RC,
I have always been a bit puzzled by the “conflict” between Paul’s”justification by faith alone” and the “justification by works” mentioned in the book of James.
Do you think these guys actually disagreed about what it took to be saved?
Can you shed some light on this subject?
You’re not alone in your puzzlement. It is precisely this apparent tension that reportedly prompted Martin Luther, early in his ministry to say of the book of James that it was a “right strawy epistle.”
The first question is easy enough:
By no means did these men disagree with each other.
While we affirm that God used real men to write the Scriptures, in the end the Bible is God’s Word. God is one, and so is His Word.
Scripture does not and cannot contradict Scripture.
Jesus, remember, tells us that a house divided cannot stand.
James and Paul do not contradict, but speak in harmony, though they speak to different questions.
Paul affirms that it is faith in the finished work of Christ that brings to us that finished work. As we trust in His full provision, that provision becomes ours.
Our sins are forgiven, because of His death for us and we are counted as righteous on the basis of His obedience, His life for us.
Paul is diligent to disabuse his audience of any notion that we can earn this blessing, that we can please God ourselves.
He in turn emphasizes that even the faith we must have is not something that comes from us, but is first a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Paul affirms that faith brings us the work of Christ which brings us peace with the Father. James is answering a different question. James asks and answers, “What kind of faith does this?” Hell itself is filled with people who believe that Jesus died for the sins of His people. The devil himself believes this.
Faith is more than believing something is true.
A living faith is a trusting faith.
A trusting faith shows itself to be a trusting faith, James affirms, by bearing fruit.
Those who do trust in Christ alone will in fact grow in grace. They will become more obedient to the law of God. This obedience, or “works” do not make God deem us to be just, but justify the notion that we have faith.
Works are not what saves us, but it is the evidence that we have the faith that saves us.
“Justify”, please understand, can be used in at least two different ways. It can be that which makes something just, or it can mean that which shows something is just.
One meaning does not contradict the other, but rather answers a different question.
These issues continue to come up in our own day.
Some who claim to be Christians will argue that God will in fact judge us based on our own works. Others argue that mere assent to the truthfulness of the gospel message will bring peace with God.
It is faith, and faith alone that appropriates the work of Christ. It is a faith, however, that does more than simply agree. It trusts, it rests.
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