Jesus, Paul and James on faith and works. (believe, scriptures, sinners)
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People who do not understand what James meant when he talked about faith and works in James chapter 2, think that he contradicted what Paul said concerning those things. Legalists like to use James to promote works based salvation.
Paul taught that eternal salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone. The way he showed this is by contrasting faith and works.
Ephesians 2:8 'For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9] not as a result of works, that no one should boast. 10] For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Paul made it clear that eternal salvation is through faith alone, and not by works. He then said that the believer should produce good works. The works follow salvation through faith in Christ. The works of an unbeliever are rejected by God because they are the product of human righteousness which God must always reject. God also must reject as 'wood, hay, and stubble' (1 Cor 3:12-15) the works of a believer who is out of fellowship through sin because they also are the product of human righteousness. The only works that God can accept are the works of a believer who is in fellowship - that is, under the control of God the Holy Spirit instead of under the control of the old sin nature. Therefore, adding any works to faith in the belief that you must do something in addition to simply placing your faith in Christ is not only meaningless, but since you have added something to faith alone, you are not even saved. Salvation is offered only as a free gift which is taken possession of though simply trusting in Christ for salvation.
Paul said the following concerning Abrahams justification.
Romans 4:2 'For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3] For what does the Scripture say? ''And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'' 4] 'Now to him who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. 5] But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, 6] just as David who speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works;
Abraham is given as an example of someone who was justified, and therefore eternally saved as a result of faith alone. Now many years later, when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, he showed though that work that his faith had matured. But he had long since been eternally saved through simply believing God.
Previewing what James said, what example did he give for works? Providing food and clothing for someone in need (James 2:15). Was James saying that your eternal salvation depends on providing for the needs of someone who is lacking in something? He was not!!! Providing for someones needs is a good thing, but it is works, and as Paul has already shown, eternal salvation is through faith apart from works.
Well, you will perhaps say that Paul was talking about works of men as opposed to works of God. That he was referring to meritorious works as opposed to non-meritorious works. And this is true. But notice what Jesus Himself said about the work (notice that that is singular, not plural) of God. In John 6:28 after hearing Jesus talking about working for the food which endures to eternal life, the people to whom He was speaking asked Him what the works of God were that they might do them.
John 6:28 'They said therefore to Him, ''What shall we do, that we may work the works (erga - Plural) of God?'' 29] Jesus answered and said to them, ''This is the work (ergon - Singular ) of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.''
The people understood that God had a requirement for them. They would do those requirements of God if Jesus would tell them what they were. They thought that they could please God and earn eternal life by doing good works. Romans 10:2 'For I (Paul) bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3] For not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themsleves to the righteousness of God. 4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
But Jesus corrected their assumption. In responding to the question, Jesus said that they could not please God and earn eternal life by performing good works (Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). Jesus said that there is only one work of God. One thing that God requires for eternal salvation. They (and we) need to put our trust in the One who the Father has sent. Jesus made it clear that the one requirement for eternal salvation is to believe in Him. God requires that man understands that because of sin, he cannot save hmself. Romans 6:23 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus said that there was one non-meritorious work of God by which man might be saved. Through faith in Christ. One work of God excludes anything added to faith alone in Christ alone. Water baptism is not a work of God because the one work of God is said to be belief. By that same token, nothing else which anyone would call a work of God is a work of God. The only work of God which a person must do is to believe in Jesus Christ. And believing means believing.
So what was James referring to in James chapter 2?
Two things must be understood when reading James concerning faith.
1) James was addressing believers. He was writing to those who were already saved.
2) Salvation does not always refer to eternal salvation, but can refer to being saved or delivered from a fruitless, non-productive spiritual life after having been eternally saved. It can refer to being saved from divine discipline. It can refer to being saved from loss of eternal rewards. James 2:14 speaks of "profit" - ophelos. Profit is something which is earned-something that is deserved. Salvation cannot be earned and is not deserved. In I Timothy 4:8 Paul also speaks of profit - ophelimos (a related word to ophelos) where he refers to reward. ''for bodily discipline is only of little profit (ophelimos), but godliness is profitable for all thngs, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.''
Whereas Paul was referring to being justified before God through faith alone in Christ alone, James was referring to the believer being justified before men by his works. God sees the heart and does not need to see overt works to see their faith. But people can only see your faith by your works. As was shown above, the example of faith that James gave was about providing clothes and daily food to those in need (James 2:15). Exactly the kind of works that both Jesus and Paul said could not result in eternal life.
If someone claims to have faith, that faith can only be seen by expressing it in their works. James 2:18 'But someone may well say, ''You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'' Faith without works results in a non-productive spiritual life which has no impact on others. In that sense it is a dead faith. A believer without works is eternally saved, but his spiritual life is non-productive and useless. James is saying that in order to have an effective spiritual life, one which has an impact on others, faith must be demonstrated by spiritual productions - works.
Dr. C.I. Scofield wrote...'Thus in their views of justifcation Paul and James complement one another (2:23); Paul stresses acceptance with God wholly by grace through faith, whereas James presents the continual evidence before men of the initial transaction. For the definitive N.T. statement on faith and works in which both views are brought together, see Eph.2:8-10.
New Scofield Reference Edition, p.1329, partial footnote for James 2:26.'
Paul and James do not contradict each other, and they do not contradict Jesus Christ. Eternal salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone.
The principle of legalism always attacks the principle of grace.
I am the resurrection and the life, anyone who believes in me even though he died he will come to life and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Everything that the Lord gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
The man who wants to come tome will hear my words and put them into practice.
My teaching is not my own it comes from the one who sent me.
Whoever chooses to do his will shall know about this teaching namely, whether it comes from God or whether I‘m speaking on my own.
Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful, and there is no dishonesty in his heart.
If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, put faith in the works, so that you may realize that the Lord is in me and I am in the Lord.
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him incurs guilt.
The words of the upright save them but the words of the wicked are a deadly ambush.
"By your words you'll be forgiven or by your words you'll be condemned".
You must be made perfect as the Lord in heaven is perfect. If you wish to be made perfect, follow me and proclaim the glory of God.
I am the gate to heaven. Whoever enters this gate will be saved.
I am the resurrection and the life, anyone who believes in me even though he died he will come to life and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Everything that the Lord gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
The man who wants to come tome will hear my words and put them into practice.
My teaching is not my own it comes from the one who sent me.
Whoever chooses to do his will shall know about this teaching namely, whether it comes from God or whether I‘m speaking on my own.
Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful, and there is no dishonesty in his heart.
If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, put faith in the works, so that you may realize that the Lord is in me and I am in the Lord.
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him incurs guilt.
The words of the upright save them but the words of the wicked are a deadly ambush.
"By your words you'll be forgiven or by your words you'll be condemned".
You must be made perfect as the Lord in heaven is perfect. If you wish to be made perfect, follow me and proclaim the glory of God.
I am the gate to heaven. Whoever enters this gate will be saved.
Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Not by works. The Scriptures are clear on this. It is legalists who do not understand, or who do not care what the Scriptures say. I believe that I have explained fairly well what Jesus, Paul, and James meant by the relationship between faith and works.
Last edited by Michael Way; 10-13-2011 at 08:32 PM..
Rom 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
So many forget to understand why Paul had to clarify the context here by saying 'pertaining to the flesh". So the works here are those works pertaining to the FLESH that cannot justify us.
BUT, Works are indeed required... Let's ALSO look what Paul says:
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds (WORKS):
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Paul is telling us right there that God will give Eternal Life and immortality according to WORKS! How amazing.
So what does this mean? - We have Paul telling us that works cannot save us and then telling us works are the basis of salvation. So HOW DO WE RECONCILE this? - EASY - The works that ARE required are not those of ourselves - (THOSE THAT PERTAIN TO THE FLESH). So which works are we to do? - HIS works (the works of Jesus Christ) which are NOT pertaining to the flesh. So if we be saved then it can't be of our works but His Works.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Now if Faith is made PERFECT BY works, then ask yourself can IMPERFECT FAITH save you?
Let's go further:
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
So if Faith without works is Dead, then can anyone claim to be saved by DEAD FAITH?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So to BELIEVE is to DO the WORKS of Jesus Christ. That is the BELIEF that saves you.
Rom 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
So many forget to understand why Paul had to clarify the context here by saying 'pertaining to the flesh". So the works here are those works pertaining to the FLESH that cannot justify us.
BUT, Works are indeed required... Let's ALSO look what Paul says:
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds (WORKS):
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Paul is telling us right there that God will give Eternal Life and immortality according to WORKS! How amazing.
So what does this mean? - We have Paul telling us that works cannot save us and then telling us works are the basis of salvation. So HOW DO WE RECONCILE this? - EASY - The works that ARE required are not those of ourselves - (THOSE THAT PERTAIN TO THE FLESH). So which works are we to do? - HIS works (the works of Jesus Christ) which are NOT pertaining to the flesh. So if we be saved then it can't be of our works but His Works.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Now if Faith is made PERFECT BY works, then ask yourself can IMPERFECT FAITH save you?
Let's go further:
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
So if Faith without works is Dead, then can anyone claim to be saved by DEAD FAITH?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So to BELIEVE is to DO the WORKS of Jesus Christ. That is the BELIEF that saves you.
Works are not required for eternal salvation. Paul is not contradicting himself in Romans 2:6-7. Paul has continually stressed that salvation is through faith, and not by works. Here in this passage of Romans 2:6-7, Paul is talking about the principle of judgment on the basis of works. Hypothetically speaking, if anyone could live a perfect life, which they can't, then God would give him eternal life because God judges according to what a person does. But since everone is tainted by the sin nature, it is impossible to be perfect. No one persists in doing good works.
Dr. C. I. Scofield put it like this.
3(2:7) In vv. 7 and 13 the cases are hypothetical. Paul is not teaching the possibility of salvation by works but is, rather, showing why all men without exception are lost. As he later states, no man has continued in well doing, nor is he a doer of the law (cp. 3:19-20). The means of justification for sinners, entirely by faith in Christ is set forth in 3:21-8:39.
New Scofield Reference Edition, footnote for Romans 2:7, p. 1212, 1213.
Do you understand what Paul is saying here. After saying this in Romans 2:6-7, he then says in Romans 3:10 ''There is none righteous, not even one; 11] There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12] All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.''
Compare Romans 2:7 with Romans 3:12.
Romans 2:7 'To those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality.
BUT!!!
Romans 3:12 ...There is none who does good. There is not even one.
Paul was speaking hypothetically in Romans 2:7 and 13.
As for your references to James, I have already explained in the original post what James meant by his reference to faith and works. I need not go into it again here.
I also brought out the point in the original post that Jesus said there is but one work of God which one must do to obtain eternal life, and that is to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Last edited by Michael Way; 10-13-2011 at 11:12 PM..
Works are not required for eternal salvation. Paul is not contradicting himself in Romans 2:6-7. Paul has continually stressed that salvation is through faith, and not by works. Here in this passage of Romans 2:6-7, Paul is talking about the principle of judgment on the basis of works. Hypothetically speaking, if anyone could live a perfect life, which they can't, then God would give him eternal life because God judges according to what a person does. But since everone is tainted by the sin nature, it is impossible to be perfect. No one persists in doing good works.
Dr. C. I. Scofield put it like this.
3(2:7) In vv. 7 and 13 the cases are hypothetical. Paul is not teaching the possibility of salvation by works but is, rather, showing why all men without exception are lost. As he later states, no man has continued in well doing, nor is he a doer of the law (cp. 3:19-20). The means of justification for sinners, entirely by faith in Christ is set forth in 3:21-8:39.
New Scofield Reference Edition, footnote for Romans 2:7, p. 1212, 1213.
Do you understand what Paul is saying here. After saying this in Romans 2:6-7, he then says in Romans 3:10 ''There is none righteous, not even one; 11] There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12] All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.''
Compare Romans 2:7 with Romans 3:12.
Romans 2:7 'To those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality.
BUT!!!
Romans 3:12 ...There is none who does good. There is not even one.
Paul was speaking hypothetically in Romans 2:7 and 13.
As for your references to James, I have already explained in the original post what James meant by his reference to faith and works. I need not go into it again here.
I also brought out the point in the original post that Jesus said there is but one work of God which one must do to obtain eternal life, and that is to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Mike, can DEAD Faith Save you? Can IMPERFECT FAITH save you?
Jesus, Paul and James on faith and works.
People who do not understand what James meant when he talked about faith and works in James chapter 2, think that he contradicted what Paul said concerning those things. Legalists like to use James to promote works based salvation.
Paul taught that eternal salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone. The way he showed this is by contrasting faith and works.
RESPONSE:
Following your logic, Hitler, a baptized Catholic, was saved so long as he had faith, discounting what he did.
Isn't that rather absurd?
(Your posts are way too long. This probably limits the number who read them. Shorter posts would be in your interest).
I found this list, which someone put together, and I posted it on the other 'works' thread, but I'll post it here too:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 2:8,9
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one." Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith." Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. Gal.3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith." Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9Not by works, lest any man should boast." Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
I found this list, which someone put together, and I posted it on the other 'works' thread, but I'll post it here too:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 2:8,9
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one." Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. 9:30, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith." Rom. 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. Gal.3:5-6, "Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith." Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9Not by works, lest any man should boast." Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
Yes, faith is what saves us. And faith is a gift from God, which God has not yet given to every man. Many do not yet believe, but if God gives them faith, they will believe.
Praise God for His grace!
Blessings,
brian
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