Faith & Works: A Harmony

Do you believe Paul or do you believe James? Many students of God's word are more than a little puzzled by the seeming conflict between the words of Paul and the words of James on the subject of faith and works. So problematic to reformers Luther and Tyndale, they questioned the inspiration of James' epistle. Martin Luther labeled James ""a right strawy epistle."" In his translation, William Tyndale placed James last.

My grandmother on my father's side, Ida Luther, was a descendant of Martin Luther. Though I may be related to Luther by blood, I part company with him in his assessment of James' epistle. Without doubt, I am convinced that whatever James said on the subject meshes with what Paul said. I believe them both.

Jesus quoted Deut. 8:3 when He said, ""It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'"" (Matt. 4:4). The Psalmist echoes the same truth, ""The sum of Thy word is truth, every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting"" (Ps. 119:160). If Paul and James do not harmonize on the subject of faith and works, then one or both of them spoke without inspiration (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16,17).

Two major factors contribute to misunderstanding on this subject: 1) The passages are not understood in their contexts; and 2) The subject is approached with preconceived notions and beliefs rather than the texts themselves being allowed to establish what one believes. Which comes first for you - beliefs then revelation or revelation then beliefs? Only the latter makes one free (John 8:31,32).

Paul affirms, ""For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast"" (Eph. 2:8,9). He further observes, James maintains, ""Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself...You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone"" (Jas. 2:17,24). At first glance, these two texts may appear contradictory. Paul discounts works and James demands them! James says justification is impossible without works, but In Romans 4, Paul clearly denies that Abraham was justified by works (4:2). He concludes, ""Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness"" (4:4,5). Did James or Paul foul up on the subject of justification? Can the two be reconciled?

Paul spoke favorably of works in other contexts, ""For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love"" (Gal. 5:6). He admonished the brethren at Philippi, ""...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12,13). Even in the immediate context of Ephesians 2, he elaborates on salvation by grace through faith, ""For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them"" (2:10).

Though countless attempts are made to explain away James' comments on works, only one conclusion is acceptable. Unless your faith works, you are spiritually lifeless. He calls faith without works both useless and dead. James further warns that faith without works is no better than the faith of demons. Also, examine what James says in the preceding verses of James 2. Those brethren who hold ""faith"" with ""an attitude of personal favoritism"" (2:1) or who ""show partiality"" (2:9) are not ""fulfilling the royal law,"" but are instead ""committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors"" (2:8,9). To the one who argues that eternal salvation is not involved here, listen carefully to James 2:14, ""What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save Him?""

James adamantly affirms that saving faith is more than a mental decision to believe in God or Jesus as Savior. The devil's agents believe those things (cf. Mark 5:7). Saving faith works. It has always done so from Abel onward. Note the first four examples of faith in Hebrews 11. The introduction of each faithful man of old is followed by an action verb:

""By faith Abel offered...."" (11:4). ""By faith Enoch...obtained witness...he was pleasing to God"" (11:5). ""By faith Noah...in reverence prepared an ark...condemned the world"" (11:7). ""By faith Abraham...obeyed "" (11:8).

The key to understanding what both Paul and James are saying is to know that each author had a unique purpose in what he wrote. So what is Paul saying in Ephesians 2 and Romans 4? The word ""boast"" appears in both contexts (Eph. 2:9; Rom. 3:26,27; 4:2). Paul's immediate purpose is not to define faith but merely to point out man's inability to save himself by perfect performance or perfect law keeping. No man can boast that he had worked hard enough and well enough that God is indebted to save Him. Why? ""...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"" (Rom. 3:23). God acted to redeem the unlovely, the ungodly, sinners, His enemies (Rom. 4:5; 6:6-10). Apart from God's marvelous doings, justification, reconciliation, salvation from His wrath toward sin was impossible.

Does this argue that a man is saved who persists and revels in ungodliness? Does one remain reconciled to God who continues to live a life of sin? Does Paul teach in Romans that the simple act of believing that Jesus died for me is sufficient for salvation? Paul categorically denies any such thing in Romans 6! Romans 6:3-5 explains that baptism is the point at which we were united with Christ in the likeness of His death and the old self was crucified. He later instructs that a heart of faith inevitably leads to a confession (Rom. 10:8-17). The word of faith which Paul preached demanded that folks be transformed to put on Christ (Rom. 12 and 13). He sternly warns in Romans 6:16 that allowing yourself to once again become enslaved by sin results in death (cf. 2 Pet. 2:20-22; Heb. 6:4-6). In the very beginning of Romans, Paul spoke of his desire ""to bring about the obedience of faith"" (Rom. 1:5).

When Paul says ""not of works,"" he is not re-defining what faith in God has always meant. Nor is he excluding activity on man's part in obtaining salvation. Faith itself is an activity or work (John 6:26-29). Rather, Paul speaks of a certain kind of works that are incapable of saving, works whereby we earn or merit salvation. Ultimately, everyone who is saved must respond, ""But by the grace of God I am what I am"" (1 Cor. 15:10). Nobody saves himself by his own brilliance, ingenuity or perfection. Salvation is God's plan. Not just James, but Paul also maintains that faith must work to be of any value. Saving faith obeys and confesses (Matt. 10:32,33)!

Conversely, just as it not Paul's main goal to define faith in Romans 4 or Ephesians 2:8,9, it is not James' intention to explain God's grace in salvation. James defines saving faith. He writes to believers admonishing them to live by faith. He does not intimate nor suggest that one will be able to boast in one's own achievements by being a doer of the word, keeping the perfect law of liberty (Jas. 1:22-25), but affirms that God will deal favorably with such a person.

Again, Paul likewise points out that salvation ""by grace through faith"" does not exclude works of obedience (Eph. 2:10). In his letter to Titus, Paul clearly delineates what the recipients of grace must do (Titus 2:11-14). After detailing the wonders of reconciliation to God, Paul warned the Corinthians, ""And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain"" (2 Cor. 5:17-6:1). Is Paul guilty of double talk? Would we accuse Paul of speaking out of both sides of his mouth when he spoke to the Thessalonians about the ""work of faith"" and ""labor of love"" (1 Thess. 1:3,8-10; 2 Thess. 1:11,12; 2:17)?

The Hebrew writer concurs with both Paul and James. Speaking of Jesus who ""learned obedience from the things which He suffered,"" he summarizes, ""And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation"" (Heb. 5:8,9). Again, saving faith obeys. It's that simple. When our faith works, we merit nothing. We are still ""unworthy slaves"" (Lk. 17:10). We perform the works of Him who called us, allowing Him to work in us.

Believers still stumble and fail miserably at times (Heb. 12:1; Jas. 3:2; 1 John 1:6-2:2), but they must not persist in wickedness (1 John 3:1-10). Because of faith, they correct their course in the pursuit of righteousness and holiness. Day after day, this remains the believer's aim and ambition. Faith works! Our lifelong pursuit is to do all we can for His great name and allow Christ to reign in us. An ongoing determination is present to set one's affections on things above and not on this earth (Col. 3:1-4). Real faith is never passive and inactive. Believers worship. They mold their thinking and conduct after Christ's example. They put sin to death. They participate with other believers in a local congregation. They pray continually.

Simply put, we trust - in God, His word, His assurances, His promises. By doing what faith has always done, persisting in righteousness, we merely hope to find mercy on that last Great Day (2 Tim. 1:16-18). ""But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life"" (Jude 20,21).