Dueling Prophets?
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Rom 3:28
You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. James 2:24
In every generation there are many Christians who stumble at the seemingly gross contradiction between James and Paul regarding justification by faith. The verses above are at the heart of that struggle. How can two inspired writers of the scriptures make such clearly opposite statements regarding faith and justification? The dilemma begins to unravel quickly when we realized that James is using both terms - justification and faith - in a different vein than Paul.
Both words are used variably in the rest of scripture. For example, the justification of a sinner before God, is something quite different than the justification that will be God’s when He judges the people (Psalm 51:4; Rom 3:4). God certainly doesn’t need justification in the first sense. He is eternally holy and just by nature. But on the day of judgment, when all creation stands before Him to give account, and every injustice of history is rectified before Him, it will be shown - it will be demonstrated before all - that He is holy, just and true in all He has done from creation to the judgment day. On that day He will be justified in the judgment of every moral being.
In a similar manor, Jesus said, “Wisdom is justified of her children” (Matt 11:19). Wisdom is not “made right” by her children, but forensically shown to be right.
Furthermore, we can plainly see in the scriptures different contexts in which faith takes on different shades of meaning. In it’s basic use it simply means to believe in something. It is clear that James uses faith in this way. He equates the faith that just believes in God to that which even the demons exercise (2:19). Elsewhere we are shown that they believed in Jesus as the the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). But no credible Christian would argue that the demons have faith that saves - i.e. justifying faith. That is James’ point.
But when Paul uses the term faith in proclaiming, or explaining the Gospel, he clearly uses it in a specialized or technical sense. It is clearly more than just a mental ascent, or a mere profession of believing in something. To Paul, faith is something that emerges as one hears the inspired message (Rom 10:17), and the Holy Spirit empowers the word of truth to effectually regenerate the heart (1Cor 2:4; 1Thess 2:13; Titus 3:5). Such faith is nothing akin to a passive acknowledgement of Christ. It is a light from God shining into the heart revealing Himself in the person of Christ (2Cor 4:6). The same grace that saves us effectually works in us (Titus 2:11-13). Saving faith always turns the sinner from idols to serve the true and living God (1Thess 1:9).
So Paul insists that true faith always bears fruit to God’s glory in love. James insists that if there is no fruit then your faith - what you believe - is vain. There is no contradiction. Both insist that faith without works is a dead faith, just as a tree that doesn’t produce leaves and fruit in its season is a dead tree. A tree doesn’t become a living tree by producing fruit and leaves. We cannot become justified before God - made righteous and acceptable in His sight - by doing good works. On the other hand, the tree, in producing leaves and fruit is justified as being living tree. So, the true Christian is justified in his profession of being in Christ by the fruit that is borne.
Now, lest we become “deputy holy spirits” - holy fruit inspectors, passing judgment upon one another, we do well to remember that James impregnates this entire letter with repeated warnings against criticizing and condemning others, thus becoming judges instead of doers (4:11). We must remember that, if we want to be “all legal about it”, whoever has offended in one point of the law is guilty of the whole thing (2:10). As James’ older Brother said, Let him who is without sin cast the first stone (John 8:7). We are therefore admonished to always seek to keep the royal law - Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (2:8). We are to so speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13).
As we admonish and encourage one another unto righteousness, our motivation must always be love for the other. It must never be to show our own self-importance or self-righteousness, or to exalt ourselves as judges. We are our brother’s keeper, responsible for his blessing and well-being. (5:19-20); not to point out his every sin (1Pet 4:8).
However, our first responsibility is to examine ourselves. Have James and Paul been clearly reconciled in our own lives. Is our faith an effectual living faith that is bearing fruit? Is the love of God a mighty engine that keeps us going forward in serving Him and others? Make no mistake. If you have been justified before God by faith, your profession will be justified by the fruit of good works in love.
- ejr3
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Tapestry of Love ©1990 e.j.ross3
1. Before the mountains pushed their peaks up to the sky,
Before the starlight ever twinkled in one eye,
Before the angels sang their songs around God’s throne,
He set His love on me and named me as His own.
Chorus:
Chosen in Jesus by the Father before time,
Now by His Spirit, called and sanctified;
And every heartache I’d ever have,
Every moment good and bad
He wove into His tapestry of love-
His tapestry of love.
2. Christ is the Light that’s lighting every man with grace
Calling them to make the choice to live the choice of faith;
And though through grace the choice we make is called our own,
Each choice fulfills the will of Him upon the throne.
Chorus...
Bridge:
O how wonderful the riches of God’s glory!
How unsearchable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord,
Or who has fathomed His grace.
3. Our God is working every move of space and time
For the good of those He’s called into His love sublime;
And there is nothing that can tear us from His love,
For we are destined to be made...
Like Him above.
Chorus...
- t&dw
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Thought of the Week.
The moment we lose sight of the magnitude of our remaining corruption, that moment we cease to be holy.
- ejr3
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Walking with Jesus... a devotional minute.
The God Who Is For Us.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32
Jesus greatly encourages us by revealing that God is favorably dispositioned toward us. He takes great pleasure in bestowing His kingdom upon us. Paul would later proclaim, If God be for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31). As some Christians get deeper into the scriptures and learn more about sin, and of God’s holiness, they may lose sight of His unconditional fatherly love toward his children in Christ. God is for us! Do we grasp that? He is pulling for us, cheering us on. At times, like little children often do, we may think that God is being mean. But we do so in the ignorance of little children. Our Father always bears us upon His heart, and effects His loving best toward us.
- ejr3
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Are there topics or questions you would like to see addressed in a future T&DW? Please submit them to pastored@springwoodchapel.com
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The Timbrel & Dance Weekly
November 05, 2010
Vol. 1 No. 23
The Timbrel & Dance Weekly is published by
Pastor Ed Ross, Springwood Chapel,
2360 Springwood Road, York, Pennsylvania 17402.
Phone: 717-741-3616
Email: pastored@springwoodchapel.com
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Also available at ChristMyCovenant.com
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