In 1 Clement 32:4, we read:
And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory or ever and ever. Amen.
This excerpt from Clement's lengthy letter has often been used by Protestant apologists to show that the earliest strata of the Patristic literature supported the Protestant concept of Sola Fide (e.g., James Buchanan, The Doctrine of Justification [1867]; James R. White in his 2000 debate vs. Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis [youtube]; William Webster, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History [1995]). However, this represents eisegesis of 1 Clement.
When one reads 1 Clement in full (more on this below), one realises that Clement, as with other Patristic and even biblical authors, is stating the truth that no work obligates God to justify and save an individual (cf. Rom 4:1-8, which condemns works done to legally obligate God to give man salvation), but works stemming from an active faith that pleases God while done in a covenantal/saved state and He graciously rewards, something that has been discussed frequently on this blog. That this is the case can be seen when one examines the previous sentence(!) of this epistle:
For from him have sprung the priests and all the Levites who minister at the altar of God. From him also was descended our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. From him arose kings, princes, and rulers of the race of Judah. Nor are his other tribes in small glory, inasmuch as God had promised, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven. All these, therefore, were highly honored, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. (1 Clement 32:2-3)
These words match Titus 3:4-5, a pericope which is in full support of baptismal regeneration:
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
What is often ignored by the likes of Webster and other Evangelical apologists are the texts in 1 Clement that speak of meritorious good works. For instance, note the following from 1 Clement 30:3:
Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words.
The phrase "justified by our works" is ἔργοις δικαιούμενοι, μὴ λόγοις, using the verb δικαιοω, the verb "to justify" and such is derived from one's works (εργοις), not by faith alone.
Clement continues writing, stating:
Let testimony to our good deeds (της αγαθης πραξεως) be borne by others, as it was in the case of our righteous forefathers. (1 Clement 30:7)
In sharp contradistinction between many Evangelicals, Clement did not view our goods works as "filthy rags" (per the common eisegesis of Isa 64:6), but instead, were "good" and, per 30:3, meritorious when one is in a salvific relationship/covenant with God.
This is further strengthened by Clement's discussion of the near-sacrifice of Issac by Abraham in Gen 22 (a theme discussed in Jas 2 in the New Testament):
For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. (1 Clement 31:2-3)
It is no surprise that, in light of the use of Gen 22, and how the New Testament authors understood Abraham's near-sacrifice of his Son to be an example of one is justified by works, and not faith alone, Clement would later write the following in the next chapter:
What shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease from the practice of love? God forbid that any such course should be followed by us! But rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work. (1 Clement 33:1)
These words are not to be understood, as some desperate Protestant apologists may twist it to mean (a reward for the saved), but works which determine whether one will be saved at all:
Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed by faith towards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition. (1 Clement 35:4-5)
As we have seen, Protestant apologists have to engage in as much eisegesis of Patristic texts as they do for the biblical texts to try to prop up sola fide.
