TEXT: James 2:14-26

SUBJECT: Exposition of James #5: Faith and Works

Today brings us to the most controversial paragraph in the New Testament. It so disturbed Martin Luther that he publicly doubted its inspiration. Others, believing it to be inspired, have forced it to teach what it clearly does not teach. Still others, exasperated in their efforts to understand it, have simply given up trying to do so. I think, however, we must be both honest with the text and consistent with the whole teaching of Scripture. May God enable us, for Christ's sake. Amen.

The subject is introduced in the rhetorical questions of v.14: "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" James is not denying the necessity of faith; he, like all Christians, believe "without faith it is impossible to please God". He's asking about the sufficiency of faith alone. Is faith, unaccompanied by works, saving in its effect? To make it more personal: Can you get to heaven without good works? The following verses provide the answer.

In vv.15-20, he makes the negative argument: "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, `Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also, faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, `You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.' You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?"

In his rebuttal, James draws four vivid comparisons.

Firstly, faith without works is of no more value than sympathetic words to a freezing and starving man, vv.15-17. He doesn't need kind words, he needs warm clothes and something to eat! The sweetest expressions don't cloth his back or fill his belly; they're useless. And so is faith without works.

Secondly, faith without works is of no more value than an empty boast, v.18. Talking about your faith proves nothing; it must be demonstrated. Think about it: What if I said, "I'm the world's fastest man; I can run 100 meters in 8 seconds flat!" You might be impressed...for a time. Eventually, however, I'd have to back up my claim. About 18 seconds into my dash, you'd think a bit less of my boast than when you first heard it; it was useless. And so is faith without works.

Thirdly, faith without works is of no more value than the religion of demons, v.19. They shudder at the thought of God. But their trembling does them no good; it's useless. And so is faith without works.

Fourthly, faith without works is of no more value than a fruitless tree, v.20. Note: the "dead" of v.20 is a different word than that of v.17. The former means "dead" in the usual sense; the latter means barren or fruitless. Only a "foolish man" thinks a barren tree is as good as a productive one. A tree without fruit is useless. And so is faith without works.

James is making it clear: Faith, without works, is not saving in its effect. You cannot get to heaven without good works. In saying this, he's teaching nothing different than his Savior. "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven".

James is not writing this to discourage the Lord's humble-hearted people. Some preachers and writers excel at this dubious ministry. James has a target audience in mind: he's slinging his arrows at professed believers who make no effort to do God's will. They give assent to a Creed and relax, presuming they are justified by their faith. If you feel this way, give ear to James. Or to Paul, who wrote to Titus: "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works..."

In vv.21-25., James crafts the positive argument. He has shown the uselessness of faith without works; now he shows the value and necessity of works: "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. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way"?

Abraham was justified by works. The work James has in mind is not something easy, like going to church or reading his Bible, but the hardest thing a man could be asked to do: Sacrifice his own son. In gripping detail, the story is told in Genesis 22.

Abraham's work was not alone; it was mixed with faith. The two "worked together" the Greek has it; they were partners in Abraham's justification. Faith, of course, animated his good work (for he believed God long before he offered his son). But good works also stimulated his faith and brought it to full growth. In tandem, faith and works justified Abraham and made him God's friend.

The same is true of Rahab. She was justified, not by faith alone, but by faith and works. She was declared righteous only after she had believed in the God of Israel and given aid to His people whom He sent to spy out her hometown of Jericho.

I hope what I've said has caused alarm bells to go off in your head. For more than 400 years the central doctrine of Evangelical Christianity has been: "Sola Fide"--Justification by faith alone. Luther thought it "the article of the standing and falling Church". He could bear with the Pope, the Mass, the veneration of saints, and Rome's every other mistake. He couldn't, however, tolerate its doctrine of justification by faith and works. It's no wonder he called James "An epistle of straw".

Luther's opinion is weighty; it is not decisive. Paul's teaching is. In Romans 3:28, he says: "Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the Law". Moreover, in Romans 4:2 and Galatians 3:6, he quotes the same verse that James does, Genesis 15:6, to prove the opposite point: that Abraham was justified by faith alone, not a combination of faith and works!

Everyone sees the paradox; what do we do with it?

We can admit the contradiction and charge James or Paul with error. The men made mistakes, to be sure. But not in writing the Bible! For their Epistles are "of no private origin, for [neither] came by the will of men, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit".

We can read Paul through the lens of James or we can read James through the lens of Paul. Roman Catholicism does the former; most Evangelicals do the latter. But neither are being honest with the text; both impose their dogmas on the Sacred Word.

The best way to understand it is also the simplest: James and Paul are using the word, "justification", in different ways. The word means "to declare righteous"; all lexicographers agree on this. Paul is employing it in a technical, theological sense; James is using it more generally. When a sinner believes the Gospel, he is declared just before the bar of Divine justice; this is a one-time and irreversible act. As a believer obeys God, he's also declared righteous; first in his conscience, and finally, on the Last Day, when he hears: "Well done, you good and faithful servant!"

Paul and James use the word differently--not because they disagree with each other--but because each is writing to a very different readership. Paul is writing to legalists who think their works will put them in good stead with God. James is writing to slackers who think good works are irrelevant to God.

Both are wrong; as wrong as they can be. Salvation is not by good works, but neither is salvation without good works. See Ephesians 2:8-10.

The chapter ends with a summary: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also". A living man is body and spirit. A living religion is faith and works.

God is sovereign in our salvation; we are responsible for it. Has He chosen you by grace? If so, remember, He has chosen you "to be holy and without blame". Has He redeemed you by His cross? If so, remember, it is to "purify for Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works". Has He indwelt you by His Holy Spirit? If so, remember, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". We must be ever thankful for and active in our salvation.

James and Paul have put us on a tightrope. One warns us to beware of falling into laxity, the other into legalism. By the grace of God, let's walk it together, for Christ's sake. Amen.