James | Faith Shows

The last part of James Chapter 2 is one of the clearest, yet convicting scriptures when it comes to the life Christians are supposed to live.  We see that our calling isn’t to just pray for someone in need, but if we have a faith that works, we help be an answer to that prayer.

James again uses strong language as he says in verse 18: “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”  In the following verse, James says "let me show you why your faith apart from works is useless."  He first uses an example from the Old Testament and the story of Abraham being called by God to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22).  Abraham prepares everything to sacrifice his only son but God stops him and says his actions have provided his faith.  Then we get to the most controversial scripture in James – James 2:24.  It is controversial because it seems to contradict what Paul says in Romans 3:28.
 
James 2:24 - "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."  
Romans 3:28 - "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
 
So which one is it?  Are we justified by works like James says or by faith as Paul says? Many people put James and Paul toe to toe as they are debating.  But what if they aren’t debating, but standing back to back defending the same Gospel?  James is writing to the early, under persecuted church who is hiding and beginning to operate under the belief that as long as you believe that is enough (much like the demons of James 2:19).  Paul is battling false teachers who are focusing on religious rituals and works of the law as a necessary addition to the work of Jesus on the cross.  Even though it can been seen as contradictory, the Holy Spirit is weaving a defense from all sides for the same Gospel. Today we are fighting the same battles at the same time.  
 
James and Paul use the same words and even the same example of Abraham – yet seem to say different things. But Scripture doesn’t work against itself.  Scritpure will always support scripture, which means there aren’t mistakes.  A couple words they use aren’t used the same in their contexts – which is why we must not just pick and choose certain scriptures, without understanding the whole view of scripture.  One example is “works.”  James uses the word as a positive. The book of James uses “works, actions, or deeds” 15 times, all used in positive language.  Paul’s use of “works” is negative as he describes the works of the flesh and works of the law.  Another example is “faith”.  In James 2, James continues to describe a dead, useless faith.  He is simply saying that a dead and useless faith can not save us.  Which is why faith alone can’t save us because the way he is using faith is a dead faith.    
 
Justified in Christ alone  James describes a useless, workless faith that won’t save us.  We are justified in Christ.  We are made right or justified by Christ who was the only one who could pay our debt.  

Faith | Our means to justification. We must have faith in order to access the justification that comes in Christ alone. That faith is that Jesus is enough.  We don’t place our faith in ourselves and our good works.  Our faith is in Christ and his perfect work on the cross.

Works | Evidence of our justification. James' point is that we can’t have true faith without works as evidence of our faith.  Both Paul and James would agree – words alone don’t save us, but our faith has fruit that is evidence that we have been saved.  
 
Big Idea: We are not saved through our works but our works show that we have been saved.