James' Teaching On Justification: Before Men Or Before God?

[mailmandan]

Amen @mailmandan …

It’s clear to me that the Bible teaches that faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and subsequent good works go hand in hand. Why? …because they are interconnected and dependent on each other. Works, whether in planting seeds, teaching the Word of God, singing, giving, feeding those in need, etc., all demonstrate the faith in Christ that one has. It is something we do through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, faith without works is dead. Let’s read it again.

James 2:20-26 (NKJV) 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent [them] out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

s e l a h

Yes, key word is demonstrate. Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all would demonstrate there is no root. James is not saying that our works make us righteous before God but that genuine saving faith in Christ is demonstrated or evidenced by good works. Works are not the cause of salvation; works are the evidence of salvation.

In regard to "faith without works is dead," (James 2:20) James does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith or that we are saved by works. That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree, and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely says-claims they have faith, but lack resulting evidential works, then they demonstrate that they have an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith. (James 2:14)

In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6, (also see Romans 4:2-3) many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to account him as righteous, but it showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. (James 2:18) That is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." (James 2:21) He was shown to be righteous.

In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works means bring to maturity, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It doesn't mean that Abraham was finally saved based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.

In James 2:23, the scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6) not his works (Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.

The Greek word for justified "dikaioo" is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered - fits the context.
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works are evidence for, or against a man being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, “acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads, “they declared God just.” This is the "sense" in which God was “justified.” He was shown to be righteous.

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

The harmony of Romans 4:2-3 and James 2:24 is seen in the differing ways that Paul and James use the term "justified." Paul, when he uses the term, refers to the legal (judicial) act of God by which He accounts the believer as righteous. James, however, is using the term to describe those who would show the genuineness of their faith by the works that they do.

In James 2:25, Rahab believed in the Lord with authentic faith (Joshua 2:9-13), requested "kindness" (2:12), received the promise of kindness (2:14), and hung out the "scarlet line" (2:21), as the demonstration of her authentic faith. She showed that her faith in God was not a dead faith by her works, just as all genuine believers show theirs. (James 2:18)

In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith converge around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body exhibits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works. (Ephesians 2:5-10)

 

[Titus]

Faith that trusts in Jesus Christ "alone" for salvation. (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9) Not to be confused with a bare profession of faith that remains "alone" - barren of works. These are two separate "alone's" in connection with two different things.

You teach there are two separate alones.
James never teaches what you teach.
He only teaches one kind of faith that is alone.
Teaching two kinds of alone's is teaching a man made doctrine not found in any new testament book.
James 2:24,
- ye see then how that by works a man is justified(Dan teaches man is justified before obedient works thereby contradicting James) and not by faith alone(Dan teaches there are two alones, nowhere in James epistle do you learn this, therefore it is Dan's presuppositional doctrine)

Stop adding to the text and only allow James to speak for himself!!!

James 2:14 ; 24,
- what doth it profit my brethren though a man say he have faith and have not works can faith save him
- Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith alone

Where is the two alones?

These are two separate "alone's" in connection with two different things.

James only teaches of one faith that is alone. He only describes it as dead.

Faith that trusts in Jesus Christ "alone" for salvation.

Faith that trust's in Jesus according to James is never alone.
The only faith that James teaches is alone is dead.
Trusting faith always, always, always, works obedience to the gospel.
James teaches that is the only geniune faith that justifies.

James 2:21-24,
- was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar,
Seest (Do you see Dan?) How faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect
- and the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God

James is quoting Genesis 15:6,
- and he(Abraham) believed the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness

Notice James taught which faith justified Abraham.
Did James teach Abraham was justified by faith alone as Dan teaches?
Or did James teach what I am teaching that Abraham's faith justified him by his works of obedience ?

Let's let James answer again,
James 2:20-24,
- was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar
Seest thou howfaith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect
- and the scriptures was fullfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness(quotation of Genesis 15:6) and he was called the friend of God

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified(Abraham) and not by faith alone

The context is how Abraham was justified before God!!!!
James said by obedient faith Abraham was justified.
Never once did James teach Abraham was justified by his belief alone as Dan tries in vain to put words in James' mouth.

Notice Genesis 15:6 God says Abraham is counted righteous by his faith.
James teaches his faith was NOT alone.

Easy to prove again, although unnecessary if you believe what James already taught.
Dan does not see what James taught nor will he believe what James taught because it goes against his presuppositional faith alone salvation gospel.

Abraham already did works before you ever get to Genesis 15:6.
Proving when God counted his faith as righteousness. He was already working the commandments of God therefore His faith was NOT alone!!!

Genesis 12 = Genesis 15.
Genesis 12:1-4,
- now the Lord had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house unto a land that I will shew thee(God just gave Abraham a direct command.)

Now learn what kind of faith Abraham has. He obeys God therefore he works obedience by doing what God says. He physically goes showing his faith to everyone including God.

Verse 4,
- So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him and Lot went with him and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran

Already Abraham's faith is not alone. He is doing works of obedience to Gods commandments.

So what kind of faith does James teach made Abraham counted as righteous?
An honest man knows the answer.

Genesis 12 = Genesis 15:6,
- and he believed in the Lord and God counted it to him for righteousness

James, Paul, God and Abraham all teach faith without works cannot Justify man before God.

But too many have been deceived by the do nothing just believe religion known as faith alone.

James 2:20,
- but wilt thou know O foolish man that faith without works is dead