Faith and Works

Grace is an unbelievable thing. To understand who we are in relationship to God as sinners, and then to see what we’ve been made into through Christ is beyond comprehension. We read Paul’s letters and understand that because of our faith in Christ, his righteousness was imputed to us so that we are no longer under the law. I heard Chuck Swindall put it this way: “The life that he [Christ] lived qualified him for the death that he died. The death that he died qualified us for the life that he lived.” In other words, his righteousness has been given to us so that we don not have to pay for the sins that we commit.

The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (Romans 3:22)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

But have you ever heard somebody claim this doctrine when they didn’t want to do something for God? Ever heard someone justify themselves because of their “faith”? I don’t need to do that, I’m under grace. I don’t need to read my Bible, God understands, I don’t need to go to church, God’s grace is enough. And the list could go on forever. We use the doctrine of justification before God as a way to excuse our sins, and in doing so we fundamentally fail to understand what the gospel is about.

The life of a Christ follower, though acting under grace, must produce works. To be saved by faith is to be changed forever, and if there’s no change, there’s no saved. Jesus said himself that the works (fruit) produced in someone’s life is the indication of the heart.

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16-20)

James makes it very clear that if our lives are not characterized by works of righteousness, then we will not be justified. It’s almost a scary thing to think about, but works and faith are so intertwined that James can say this and not be contradicting Paul in the least. Faith alone justifies the believer, but a faith that is justifying is always manifested in works. I want to look at James 2:18-26 to see how serious of an issue this really is.

In verses 14-16 James has just introduced the issue and said that faith without works cannot save because faith without works is dead. He continues in verse 18:

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

He makes it very clear that faith and works cannot be separated. He addresses the person who says that it’s not necessary to live out the Christian life because faith is enough, and he says faith is shown by the works. In other words, faith justifies and brings about the result of good works.

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Here James addresses the person who justifies themselves by what they know about God. This is huge. He’s saying you have an understanding of God, you know a little about him, you’ve been to church, you know the answers…so does the devil! It’s not enough to know the answers, it’s not enough to have head knowledge, if the faith doesn’t produce a change, then the faith wasn’t authentic. The life of the believer should be consumed with knowing God. We should want to know the Bible, we should seek him above all else, and if we don’t have those desires, then we have to question our faith.

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

Faith apart from works is useless because faith without works isn’t really faith at all. Abraham was justified when he offered up Isaac because his actions showed that his faith was authentic.

22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”— and he was called a friend of God.

Abraham had faith, and that is what saved him, James is very clear about that. But Abraham’s works completed his faith in that his action necessarily followed from his faith.

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

That’s a bold statement but it clearly shows how intense this connection is between faith and works. The life of a believer justifies them in that it reveals the reality of their faith. James gives another example:

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Rahab had faith, but her faith was demonstrated in the fact that she did not turn the spies over in order to save herself. She risked her own life for their sake, and in doing so proved that she was justified and her faith was real.

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

The connection between faith and works is just as real, and just as inseparable as the connection between body and spirit. If you don’t have a spirit, then you aren’t alive. If you don’t have works, then you aren’t alive spiritually.