The term refers to the fact that salvation occurs in the life of one who puts his/her trust in Christ as the Son of God, as the One who died for this person’s sins.  The term “faith alone” (Latin: sola fide) stresses that no works of obedience, no human performance, no act performed by clergy, no sacrament can be added as a requirement for salvation.

The term was first defined by Martin Luther in the early sixteenth century.  Luther was greatly distressed by the Catholic insistence on adoration of relics, pilgrimages, prayers to saints, penance, and all the other works that were advanced as contributing in some way to our salvation.  He was incensed when forgiveness of sins was actually sold as indulgences by the Dominican Johann Tetzel in nearby Mainz.