Justified by Works

Introduction

This passage is one that is very familiar to most of us here.

There is a simple clarity and even obviousness to it.

Yet, by most commentaries, this passage is declared to be the enigma while Paul is declared to offer the “simple” and “obvious,” “incontrovertible,” “unequivocal,” “explicit,” “plainly stated” doctrine of salvation by faith alone.

Let’s walk through the text first and note what is obvious and then we will walk through some of the tortured ways someone who believes in “faith alone” deals with this text.

Dead Faith

The premise is plainly stated at the start and finish (Jas. 2:14, 26).

He uses the previous discussion to illustrate (Jas. 2:15-16).

Faith is something that can be proven (Jas. 2:18).

Demons have a faith without works (Jas. 2:19).

Abraham was justified by works (Jas. 2:21-24).

Rahab was justified by works (Jas. 2:25).

James and the Reformers

Every commentary starts by saying Paul taught salvation by faith alone.

This commitment has led many men to avoid the obvious conclusions of a passage:

“They will do all these things and do them gladly, rather than listen to the humbling message that says, ‘You do not need to do anything-wash!’ Is it your washing, or the water, that will clean you? Wash and be clean! Ah, my brother! Naaman’s cleansing was only a test of his obedience, and a token that it was God who cleansed him. There was no power in Jordan’s waters to take away the taint of leprosy. Our cleansing is in that blood of Jesus Christ that has the power to take away all sin, and to make the foulest amongst us pure and clean.

But the two commandments-that of the symbol in my text, that of the reality in the Christian gospel-are alike in this respect, that both the one and the other are a confession that the man himself has no part in his own cleansing. And so Naamans, in all generations, who were eager to do some great thing, have stumbled, and turned away from that gospel which says, ‘It is finished!” - Alexander MacLaren

“James isn’t talking about salvation” (Jas. 2:14).

“He was not dealing with the means of salvation at all, but rather with its outcome, the evidence that it had genuinely occurred.” - The MacArthur New Testament Commentary

Now part of this is because they believe salvation ultimately and finally happens at the “moment” of faith. That coming to faith happens in a moment in time and in that moment you are saved and can never be lost.

“So when Paul renounces "justification by works" he renounces the view that anything we do along with faith is credited to us as righteousness. Only faith obtains the verdict, not guilty, when we become Christians. Works of any kind are not acceptable in the moment of initial justification. But when James affirms "justification by works" he means that works are absolutely necessary in the ongoing life of a Christian to confirm and prove the reality of the faith which justifies.” - John Piper

Also, faith comes to you miraculously. You don’t decide to believe.

From “Ask Pastor John”

“I've concluded that I don't have saving faith. I've tried to believe in Jesus for two years but I can't. I fear I'm beyond saving. What can I do?”

“Well, it may be that the Lord has put you in this situation—that is, withheld from you the kind of faith that you're looking for (saving faith)—in order to make you feel absolutely desperate.”

“I hope you realize you are absolutely, radically, deeply, powerfully dependent on God to give you faith.”

“Maybe my telling you this would be the means by which God would say, “I have for the last two years tried to make crystal clear to you that you are dead in your trespasses, and you can no more get up on your own than a corpse can get out of the coffin. I would like now to invite you to rest, to stop trying and to just rest in me.I did it all for you! I went to the cross for you. I will give you now the Holy Spirit. Rest in me. Trust me. This is a gift. You can take a gift. You can receive a gift. It's not something you do. You can receive this.” The Lord grant you to receive the gift.”

“Justification can mean different things” (Jas. 2:21-23; 25).

When you come to this text and you see such contrasting statements as “you are justified by faith and not by works (or works of the law)” and then “justified by works and not faith alone” something has to give.

Paul and James are using one or more of these words differently (they are the same Greek words).

They throw out the possibility of it being works that is being used differently out front.

“Many contemporary interpreters think that Paul’s ‘works of the law’ refers to Jewish Torah obedience, especially as that obedience signifies the special place of the Jews vis-à-vis the Gentiles. But it is doubtful if this phrase has quite this restricted sense in Paul (see the Introduction, pp. 59–65). Probably, then, Paul and James mean roughly the same thing when they refer to ‘deeds’: actions done in obedience to God.” - Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, Second edition, vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2015), 134.

No, justification must mean something different:

“It is important to understand that the Greek verb dikaioo (justified) has two general meanings.”

One refers to acquittal

The other refers to proof of righteousness.

So they are saying that Paul’s faith pronounces you just and James’ works proves your faith was real all along.

The problem is they use the same passage to prove their points.

Never mind these guys constantly say that nothing you do will be taken into account in the end.

David Briones speaking of those who have been making efforts to show the active nature of the definition of faith says:

“They argue that faith is not primarily “interior” or “emotional” but “exterior” and “embodied.” In other words, faith is active rather than passive, and it should be seen rather than felt. So they prefer slogans such as “justification by allegiance alone,” since allegiance underscores the active nature of faith.”

He goes on to say they make a major mistake because this would mean that works contribute to justification in some way...

All of this is wrapped up with notions of imputed righteousness. What you do doesn’t matter because the work of Christ is the only consideration at judgment:

“Christ merited righteousness for us, and that righteousness is then infused into believers at baptism. It’s as if Christ’s seed of righteousness should be planted into your heart. It becomes your own. And it is up to you, in dependence on the Spirit and the sacraments, to water it and grow in personal righteousness.By contrast, the imputation view intentionally uses the words count or reckon, as Scripture does (Romans 4:1–8; 5:12–19; Galatians 3:6). In justification, Christ’s righteousness does not become ours as some sort of personal possession. It is counted or reckoned as ours. Why? Because we do not perform the acts of justifying righteousness. Christ, as our substitute, lived the perfect life we couldn’t and died the death we deserved. The righteousness of Christ must therefore primarily and exclusively belong to him. It is therefore an alien righteousness — it comes from outside of us. And it is graciously imputed, counted, or reckoned to those who have no inherent righteousness whatsoever (Romans 3:9, 23; Ephesians 2:1–3). We are indeed “dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.” For nothing else avails before God.”

Side note: he is reference the song “The Solid Rock” and is saying that those words teaching the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. I don’t think everyone who sings those words believes in imputation. But I know the person who wrote those words does and he meant to use those words to teach it.

Even reformers admit the need for obedience is obvious.

“Now along comes a gospel preacher who says, "Christ died for your sins and he provided a righteousness, so that all of your guilt can be taken away and all the righteousness that God requires of you can be provided totally by another. And this forgiveness and righteousness is received totally by faith alone." Then he follows it up in a subsequent message, saying, "The faith that justifies justifies by faith alone, but the faith that justifies is never alone. It will always be accompanied by graces like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." And as soon as you say that this faith is going to bear fruit, people shift back into their legalistic mode of "Oh, I see. We're really justified by our works." And it takes a lifetime of fighting that battle.” - John Piper

“So my conclusion is, sincere belief in what the Bible says about God and Christ and the way of salvation — sincere belief that is true — will lead to salvation. Because what the Bible says is, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). And you believe that, and you do it, and you will find it to be true. It will be true of you. If you call upon the name of the Lord, you will be saved.” - John Piper

Conclusion

What James says is not complicated but avoiding it is.

It is demanding though.

One of the things Calvinists and Reformed theologians constantly say is that it is a terrifying thing to consider salvation being dependent on what I do.

I just read a book titled “Talent is Overrated.”

The premise is that all the people who are incredible at what they do, don’t have some inhuman or inherited ability. They all worked crazy super hard. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

And he says that this can be depressing because as it turns out you could have been that good, you just didn’t put in the work. He talks about how comforting it is when we fail to tell ourselves that we just don’t have that natural (God-given) talent and we console ourselves with that story.

But he also talks about what an encouraging message it is that you can decide what you want to pursue and decide to put the time and focus in and have confidence about what is possible.

Now, how much more joy should we have when God says, this is possible in Me. It is a hopeless thing to be told the choice is not yours.

Imagine waiting on a call only to find out that the call has already come. The message has been left. He is simply waiting for you to respond.