WHAT WE BELIEVE

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” James 2:24

When we read this verse quickly, at first it seems to communicate the very opposite of what Paul teaches in Galatians 2:15-16:

“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

Paul is adamant: justification (the declaration that a person is righteous) is not a meritorious reward for keeping the law, but rather a gracious gift bestowed on persons who put their trust in the promise of God.

But does James disagree? Absolutely not! In fact, in his first chapter he presents what could be read as his version of “justification by faith.” There he reminds readers that God “chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (James 1:18) and so “receive with meekness the implanted word” (James 1:21). Here, James is emphasizing the passivity of the believer, who simply receives the word of truth planted according to the will and activity of God.

Paul wrote Galatians to new, Gentile believers being told that they needed to follow the Law of Moses in order to be fully saved. This is a distortion of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:6-9). James, however, is not distorting the gospel by adding to message of salvation by faith in Jesus. He was writing to weary Jewish believers who had come to misunderstand “faith” as mere intellectual assent in God’s existence—something that even demons do (James 2:19). This kind of “faith” does not make a person righteous.

Instead, faith that truly trusts God for justification (rather than one’s own good behavior), always evidences itself with the fruit of good works. These works do not earn justification. They simply prove the existence of the only kind of faith which does justify.

James’ statement here could thus be rewritten, “You see that a person is justified by faith, the kind of faith that does not stand alone but is evidenced by works.”

When we understand that true faith will always produce good works, we grow up into maturity and begin to look more like Christ.