James 2:24

[Scott Shahan]

What does this scripture mean to you?

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

[Edited on 06-07-2006 by Scott Shahan]

 

[Robin]

Originally posted by Scott Shahan
What does this scripture mean to you?

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

[Edited on 06-07-2006 by Scott Shahan]

It's better to read what the entire Text says:

James 2:14-26

Faith Without Works Is Dead
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So 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 apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-- and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

I think it's crystal clear what it means by what the Text says.



Robin

 

[JohnStevenson]

I submit that this is in no way contradictory with the teaching of salvation by grace through faith. James has already established that we are saved by grace. He said in chapter 1 that is was "in the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures" (James 1:18). In the theology of James, it is not our works or even our own decision that saves us, but rather it is the will of God that accomplishes our salvation.

Having said that, James goes on to show that while you are saved by grace through faith, you are not saved apart from works. A saving faith is a faith that works.

You can say that you have faith, but if I want to know how you really believe, all I have to do is watch your life. The true nature of your faith is acted out in the way you live.

I like the way the Senior Pastor at St Andrews PCA put this: "How do you know if real faith exists? It is by seeing its effects. Imagine for a moment that you go outside and you hear the 'whooosh' of what sounds like wind. But you don't see the wind. You look at the trees and their branches are not moving or swaying. Flags are not flapping. You look down and see a tape player and it is giving off the sound of wind. That isn't wind.

"In the same way, you are not saved by the sound of faith. You are saved by real faith. And the way you know it is real faith is because it causes your life to sway." -- T.J. Campo