Center for Biblical Theology and Eschatology
Justified by Works
by Doyle D. Dewberry
| "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. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. -James 2:14-26" |
Some who look into this epistle feel there is a dispute between James and
Paul because Paul emphasizes in Romans that no flesh is justified by the
deeds of the law, or by works (Rom 3:20), and James here contends in a
sense a justification by works as both Abraham and Rahab the harlot
demonstrated. James does not deny, but also holds to justification through
faith when he speaks of such by Abraham:
James is not saying a man is justified savingly by works. What he is saying
is a man who has saving faith has works. It is faith made perfect. Nor do we
say that a man is saved and justified by works only. The point James makes
has to do with that kind of faith which is no more than profession without
possession - mere assent, and thus, dead faith, and not from the gift
of faith which follows regeneration. In Ephesians 2, Paul first speaks of
being quickened (made alive) which is spiritual quickening (v.2:1), as
we are dead in trespassses and sins. He does this before he tells us
that faith is the gift of God (2:8-9). While Paul emphasizes we are justified
before God through faith; James tells us that our good works is evidence of
true saving faith - it is faith made perfect.
One way we can know of true saving faith is when God perfects our faith, and
tests us to show us we have such. In other words God tests our faith, not to
see if we have such, as He certainly knows that being the bestower of it, but
to show us we have it, as He does not test faith until He has perfected it.
The perfecting of Abraham's faith is a classic example of faith being the
gift of God. And such was the case of Abraham. Paul tells us Abraham
staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief (Rom 4:20). But
you have to remember Abraham did stumble somewhat with an inperfect faith
until Sarah, who was barren, and could not bear him an heir, was enabled
ultimately to bear a son according as God had promised him. It was not until
then that we read of Abraham being tested, and it is also verified in
Hebrews:
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had
received the promises offered up his only begotten son (Heb 11:17).
It is at this point that Paul makes reference of Abraham staggering not
at the promise of God. What James is saying concerning the faith of Abraham is
that it was perfected, and we can see such as well in Abraham when he saw the
mighty power of God to do the humanly impossible, for Abraham was certainly
obedient to the command of God when he, without hesitating, took Isaac to the
mount to offer him up. You could hardly say Abraham believed God if he
disobeyed Him at this point. He learned that what God said He would do, He
could do, and did so for Abraham when He enabled Sarah to bring forth his
only begotten son. While Abraham's faith was imputed unto him for
righteousness, his obedience of works was proof that he had true saving
faith. The same is similar to Rahab when she aided the messengers to escape
from Jericho.
Faith is like a fruit tree - if it does not bear any fruit it is a dead tree.
Faith is the root; works is the fruit! Faith is the ground; works is the
evidence! The real lesson of this text is that bare profession of faith is not
a sign of possession of salvation. If we merely believe and our lives are not
a witness of that faith, then our faith is dead and we are not saved. While
we are not saved by works, James tells us that true saving faith is followed
by good works. While Paul maintains in Romans of our justification before God
- James does so of our justification before men. If we are justified through
Jesus Christ before God, which is not through works, then our lives will give
evidence of it before men by good works. James speaks of the good works which
follow faith. John Owen, the puritan of old, said this as his judgment of the
design of James in writing this passage:
We seek to show in this message the import of this passage by setting forth
five examples given by James which show that good works follow true saving Faith:
James selects a common practice of unregenerate man. While the true Christian
helps a brother or sister in need, mere profession of faith just ignores such.
They following the saying of the world: "Me and my wife, and my son John, his
four, and no more!" He may help his immediate family, but no other. God's
people are a family, and the true believer, being a part of that family, helps
one of his own when there is the need. It corresponds to that table of the law
which emphasizes Love thy neighbor (near one) as thyself. It
does not mean he takes on the worlds troubles, but he does bear the burdens
of a fellow believer. The neighbor is a near one in the community of God's
people:
While it is so that works follow true faith, there is a sense in which some
works without saving faith are wrought by some in order to be saved. It is no
more than self-righteousness, which is just as much condemned as dead faith -
being dead works.
James testifies of his faith! and he shows that he has saving faith by his
works. Some examples of the faith of demons is shown in the Gospels. They know
Jesus is the Son of God, and they certainly believe there is one God -
but it is not that faith which comes through regeneration - which is the
gift of God. Demons do not seek the best for man, but only his doom in
their on-going effort of fighting God, as their head insists, the devil
himself, whom they follow. Our Lord warns us of false prophets and their
works, By their fruits ye shall know them (Matt 7:17-20).
We should well remember the words of demons as to their assent to faith as
given in the Gospels as it is recorded they said: Jesus, thou Son of God,
art thou come to torment us before our time? (Matt 8:29). And in Luke, one
acknowledges, I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. (4:34).
Does it not show that mere assent, a form of profession only, is not true
saving faith! The true believer is likened to a good tree which bringeth forth
good fruit. The false prophet is as a corrupt tree which bringeth forth fruit
of its kind. And thus those having true saving faith, as James tells us, show
their faith by their works.
James explains that Abraham's faith wrought with his works. He is not
saying that Abraham was justified by works alone, but that faith includes
works. By his works was "faith made perfect." He acknowledges his faith was
imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of
God, but the fact is his faith was tested by his works as we have already
set forth, and it all goes to show that man is not saved by mere assent to the
Gospel, but by a means which stands the test of obedience in good works. Paul
proves we are not saved by works alone, but the gift of faith will produce
good works. In Ephesians, where we are told that faith is the gift of God, not
of works, lest any man should boast, we are also told:
It is a great honour done to Abraham, that he is called and counted the
friend of God. You see then, (v.24) how that by works a man is justified,
(comes into such a state of favour and friendship with God,) and not by faith
alone; not by a bare opinion or profession, or believing without obeying, but
by having such a faith as is productive of good works (Matthew Henry).
This passage does suggest that Rahab was justified in the sight of God. Alas,
she is still referred to as the harlot, but could just as well be
called Rahab the saint! the justified one! She not only believed, but she also
put action to her faith by sending the messengers out another way. It
not only saved their lives at the time, but hers as well, for when Jericho
fell, as they remembered Rahab, and she was spared when the city fell! Rahab
the harlot was listed in that grand declaration of faith right along with the
patriarchs of old, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, as the stalwarts of
saving faith:
It all seems like such an insignficant thing for one so lowly, but to God it
was the height of true saving faith, and it signified more in greatness than
the fall of Jericho. It was the highlight of the entire event. It was a great
demonstration of God's almighty power when the great walls surrounding Jericho
fell, and an entire city perished, but it is far more for one soul to be
spared out from the many which perished in unbelief. In this manner, God is
more glorified in the salvation of His people by faith and obedience. She was
in the midst of an unbelieving people - but she believed and proved it. Rahab
went on to become the mother of kinsman redeemer, Boaz, who was in the
line to David the king.
Two great truths emerge here: 1. The life of our fleshly body is dependent
upon our possession of soul and spirit, the invisible part of man. Yet, more
so is this fact: 2. The spiritual life of one is the possession of the
indwelling Spirit, for without Him we are spiritual dead. And what does this
teach? As a body without the spirit is dead, so is faith deat without works!
So are works dead apart from the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the
Spirit is the good works produced in us as fruit is produced on a fruit
tree. Love is the fulfilling of the law! (Gal 5:14), and how is the child of
God enabled to love as such?
In conclusion, we quote from Lange's commentary:
We are admonished to make our calling and election sure, and there is
no better way than to take stock of our faith. Dear Reader, does your faith
lead to good works, or is it a dead faith leading to dead works? or no works
at all? Permit us to remind you like Paul, whose word here shows his agreement
with James:
Updated 6/16/01
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it
was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only"
(v.2:23).
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt (test) Abraham,
and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the
land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the
mountains which I will tell thee of (Gen 22:1-2).
There were then among professed Christians, such as the world now swarms
withal, who suppose that their faith, or the religion which they profess, be
it what it will, shall save them, although they live in flagitious wickedness,
and are utterly barren as unto any good works or duties of obedience. Nor is
there any other occasion of what he writes intimated in the epistle; for he
makes no mention of seducers, as John doth expressly and frequently, some
while after. Against this sort of persons, or for their conviction, he designs
two things,- First, In general, to prove the necessity of works unto all that
profess the gospel or faith in Christ thereby. Second, to evidence the vanity
and folly of their pretence unto justification, or that they were justified
and should be saved by that faith that was indeed so far from being fruitful
in good works, as that it was pretended by them only to countenance themselves
in sin. Unto these ends are all his arguments designed, and no other
(Justification By Faith, p.389).
I. IF A MAN HAS SAVING FAITH HE WILL CARE FOR THE DESTITUTE BROTHER OR SISTER,
OR HE OTHERWISE HAS DEAD FAITH:
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" (vs.14-17).
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another
hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt
not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt
not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended
in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh
no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law
(Rom 13:8-10).
II. IF MERE BELIEVING WERE EFFECTUAL THEN THE DEMONS THEMSELVES WOULD BE
SAVED:
Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and
I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God;
thou doest well: the devils (demons) also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou
know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (vs.18-20).
III. IF ABRAHAM BELIEVED ONLY AND HAD NOT WORKS THEN HE WOULD NOT BE
TESTIFYING TO A SAVING FAITH UNTO JUSTIFICATION:
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon
the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith
made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed
God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the
Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only (vs.20-24).
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which
God hath before ordained that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM" (Eph 2:10).
IV. IF RAHAB THE HARLOT HAD BELIEVED ONLY AND HAD NOT WORKS SHE WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN SAVED WHEN JERICHO FELL:
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had
received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? (v.25).
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about
seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed
not, when she had received the spies with peace (Heb 11:30-31).
V. IF WE HAVE FAITH WITHOUT GOOD WORKS WE ARE AS A BODY WITHOUT A SPIRIT -
DEAD:
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead
also (v.26).
But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Gal
5:22-23).
There are three things that make the integrity of Christian faith: Believing
in the word of God, confidence in His goodness, and keeping His commandments.
Believing is the least thing in a justifying faith; for faith is a conjugation
of many ingredients, and faith is a covenant, and faith is a law, and faith
is obedience, and faith is a work, and indeed it is a sincere cleaving to and
closing with the terms of the Gospel in every instance, in every particular.
(vol.12, p.91).
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being
justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to
maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
(Titus 3:5-8). Amen!
| Minister Doyle D. Dewberry, formerly of Alameda, California, is an outstanding student of the Bible, and the beloved retired Pastor and author of Sovereign Grace Baptist Proclaimer, Setting Forth The Doctrines of Grace In Salvation. He can be reached by email at sovereigngrace at 5star-living dot com. |