Bible Basics

Saving Faith

James says, “You see then that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Yet Paul says, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). Many find these two statements contradictory and have great difficulty reconciling them. To understand the congruency of these statements we must keep in mind their context. James writes to Christians whose faith was dead because they did not have enough trust in the Lord to obey him (see James 1:21-25). Paul, on the other hand, writes to Christians that had been influenced by Judaizing teachers who sought salvation through a system of works according to the Law of Moses. While James says we are not saved by faith alone, Paul says we are not saved by works alone. The Jews generally saw no need for faith in Christ because they believed they were saved by a system of works according to the Law of Moses. Those to whom James writes understood the Law of Moses could not forgive sins and salvation was by faith in Christ Jesus, yet their faith would not save them since their lack of obedience made it incomplete. The fact is, both James and Paul teach the same thing – neither faith nor works alone will save us, but, as Paul puts it, “faith working by love” (Gal. 5:6).

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics