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

[Titus]

Many that deny that works are necessary for justification claim that James 2:24 speaks only of appearing righteous before people, not before God.

James 2:24 states that a person is justified. Not seen as justified, not shown as justified but justified.
Paul uses the same Greek word for justified in Romans 5:1 that James uses inJames 2:24.

Also there is no mention of men or human observers in the verse.
The subject of chapter 2 is what makes a person righteous not how they appear to others.

James is teaching on salvation not appearance.
James 2:14,
- what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works can faith alone save him

James is discussing what kind of faith saves not what works justifies before men.

James 2:24, Romans 5:1
- you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone

Paul uses the same Greek word.
Romans 5:1,
- therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Paul and James harmonize perfectly.
Justified by faith.
Justified by works.

Once you learn what true Biblical saving faith is. You no longer struggle with reconciling James teaching with Pauls.

John joins them together perfectly.
John 3:36,
- he who believes in the Son has eternal life but he who does not  obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him

Romans 5:1 justified by faith
James 2:24 justified by works.

Faith without works is dead. Justified by faith that is not dead but living, working out of love.

James teaches works are faith acting in obedience. This faith justifies.
Likewise Paul teaches faith that justifies works through love.
Galatians 5:6,
- for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision not uncircumcision means anything but faith working through love

Ephesians 2:8-9 salvation by grace through faith.
Hebrews 5:8-9 eternal life by obedience to Jesus.

- for by grace you have been saved through faith....
- Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him

That's enough to know that the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
James and Paul both teach the same obedient faith that Justifies before God.
Both reject faith alone apart from obedient works.

James 2:24,
- you see that a man is justified by works(obedience) and not by faith alone(belief that does not work obedience)

 

[praise_yeshua]

Many that deny that works are necessary for justification claim that James 2:24 speaks only of appearing righteous before people, not before God.

James 2:24 states that a person is justified. Not seen as justified, not shown as justified but justified.
Paul uses the same Greek word for justified in Romans 5:1 that James uses inJames 2:24.

Also there is no mention of men or human observers in the verse.
The subject of chapter 2 is what makes a person righteous not how they appear to others.

James is teaching on salvation not appearance.
James 2:14,
- what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works can faith alone save him

James is discussing what kind of faith saves not what works justifies before men.

James 2:24, Romans 5:1
- you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone

Paul uses the same Greek word.
Romans 5:1,
- therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Paul and James harmonize perfectly.
Justified by faith.
Justified by works.

Once you learn what true Biblical saving faith is. You no longer struggle with reconciling James teaching with Pauls.

John joins them together perfectly.
John 3:36,
- he who believes in the Son has eternal life but he who does not  obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him

Romans 5:1 justified by faith
James 2:24 justified by works.

Faith without works is dead. Justified by faith that is not dead but living, working out of love.

James teaches works are faith acting in obedience. This faith justifies.
Likewise Paul teaches faith that justifies works through love.
Galatians 5:6,
- for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision not uncircumcision means anything but faith working through love

Ephesians 2:8-9 salvation by grace through faith.
Hebrews 5:8-9 eternal life by obedience to Jesus.

- for by grace you have been saved through faith....
- Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him

That's enough to know that the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
James and Paul both teach the same obedient faith that Justifies before God.
Both reject faith alone apart from obedient works.

James 2:24,
- you see that a man is justified by works(obedience) and not by faith alone(belief that does not work obedience)

@Dizerner

1. So what happens when you sin before man? Do you lose your justification?
2. Do you actually ask men to forgive you?
3. If you do ask men to forgive you, do you always ask them to forgive you?
4. If not, then are you lost for not obeying this "requirement" for justification?

There are many many issues with this Arminian position.

I've never meet a Arminian that actually lived by their own requirements. I'd like to meet one. I'll take your word for it if you have the actual "guts" to claim you always live by your own requirements.

That's enough to know that the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
James and Paul both teach the same obedient faith that Justifies before God.
Both reject faith alone apart from obedient works.

James 2:24,
- you see that a man is justified by works(obedience) and not by faith alone(belief that does not work obedience)

Obey who? You have supposed "believers" being required to obey men. That never works. Never.

Not all men agree. In fact, most of them disagree.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Here you have Peter (who denied Jesus) claiming he didn't need to obey man. Peter didn't lose his faith. His faith survived the trial of his faith.

1 Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 

[Titus]

1. So what happens when you sin before man? Do you lose your justification?

Yes, I,may post an article on Biblical repentance.

 

[praise_yeshua]

Yes, I,may post an article on Biblical repentance.

I'm certain it isn't biblical at all.

Repentance is granted. God only grants repentance and no.... I'm not talking about what Calvinists teach.

However, you can't get past the very real fact that only God grants repentance. Not you. Not anyone else. Only God.

 

[Titus]

I'm certain it isn't biblical at all.

Repentance is granted. God only grants repentance and no.... I'm not talking about what Calvinists teach.

However, you can't get past the very real fact that only God grants repentance. Not you. Not anyone else. Only God.

I don't have any problem with God granting repentance. That's Biblical.