Faith with works or Faith without works.

Faith with works or Faith without works, it seems like Paul is saying one thing and James another.  Who is right, Paul or James?  Paul claims in Romans 4 that we are saved through Faith in Jesus Christ alone without doing any works.  And that if we were saved by our works, then our works would be considered a debt that God owes us, and therefore pays that debt by salvation, but of course we all should know that God can never be debtor.  James says that faith without works is dead. 

Romans 4: 1-5  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.  For what saith the scripture?  Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Basically, Paul is telling us that we are made righteous before God by just believing is his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We cannot do any good works or anything of ourselves to earn that righteousness.  We can only receive it, by believing in Jesus Christ.  And once we have that righteousness, we are saved before God and given eternal life in God’s Kingdom.  God calls that believing ‘faith’.  We believe in something that we have never seen.

Now James on the other hand, tells us that faith without works is dead.

James 2: 14-17  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?   Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

So who do you think is correct?  Paul is a man God specifically called out and taught him one on one for approximately three years and appointed him the sole Apostle of us Gentiles.  James on the other hand was a younger brother to our Lord. James grew up in the same house as Jesus, and probably knew him better than anyone.

These are things that have confused bible researchers for years.  They seem to completely contradict each other.  Who is right?  The correct answer is, both of them.

Then the other day I heard a sermon given by Joseph Prince.  He said he toiled over this point and cried out to God to show him the revelation and meaning.  Joseph Prince, being a man of God, knew that God would never contradict himself in the scriptures.  The Lord did show him the answer to his prayer and he shared that revelation with us.  I would highly recommend that you contact his ministry and order that teaching.  It is “Sermon# 198”.  You can reach him at (http://WWW.Josephprince.org) or call 1-877-901-4300.

The answer was simply this:  Paul is telling us what we must do before God to gain our salvation.  James is telling us what we must do before Men to prove our salvation before men. All we need for Salvation is to believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God as stated in I Corinthians 15: 1-4.  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain, For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

At that point (of believing that Christ was the son of God, he died, was buried and rose again the third day) we are made righteous before God and no works we do will make us any more righteous.  Once we believe in Christ,  we are given Christ’s righteousness and there is no righteousness greater than that.  Our relationship between us and God is sealed, without us doing any works.  And as Paul always states, “But now” referring to us now that we are saved we are obligated to do works, not for salvation but for reward. 

I Corinthians 3: 13 – 15  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire;  and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.   If any man’s work abide (endures) which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned,  he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.   This verse is talking about what we do after we are saved.  When we are saved we become a part of the “body of Christ”.  Christ is the head of that body and we all make up the rest of the body.  Once part of the body we begin to pray and search the word of God to find out what part of the body we are.  Christ is our foundation, and we begin to build on that foundation as God moves us.  Christ himself gives each of us a role in the body.  We are not all preachers or evangelists or teachers, but maybe a behind the scene prayer warrior, or helper or giver.  Whatever your place, you were put in that place by Christ and that is where he wants you, and you are just as valuable to the Body of Christ as anyone else. 

I Corinthians 12:  12 – 27   For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?  If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body?  But now are they many members, yet but one body.  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee:  nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon those we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  For our comely (presentable) parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:  That there should be no schism in the body: but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

In James we read how important works are for the benefit of mankind.  If you know of a person who has a particular need, and you have the resources to fill that need, but instead just tell them you’ll pray for them, what good does that do for them?  God uses the members in his body to do his will on this earth.  We are Christ’s eyes, ears, hands and feet.  Christ blesses us that we may impart and share with others.

Knowing all this, we can now sit down and enjoy the wonderful writings of James and benefit from his knowledge as well as Paul’s.  James in no way contradicts the writing of Paul.  This is further proof that our Bible is the works of God, intricately put together so all the books complement each other for our learning.