Solifidianism

Solifidianism, the doctrine that faith is the whole of religion, such doctrine being preceded by an erroneous description of faith. There are two forms of Solifidianism — one resting the whole of religion in the reception by the intellect of correct dogma; the other in an inner sense or persuasion of the man that God's promises belong to him. Those who hold the latter view are called also Fiduciaries. It is easily seen that Solifidianism, in both its forms, destroys the nature of faith. The former refers faith to the intellect alone, with a suppression or entire exclusion of the grace of God and the renewed will, and tends to the superseding of good works; the latter suppresses the action of the reason and understanding, and substitutes for a reasonable faith an unreasoning and groundless persuasion.

The former error may take the shape of a maintenance of orthodoxy, which, however, will be found to be an extremely deficient representation of Christian doctrine, omitting those doctrines which have most power to move the will, and striving to bring others within the comprehension of man's understanding. The more common form is that of advancing the doctrine of justification by faith into the substance of the Gospel. Such Solifidians teach that good works are not necessary to' justification.

The second form of Solifidianism generally connects itself with a one-sided or perverted view of the doctrine of election. It advances the error that Christ died only for the elect, and that the elect cannot fall from grace, and it rests on an inward sense or persuasion of one's own election. It speaks of faith, but makes fides the same fiducia; and the latter it makes to be, not the witness of the Spirit with our spirits, i.e. with an enlightened conscience and understanding, but a mere inner sense or persuasion, held without appeal to the conscience. Both forms of Solifidianism lead to Antinomianism.