This post has been years in the making. This is the fullest explanation of the challenging passage of Scripture known as James 2:14-26 that I've ever attempted.
When I read Dr. Fred Lybrand’s book “Back To Faith” I learned many valuable things, not the least of which includes these two very important points;
All theology should be challenged with vigour and integrity.
James 2 doesn’t have to be interpreted with “tension.”
I could make this a very long post by arguing against positions I’ve come to realize are not accurately derived from the Text… but I’m tired of debate and argument. I believe I’ve spent too much time discussing the falseness of false doctrine. So today, let’s just cut to the chase, get what I believe to be the truth out and you can evaluate it with me if you so desire.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
These two questions asked in succession drive the thinking of the people being asked – even us today. What does it profit? The only benefit is Salvation. This is why James asks immediately “Can faith save him?” He’s asking about faith without works. What is the profit of faith without works? Can it save us?
The answer is YES! We'll see that the expected answer here is actually yes, not no, because of the argument of the Objector in verse 18. However, even without James' objector we can answer yes and supply our defence from Romans chapters 3 thru 5, particularly Romans 4:5-6
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
And Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Then we see James answer the question of profit.
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
In verse 17 James makes it clear that faith without works can do nothing in this situation, it is unprofitable. James calls it “nekros” which means it is like a dead body, which can do nothing.
Now here is where I will make a dramatic departure from many of the teachings you may be familiar with. Truth be told, my eyes were opened to this next point by Dr. Fred Lybrand, and for this I am beyond thankful!
Next James makes up an argument that he suspects his listeners will have. These next words are an OBJECTION to what he has been teaching. It is MOST IMPORTANT to track with who is speaking so as to know whose faith and whose works are being referenced. I've color coded the conversations below. The blue means the person indicated is James, and the green is the objector. So for example if it is "you" and it is blue then James is the "you" being spoken of.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
The someone objecting to James says to James “You have faith, and I have works” The objector challenges James to show his (James') faith without works. At this point many will put the words of verse 19 in the mouth of James. I don’t want to teach on falsehoods too much, but this is SUCH a stumbling block that I absolutely must address it. Imagine the following conversation.
You James have faith, and I Kevin have works. Show me your faith James, without your works and I Kevin will show you my faith by my works!
It is often claimed that this is James' reply to his Objector;
You Kevin believe that there is one God, you do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! Do you want to be shown that faith without works is dead?
Such a conversation makes no sense, as I was willing to show James my faith by my works.. and then James accuses me of having a dead faith without works?
Here’s how the conversation really goes, if we loose the grip our theology has on the Text;
The objector says “You James have faith, and I Kevin have works. Show me your faith James without your works and I will show you my faith by my works. You James believe that there is one God. You do well! Even the demons believe and tremble!”
To which James replies;
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
In our conversation this would read as;
“But do you Kevin want to know, oh foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”
It’s interesting that the word dead here is argos, or useless, idle, or lazy, but what's most important however is that James calls the OBJECTOR a fool.
Why? Because the objector thought works are the demonstration of the kind of faith that results in Eternal Salvation, or "true saving faith." He’s tying works to the justification that he shows demons do not have. Their belief in God doesn’t save them, so it can’t save us. That’s the OBJECTOR’s point, and his argument against the assumed answer of "yes" to James' question "Can faith alone save him?"
James is teaching that faith that saves is apart from works, exactly the same as Paul taught. The objector, objects and James uses the objection to make his point clear.
James then demonstrates faith and works result in two different justifications, and only work together to bring about maturity.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
The event of Abraham offering Isaac took place at least 25 years after Abraham was saved, as we see here that Abraham was called righteous by God because of his faith, in Gen 15:6 where there were absolutely no works in view, only assurance. And then his faith worked together with his works to perfect his faith. The action perfected his trust of God. Also at the same time, God’s faithfulness (not Abraham’s) demonstrated that he was a friend of God.
Think of this, do people know that I consider you a friend (you're seen as a friend of Kevin) because you do things for me, are submitted to me, or even because you trust me? Or do they see that you are a friend of mine when they see me care for you?
So we see two different types of justifications here. We see that God called Abraham righteous on the basis of faith, and people called him a friend of God based on God’s faithfulness, justifying the claim of 2Chron 20:7
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
The Greek word monos translated “only” in the NKJV is also translated “alone” in some other translations.
If it is an Adjective then it means “alone” and is modifying the word faith, to say “faith alone” or "faith all by it’s self." This would have a single justification in view, that could not be accomplished by faith all by it’s self.
If however the word is an Adverb then it is modifying the word justified and so there are two justifications in view; one by works, and the other by faith.
Turns out, that it is an Adverb as can be seen here. http://biblos.com/james/2-24.htm
Since monos is an Adverb in the Greek a better translation of James 2:24 would be;
“You see then that a man is not only justified by faith, but also justified by works.”
Because, this verse is about is two different justifications, not works and faith together in order to accomplish one single justification.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Likewise Rahab’s faith became profitable when she added a good work to her faith, and she was also justified before men the same way that Abraham was. However, her work had nothing to do with her Eternal Salvation, nor did it prove she was saved, or prove that she had "true saving faith."
She was saved by the faith she confessed, as we can read from her own words from Joshua 2:8-11
8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
Moving on in James, we come to the second most misunderstood verse of this chapter.
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Finally James shows that faith without works is like a dead body again. However this too is a point where theology often drives interpretation instead of the other way around. You’ve probably heard the same explanation of this verse explained along the lines of this:
“A living, breathing, moving body shows that the spirit is within it so the two are inseparable like faith and works.”
This equates works with the moving of the body, and the hidden spirit within with faith. This equation is used to show that works prove true saving faith, just like a moving body proves there truly is a spirit in the body.
However, as Dr. Lybrand describes in his book Back To Faith the problem is that James equates the body with faith, and the spirit with works. Just the opposite of how we have so often heard this verse explained. It is actually the works which animate the faith. The spirit is the works, and the body is the faith. Read the passage again and you’ll see it.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
In James' analogy the Body = faith and the spirit = works.
This is not showing the reality of a true saving faith being present by the fact the body is moving, it is demonstrating how faith is animated by works, the same way the body is animated by the spirit. Faith is brought to perfection by adding works to it, as we read happened to Abraham in verse 22. His faith was dead, not animated, not profitable until he added works. Then his faith was animated and grew to perfection. Not becoming, or being demonstrated as real, for it was real even without the works. The works made it profitable, and grew it to perfection.
In Conclusion
James is speaking of the perfecting of faith, not the reality of it. He calls the claim of there being only one justification – that results in Eternal Salvation, through a "true saving faith" that is demonstrated by works which men can see – FOOLISH.
James details the two justifications. One before God that is by faith alone, and another before men that is by works.
He makes the teaching practical by showing the profit of putting works with your faith is the perfecting of your faith, or your maturity. It is this maturity that can be seen by others, not the reality of your faith. Through works one is used by God, and there will be reward for this at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which is in focus earlier in the chapter.
There is no "tension" between what Paul wrote in Romans chapters 3 thru 5, and what James wrote in James 2. The only tension is between what the Text says and what some Theology says.
I hope there will be comments and discussion. I'm not interested in heated debates, but cool headed examination is most welcome.
NOTE: For an excellent examination of the relationship between faith and works please pick up a copy of Back To Faith by Dr. Fred Lybrand.
