Comments on the Book of James
MrWonder
"By grace are ye saved (and he mentions nothing else accompanying grace) through faith (and he mentions nothing else accompanying faith) and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2.8-9.
The passage in James does not speak of justification of man before God but of man before man. God looks at the heart--man looks at the outward appearance.
Therefore, man is justified (made righteous) before God by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Nothing else.
But James correctly observes, "You SAY you have faith without works...I will SHOW YOU my faith by my works". God knows. Men don't. Men must see and they can only see works, not faith.
Therefore, man is justified (vindicated) before men by works alone. Nothing else.
Elsewhere, I had a discussion with someone who thinks cursing is perfectly fine with God. That is how far away from works people have gotten. They now call good evil and evil good. They are reprobate.
I can't gauge another person's Christianity at all apart from works. There WILL BE works IF a person's faith is LIVING faith. And it is that living faith ALONE whereby one receives the grace that saves a person--not their works. Faith alone receives the grace of God. That is the testimony of Scripture and a right reading of James does not obfuscate Romans, et al, at all. I understand James well and his letter is the necessary complement to Romans, although Paul touches on James' subject in Romans also: "How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? God FORBID!" Paul is clear we are to HAVE WORKS but NOT for salvation--but as proof of salvation.
©2007 MrWonder.
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