray to the Lord asking sincerely for His help, He will put in our minds ideas that can help us.