Does James contradict Paul? This is one of the big questions that has been asked of his letter and it is the primary reason why some people have been suspicious of the letter. Paul has been keen in his letters to argue that we are saved by grace alone and justified by faith. In Ephesians 2:8-9 he says:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
In the letter to the Galatians, he spends most of his time insisting that justification is by faith and not be works of the Law. He uses this as his primary argument for showing why the agitators there are wrong to insist on circumcision for the Gentiles. In Romans 4, he shows that both Abraham and David are justified by faith. Again, he points out that righteousness is something credited to Abraham before, not after circumcision. He quotes Genesis 15:6 and 22:
“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[1]
James uses the same quote but seems to use it differently[2]. He argues that for Abraham, both faith and works come together, so that his justification is based on both.[3] So, when James sees people arguing that they have one of these and not the other, whether faith without deeds/works[4] or works without faith[5] he insists that one without the other is dead. True faith comes with works included.
So, does this contradict Paul? Is James seeking to add something to the Gospel of grace? It’s worth observing three things. First, when James talks about Abraham being counted as righteous, he associates it with his willingness to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. However, the statement that Abraham was counted righteous was made prior to the sacrifice. So, James, states that the action of offering Isaac fulfilled the statement about justification. In other words, h treats Genesis 15 as having a prophetic dynamic. The faith was already present in Genesis 15, but it would be proven when God put Abraham to the test. He would show that he really did trust God by how he responded to that test in obedience.
Secondly, notice that Paul’s particular concern in Romans and Galatians is with Torah obedience concerning rituals and ceremonies. You can’t be justified by keeping these religious rites such as circumcision. His focus is not so much then on obedience that arises out of trust. However, when talking about how we respond to trials and suffering, Paul will say:
… we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.[6]
This sounds very similar to James’ introductory comments:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.[7]
James and Paul have a similar theology of suffering. God uses our trials as we learn to endure in order to work in our lives for our glory, to refine and prove our faith so that we are rooted and established in Christ.
Thirdly, notice that in Ephesians 2:10, having said that we are saved by grace, not works, Paul goes on to say:
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Works do have a place for Paul as well, we are not just saved to get our ticket to heaven but in order to serve God. We were made for good works and we are redeemed for them too. As someone once said, “We may be saved by faith alone but that faith never comes alone.” It seems then that Paul would agree with James, that if you want to see someone’s faith, then the evidence will be its fruit, the good works you do.
Both Paul and James agree that faith and works go together. God does not save us because we do good works, it is an act of grace but faith, or trust is a living, active thing, demonstrated by obedience. Our faith will be tested and proved as we go through the fiery trials of suffering and persecution. We can either respond to such suffering by hiding away, thinking that we’ve pocketed our ticket to heaven or by actively demonstrating our faith in God to protect us, provide for us and bring us safely home. That’s what faith and works is all about.
[1] Romans 4:3.
[2] James 2:23.
[3] James 2:24.
[4] James 2:14.
[5] James 2:18.
[6] Romans 5:3-13.
[7] James 1:2-3.
Faithroots 