Saved by faith rather than by works
However James is reversing this and bringing back works into the equation.
Faith without works is dead vs 20
Vs 26 – faith without works is dead as a body without the spirit is dead.
So faith without works is dead 100% A controversial statement in this passage. Seemingly undermining a pillar of the faith.
Paul says we are saved by faith alone and not works but it appears that James is saying that faith without works is dead – salvation by faith minus works vs salvation by faith plus works.
So the essence is the rub of works in salvation and faith.
However, neither statement here is accurate as stated anywhere in the Bible.
The doctrine is Salvation by faith that works!
It appears the difference between James and Paul is an apparent contradiction.
There are many ways to address this:
James and Paul are not face to face, they are back to back. They are fighting but not each other. They are fighting to stay on the path and not veer to either right or left. The path to righteousness is not to turn aside to the right or the left in serving the one and only God.
So Paul is keeping us out of one ditch and James out the other ditch.
Paul is helping people with trying to receive salvation through works – the right ditch. James is helping the people who claim that salvation without works is fine – the left ditch.
James clarifies in vs 14 that it is a claim of claiming to have faith without works. It’s the claim that is the issue that James is. Vs 16 show that if we do nothing, the works, then our faith is nothing. It is faith by works – vs 18
Vs 18 is somewhat of a joke: one man brings the faith and the other the works and they will have it all together.
Show me your faith without works = the joke. You can’t do anything without work to show it…
James says that he will show you his faith by his works. “Want to see what I believe, watch what I do” – James
So vs 18 is a logical joke; vs 19 drips with sarcasm.
James puts the faith of the guy in the ditch below that of the demons who also believe in God but do actions.
In vs 21 James refers to Abraham, a righteous man and vs 25 Rahab a prostitute was also righteous. They both put their faith in actions.
So James in not altering the doctrine of the faith but helping us to keep us out of that stupid ditch.
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