May 9, 2019
READ TIME: 1- 2 MINUTES
James 2:14-26 – Part 8
“Dave, Paul and James seem to contradict each other regarding the relationship of faith to works. Could you explain that?”
Below is a summary of Charlie Bing’s response to this important question.
This passage in James is written to Christians to encourage them to do good works, which will make their faith mature and profitable to them at the Judgment Seat of Christ and to other brothers and sisters who are enduring trials and need practical help. James and Paul certainly don’t contradict each other. In Romans 3-5, Paul is discussing how to obtain a new life in Christ. In James, James is discussing how to make that new life profitable. If James 2:14-26 is taken to mean that one must demonstrate a “real” salvation through works, then works unavoidably becomes necessary for salvation— a contradiction of Ephesians 2:8-9. Also, there are no criteria mentioned for exactly what kind or how much work verifies salvation. This opens the door to subjectivism and undermines the objective basis of assurance— the promise of God’s Word that all who believe in Jesus Christ (who is fully God and fully man) and His work (who died and rose again) will be saved.
It’s very unfortunate that many believers quickly turn to this passage to judge the salvation of others or to pressure people into righteous behavior. Please understand that demanding works for salvation negate the grace that distinguishes biblical Christianity from all other religions, cults, and “isms.”
We cannot produce the kind of good works that honor God by pressuring people with fear or guilt about the legitimacy of their salvation. Good works must come from higher motives which are a response to the amazing undeserved grace that saves us. When we do such works, we make our faith useful to others and our final evaluation at the Judgment Seat of Christ. James intended this discipleship truth to produce genuine righteousness in believers, not prove their salvation.
Source Used
Bing, Charles C. Grace, Salvation, and Discipleship: How to Understand Some Difficult Bible Passages. Grace Theology Press, 215-216.
