"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" —James 2:20
A conflict of long duration has prevailed between those who are inclined to emphasize James affirmation here, and Paul's emphasis on salvation as "… not of works, lest any man should boast." (cf. Eph. 2:8-9) The fact is, these are not contradictory, but complimentary elements that, rightly understood give redemptive truth proper balance.
Paul's concern is that no "good works" of any sort or in any number can remedy the malady of sin and give eternal life and hope to failed humanity. Eternal life is offered to us freely, as a gift, through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid in full the penalty for sin. Salvation cannot be "earned" by our works, and has no element of personal merit in it. The gain is ours by faith alone, and the glory belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. The old hymn is accurate, "Nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim— I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain— He washed it white as snow!"
James does not dispute that faith initiates salvation, but simply argues that faith can only be verified by the changes it produces. That is in perfect agreement with the teaching of Christ, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit [Matt. 12:33; Cf. Luke 6:43-45]." It is the design of salvation to restore us not only to God's favor, but to a right relationship with Him, in which we aspire to please Him. The life that pleases God has first a heart that loves Him, and a desire to do His will.
Our works can never eventuate in salvation, but the true nature of salvation by grace through faith is that it does eventuate in the pursuit of "good works." This emphasis is abundant in scripture. The believer is "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10]." "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life [Rom. 6:22]." Paul, the great exponent of justification by faith alone, discounts the testimony of those who "profess that they know God, but in works… deny Him [Titus 1:16]," and urges Titus "in all things" to show himself "a pattern of good works [Titus 2:7]," declaring that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works [Titus 2:14]." Believers are to be "ready to every good work," and "they which have believed in God [should] be careful to maintain good works (cf. Titus 3:1,8,14)."
A life of works honoring to God is the very design of scripture; "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works [II Tim. 3:16-17]."
The writer to the Hebrews, whether Paul or some other, instructs, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: [Heb. 10:22-24]." Add to this the counsel of the apostle Peter, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation [I Pet. 2:11-12]."
God's standards have never been lowered, and His salvation does not provide an excuse for careless living. He saves the best of sinners, as well as the worst, by grace alone, because our works could never qualify to save us. But, when He saves He not only imputes the righteousness by which we are qualified for heaven, but He imparts the righteousness which can make that salvation evident on earth. Thus the apostle John declares, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth [I John 1:6]." James is right. Faith without works is dead!
For HIS glory and our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
A conflict of long duration has prevailed between those who are inclined to emphasize James affirmation here, and Paul's emphasis on salvation as "… not of works, lest any man should boast." (cf. Eph. 2:8-9) The fact is, these are not contradictory, but complimentary elements that, rightly understood give redemptive truth proper balance.
Paul's concern is that no "good works" of any sort or in any number can remedy the malady of sin and give eternal life and hope to failed humanity. Eternal life is offered to us freely, as a gift, through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid in full the penalty for sin. Salvation cannot be "earned" by our works, and has no element of personal merit in it. The gain is ours by faith alone, and the glory belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. The old hymn is accurate, "Nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim— I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain— He washed it white as snow!"
James does not dispute that faith initiates salvation, but simply argues that faith can only be verified by the changes it produces. That is in perfect agreement with the teaching of Christ, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit [Matt. 12:33; Cf. Luke 6:43-45]." It is the design of salvation to restore us not only to God's favor, but to a right relationship with Him, in which we aspire to please Him. The life that pleases God has first a heart that loves Him, and a desire to do His will.
Our works can never eventuate in salvation, but the true nature of salvation by grace through faith is that it does eventuate in the pursuit of "good works." This emphasis is abundant in scripture. The believer is "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10]." "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life [Rom. 6:22]." Paul, the great exponent of justification by faith alone, discounts the testimony of those who "profess that they know God, but in works… deny Him [Titus 1:16]," and urges Titus "in all things" to show himself "a pattern of good works [Titus 2:7]," declaring that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works [Titus 2:14]." Believers are to be "ready to every good work," and "they which have believed in God [should] be careful to maintain good works (cf. Titus 3:1,8,14)."
A life of works honoring to God is the very design of scripture; "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works [II Tim. 3:16-17]."
The writer to the Hebrews, whether Paul or some other, instructs, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: [Heb. 10:22-24]." Add to this the counsel of the apostle Peter, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation [I Pet. 2:11-12]."
God's standards have never been lowered, and His salvation does not provide an excuse for careless living. He saves the best of sinners, as well as the worst, by grace alone, because our works could never qualify to save us. But, when He saves He not only imputes the righteousness by which we are qualified for heaven, but He imparts the righteousness which can make that salvation evident on earth. Thus the apostle John declares, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth [I John 1:6]." James is right. Faith without works is dead!
For HIS glory and our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
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