Grace Through Faith † Faith Without Works is Dead

Reading certain verses out of James can seem a bit confusing out of context. For example,

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." James 2:24

But if we read that verse in context, it is a bit more clear,

"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?" James 2:23-25

But James is talking about pre-Christ people. And besides, verse 23 says that "Abraham believed".

Also, certain sources say that James was not intending his letter to be for unbelievers to become believers, but to existing believers. "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality." James 2:1; "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain." James 5:7

To me, this does not sound like he is talking to unbelievers. This makes a considerable difference. When James says that faith without works is dead, he is not talking about the faith that gets you saved. He is talking about people who are already saved, not showing it outwardly. It's just like the fruit of the Spirit.

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 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." James 2:14-18

So, of course, if you do not act upon your faith, then you are not showing it and it doesn't profit anyone.

There is no way that we can be saved by works. At all. So, I conclude that these two subjects do not contradict each other. They are just messages to different people. Obviously someone who is already saved does not need to be told that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. But neither will it do any good to tell an unbeliever that he needs to do good deeds, and have the fruit of the Spirit.

"What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works." Romans 4:1-6

We see here that Paul uses the exact same scripture to promote that you can't be saved by works as James does in James 2:23. So, I believe that James was strictly talking about post-salvation faith/works.

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law." Romans 3:28

~By Kristy
-July 29, 2003-

Later note by Kristy:

The justification by works talked about in James is merely the sanctification process Christians go through, meaning the process of becoming more like Christ. Obviously Abraham couldn't have become like Christ in the sense post-New Testament believers can, but Christ was in existence at that time, ("Before Abraham was, I AM) and Abraham did go through a type of sanctification process, when he was growing and learning God's ways. SO, we must do work(s) to become more like Christ after we are saved, but it is apart from works (lest we should boast) that we are redeemed and brought into the family of God.