Faith & Works

Someday I might plagarise Rev'd John Cheeseman's outline on James 2 regarding the relationship between faith and works.

Despite Rm 3:28 and James 2:24, James is not contradicting Paul. Since Romans and James are the Word of God and God doesn't make mistakes or lie, context must allow us to reconcile the apparent, superficial verbal contradiction.

James is saying that "such" empty intellectual in-word-only-and-not-in-deed hearing-and-not-doing faith cannot save.

We must distinguish and ask in what sense Paul and James are speaking of faith and justification.

If James and Paul had a chat, they would agree that faith alone saves and that faith which is alone does not save, since it is not true faith. They would agree that we can neither in any way merit salvation or contribute our good works to it, nor say we believe in Jesus and wilfully indulge in a sinful lifestyle. Romans 6 shows that Paul could be just as strong as James in combating antinomianism. Faith is the cause, basis or grounds of justification. Good works are the proof or fruit of justification.

James then gives 4 illustrations about faith and works. The first 2 are examples of conterfeit faith and the final 2 are examples of real faith.

A: (1) vv15-17. The case of the armchair do-gooder

(2) vv18-20. The case of the "believing" demons

B: (3) vv21-24. Abraham's unbelievable faith in God's promise and power

(4) vv25-26. Rahab the Harlot's risky faith