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What did Jesus tell the rich young man he had to do in order to be saved? Oh, right: Go and give all you own to the poor. What did John tell the people they had to do? Oh, right: Repent.

The dispute between Catholics and Calvinists over sola fides isn’t over whether faith is salvific. Of course it is. The argument is over whether faith can be salvific without works. And the Catholic position is that salvific faith inherently is accompanied by works. Faith without works is like a triangle that doesn’t have three sides.

Prior to the crucifixion, ALL Jews (including The Son of God there with them) were under the Mosaic law, thus the directions to the 'rich young ruler' were consistent with the law up to then. In perhaps what is another rendition of that scene, Jesus tells his disciples who want to run after the turning away young man, "Let the dead go bury the dead." The Jews were still under the law of sin and death. If you check the Greek translated as 'repent' you will find a meaning related to faith as an action word (see my profile page if you like) similar to what Gene Scott taught regarding 'action based upon belief, sustained by confidence in His Promise'.

BTW, JOhn told the Jews to repent because The Kingdom Of God was at hand ... Jesus, God in human flesh, was at hand and things were about to change and be different from before as Jesus fullfilled that which no Jew before could fullfill. John was baptising folks, too. Were they receiving the justification by faith with that act of submission? It is always good to understand to whom Jesus was speaking, and thus the timing of His words for His audience then, and down through the ages to even us.

When Jesus told Nicodemus 'You must be born again', He was explaining something hard for Nic to comprehend on that temporal side of the cross. We know this because Nic zoomed in on the earthly, typical interpretation of 'be born again'. But Jesus was referring to that which would come. Do you think the folks to whom He preached in sheol --in 'Abraham's bosom'-- came out of sheol without being born again? Absolutely not, because that is precisely what needs be for them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, as Jesus taught Nicodemus. But they were not born into new physical bodies as we define such. How do you imagine Nicodemus explained that 'being born again' AFTER he bought the loads of spices for Jesus's burial and learned of His resurrection? From that moment onward, I suspect that Nicodemus explained being born again using the example of 'first fruits', Jesus coming out of the grave and ascending unto the Father in Heaven. Yet Nic still had a mystery on his hands because Jesus took His resurrected body to Heaven! Ah, the great mystery that Paul later explains as we shall have new bodies in some where/when of God's choosing because we already have spiritual rebirth by our faith in His atonement.

What do you suppose Paul discussed with Peter, James and later John, when he returned to Jerusalem on more than one occasion to meet with the Apostles there? Now those are Church conferences I would paid to attend! And Paul tells his letter audience 'From them I received nothing beyond what I have taught you, repeatedly.' Paul taught salvation by 'faithing' ... action, based upon belief, sustained by the confidence living in God's Will produces.

What did Jesus tell the rich young man he had to do in order to be saved? Oh, right: Go and give all you own to the poor. What did John tell the people they had to do? Oh, right: Repent.
The dispute between Catholics and Calvinists over sola fides isn’t over whether faith is salvific. Of course it is. The argument is over whether faith can be salvific without works. And the Catholic position is that salvific faith inherently is accompanied by works. Faith without works is like a triangle that doesn’t have three sides.

So well said, it bears repeating. :D

***The dispute between Catholics and Calvinists over sola fides isn’t over whether faith is salvific. Of course it is. The argument is over whether faith can be salvific without works. And the Catholic position is that salvific faith inherently is accompanied by works. Faith without works is like a triangle that doesn’t have three sides.***

Well put, sir.

Christians need the Reformation like a fish needs a bicycle.