Saving Faith is NOT works Based!
James 2:14-17
Faith Without Works Is Dead
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Recently I have heard many people using these verses (especially vs. 17) to support a works based faith.
However that would be a mis-interpretation of the Word of God.
In vs 14, James asks, "Can that faith save him?"
This introduces the crucial issue of the relationship between faith and works. The question under scrutiny is, What kind of faith is saving faith? James's question is rhetorical; the obvious answer is that faith without works cannot save. Faith that yields no deeds is not saving faith. The New Testament does not teach justification by the profession of faith or the claim to faith; it teaches justification by the possession of true faith.
Vs. 15-16, James is describing a "Faith" of words without actions.
Vs. 17 "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
When Luther and the Reformers insisted on the formula "Justification by faith alone," they meant to insist that justification rests upon reliance on the merit of Christ alone. The "alone" does not mean that the faith exists alone without any subsequent fruit of obedience. Luther insisted that saving faith is a living faith. "Dead" faith does not mean a faith that has perished, rather, the image suggests a faith that never had any true life in it. A dead faith cannot make one alive, cannot "save your souls" (James 1:21 "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save you souls.") , and is therefore false and useless.
Galatians 2:15-16
Justified by Faith
"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Galatians 3:1-10
By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith-- just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-25
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."
These are all Charateristics of a person. But how are they manifested? How do we know and understand when someone has these Fruits?
They manifest themselves in Good Works.
Ephesians 2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We earn eternal separation from God by works of sin (which we cannot help to commit, because we are born into a sinful nature), but God offers us a Gift (it is free and only needs to be accepted) and this gift is offered through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eternal life only comes through His saving Grace. Nothing more and nothing less!
However it is not enough to believe that Jesus Christ lived a Pure life, died for the sins of the world, and defeated death and Satan through His Resurrection.
James 2:19
"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!"
Having a head knowledge does nothing, the demons know 100% what Christ has done, but they will never return to heaven. It is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ, depending upon Him fully for everything! Handing over control of your life to Jesus and following Him.
Ephesians 2:4-9
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Philippians 1:6
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 1:6-12
"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me."
If God has begun the Good work of Salvation and the changing of your Spirit from that of Fear to one of Power and Love and Self-Control, and He is Faithful to bring that Good Work to Completion on the day that Christ returns. Then our Good works can only be a Fruit of our Faith, not the causation of it!
In Summary,
The Grace of God is the only thing that has Saving Power. It has been lavished upon us through Jesus Christ. God is at work around us (per the last two posts) and invites us to enter into that work with Him. He delights in working through us! However these works are a Fruit of the relationship that we already have with Jesus Christ. These works do not grant us or deny us Salvation in the least. That is a gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It cannot be earned!
If you desire Bible verses that support this check out: http://www.calvarychapel.com/nederland/secure.htm
In Christ,
David
Faith Without Works Is Dead
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Recently I have heard many people using these verses (especially vs. 17) to support a works based faith.
However that would be a mis-interpretation of the Word of God.
In vs 14, James asks, "Can that faith save him?"
This introduces the crucial issue of the relationship between faith and works. The question under scrutiny is, What kind of faith is saving faith? James's question is rhetorical; the obvious answer is that faith without works cannot save. Faith that yields no deeds is not saving faith. The New Testament does not teach justification by the profession of faith or the claim to faith; it teaches justification by the possession of true faith.
Vs. 15-16, James is describing a "Faith" of words without actions.
Vs. 17 "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
When Luther and the Reformers insisted on the formula "Justification by faith alone," they meant to insist that justification rests upon reliance on the merit of Christ alone. The "alone" does not mean that the faith exists alone without any subsequent fruit of obedience. Luther insisted that saving faith is a living faith. "Dead" faith does not mean a faith that has perished, rather, the image suggests a faith that never had any true life in it. A dead faith cannot make one alive, cannot "save your souls" (James 1:21 "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save you souls.") , and is therefore false and useless.
Galatians 2:15-16
Justified by Faith
"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Galatians 3:1-10
By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith-- just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-25
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."
These are all Charateristics of a person. But how are they manifested? How do we know and understand when someone has these Fruits?
They manifest themselves in Good Works.
Ephesians 2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We earn eternal separation from God by works of sin (which we cannot help to commit, because we are born into a sinful nature), but God offers us a Gift (it is free and only needs to be accepted) and this gift is offered through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eternal life only comes through His saving Grace. Nothing more and nothing less!
However it is not enough to believe that Jesus Christ lived a Pure life, died for the sins of the world, and defeated death and Satan through His Resurrection.
James 2:19
"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!"
Having a head knowledge does nothing, the demons know 100% what Christ has done, but they will never return to heaven. It is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ, depending upon Him fully for everything! Handing over control of your life to Jesus and following Him.
Ephesians 2:4-9
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Philippians 1:6
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 1:6-12
"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me."
If God has begun the Good work of Salvation and the changing of your Spirit from that of Fear to one of Power and Love and Self-Control, and He is Faithful to bring that Good Work to Completion on the day that Christ returns. Then our Good works can only be a Fruit of our Faith, not the causation of it!
In Summary,
The Grace of God is the only thing that has Saving Power. It has been lavished upon us through Jesus Christ. God is at work around us (per the last two posts) and invites us to enter into that work with Him. He delights in working through us! However these works are a Fruit of the relationship that we already have with Jesus Christ. These works do not grant us or deny us Salvation in the least. That is a gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It cannot be earned!
If you desire Bible verses that support this check out: http://www.calvarychapel.com/nederland/secure.htm
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 8:42 PM
4 Comments:
It seems to me that your interpretation of Luther's concept of Sola Fide would have more weight if he hadn't called the Epistle of James an "epistle of straw" that didn't "clearly teach Jesus", and if he hadn't want to leave it out of his NT Canon for that reason. He really did think that James' treatment of works contradicted Paul's treatment of faith.
However, even Paul taught us about the "obedience of faith". Both Paul and James agree with Jesus that we will be judged according to our deeds:
Paul--Romans 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12-13 and others
James--James 2:14-26, esp. v. 24
Jesus--John 3:21; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 6:46-49 and others
Protestants, it seems to me, tend to interpret Jesus' words through the lens of Paul, when it should be that we interpret Paul by Jesus' teaching.
Moreover, Saving Faith is not works based. However, as James makes plainly clear:
v.18 "But someone may say: So you have faith and I have good deeds? Show me this faith of yours without deeds, then! It is by my deeds that I will show you my faith."
v. 20 "Fool! Would you not like to know that faith without deeds is useless?" (The New American Bible uses the phrase "you ignoramus" which I find highly amusing)
vv. 21-23 "Was not Abraham our father justified by his deed, because he offered his son Isaac on the altar? So you can see that his faith was working together with his deeds; his faith became perfect by what he did. In this way the scripture was fulfilled: 'Abraham put his faith in God, and this was considered as making him upright;' and he received the name 'Friend of God'.
v. 24 "You see now that it is by deeds, and not only by believing, that someone is justified."
Works alone don't save us. Faith alone doesn't save us. God's Grace alone saves us, by giving us the new life that brings power to both our faith and our works.
That is correct, works alone does not save us! The point I am making in this post and it looks like you just skipped over is that works is a fruit of faith!
The Grace of God is what saves us and creates within us a saving faith. This faith allows us to look back and see that it was nothing that we did, but it was Christ the whole time. Then once we have a saving faith we bond ourselves to the master, a bond-servant. And from that Christ works through us to produce good deeds. This is only a fruit of that Faith!
If someone were to receive the Grace of Christ on their death bed and through that come to a saving faith, but die before they could have any works fruit, that would not nulify the fact that Christ has saved them through His Grace and that they have given their life over to Him.
Again Christ's Grace leads to Saving Faith in Christ leads to Bond-Servant of Christ and through that relationship Christ does works through us. Works is a fruit of Faith in Christ. The only thing that it has to do with Salvation is that it is a visiual affermation to others that, "Yes, this person professes Christ as Lord and Savior, and I can see through their actions that they mean what they say." However if works are not there, it does not mean that they are not saved.
I know that you don't agree with once saved, always saved, but the Free Gift of Eternal life, is just that a Free Gift of ETERNAL Life. It is ETERNAL! And it is a gift of God, you cannot earn it.
Grace...Faith...Fruits
I disagree that faith necessarily bears the fruit of works--that faith is necessarily prior to works in that sense. That was the point I'm making.
Just as works, if they are not motivated by faith, are useless, so faith, if not demonstrated or lived in works, is also dead. It is null and useless. They are equally two sides of the same coin, interdependent of each other. In fact, as I pointed out above, from James, Faith is itself an act of righteousness.
Either way, it would seem that practically, it works out to the same conclusion. If faith never bears the fruit of works (your view) it is not saving faith. Or, if we do not work out our faith (my view--nearly a distinction without a difference), it is not going to save us.
In God's "Middle Knowledge" (ie, He knows all things, including the "what would be if's") He knows whether a "bedside conversion" is genuine because He knows that if that person had 5, 10, or 15 more years, that they would indeed persevere in the faith. On the other hand, I believe that He also knows whether a person's "bedside conversion" is simply some bargaining chip to get out of hell.
If you haven't, I'd recommend you check out Loren's module, Letters on Assurance.
Gregory,
I think that things would be a lot clearer if when refering to works, it is refered to as the works of God through us.
I have no arguement with Loren's conclusions! That is exactly what I believe and Jesus very clearly explained just that in His parable of the seeds!
However, as I have my own preassumptions of the Roman Catholic faith, and you have your own preassumptions of whatever you would like to call my faith...maybe just Protestant would suffice (However, I would say that I am a Bible believing follower of Jesus Christ, the One True and Only Son of the Living God), and because of these preassumptions, both of us must be extreemly clear in our termonology. For when I hear a Catholic say works, I will always assume....human works. Just as when you hear me say Grace based Faith, you assume that I skip over any and all verses that talk about works.
But, Loren has hit the middle ground. The One Sided Covenant between Two People. Christ does everything. He offers the Saving Grace and also Works out the Salvation through us. Our calling is to be obediant as a Bond-Servant...one who willingly becomes a Slave (unchained slave).
We are on two different extreems trying and each argument gets farther out, in an effort to bring the other in, however it only pushes each other further out again.
But, I must add this one thing.
If Christ starts a Good Work within someone, and He is Faithful to bring this work to completion. This meaning that the person has already made himself a bond-servant...given his life fully over to Christ. And Christ has started that Good Work within this person. Will it not be completed? For if we say that it might not be completed we make Christ out to be a liar. And we know that from Titus 1:2 that God cannot lie.
If we however do not fully yeild ourselves to Christ, does Christ begin that Good Work within us? I would argue, No, that Good Work has not been started untill the person has fully 100% yeilded their life to Christ, and at that point Christ begins the Good Work and we have confidance that He will complete it. However if a person is not fully yeilded, they can still learn a lot about Christ! They can have the apperance of a Saving Faith, yet not truly have it. However that is not for us to Judge, we must only be concerned with ourselves on this matter. For we only see the surface, the tip of the ice berg. God sees the rest of it underwater, the very heart of a person.
So, my longwinded point is this:
If we are yeilded 100% to Christ, being bond-servants of Christ, He will start within us a Good Work, and He will complete it.
However, if we do not yeild ourselves 100%, we may have the apperance of Salvation, yet not have the Good Work Started within us.
In Christ,
David
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