Saturday, August 25, 2007
James 2:14, 20-23 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? . . . But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
JUSTIFIED BY FAITH IN CHRIST . . . A FAITH EVIDENCED BY GOOD WORKS
Luther called James a "straw epistle." It's not difficult to see why some are put off by the words of James, since they appear to be a contradiction of the teaching given through Paul that we are: "justified by faith, apart from the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28). Does James contradict "Sola Fide", the truth that we are justified by faith alone?
No. We know that God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and that the problem is our understanding, not God contradicting Himself.
The Spirit through Paul speaks of what we might call "law-works". He describes a person who thinks he will be saved by keeping God's Law. James also lays that kind of thinking to rest saying, "Whoever shall keep the whole law and stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."
The Spirit through James is here speaking of what we might call "gospel-works". Such actions are the evidence, the fruits, of a true and living faith. When it comes to justification, the words given to James agree with those given to Paul -- as is also evident in these words: "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).
What was credited to Abraham for righteousness? Abraham's FAITH! Abraham was saved by faith -- a true and living faith, not one that was dead and useless! Abraham's FAITH revealed itself when at God's command he was willing to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice to God.
For while faith itself cannot be seen, being hidden in the heart, true faith makes itself known by openly confessing Christ and by godly deeds of love done for Jesus' sake. Every true Christian is justified by faith alone, but faith is never alone. It is always accompanied by works -- true good works, those things done by faith, in true fear and love of God, which will stand on the Day of Judgment as proof that faith in Christ is living.
