Faith and Works

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? James 2:14

James is deeply focused and dedicated to help the early Christian community live as fully dedicated followers of Jesus. He speaks powerfully against those who profess to be followers of Jesus with their mouth, but whose actions do not measure up. Hypocrisy has always been a major challenge for the faith community and remains the biggest complaint against Christians today. When we say we love others, but act in mean spirited ways, we betray our faith. When we say we are concerned for the poor, but do nothing to address poverty we demonstrate our hard hearts. When we say we love God, but only focus on ourselves we prove to be a shallow imitation of a disciple. James wants us to live our faith in action as well as in our hearts. James' call to the church is to be one that cares for the most vulnerable, is committed to loving acts of service and is seeking a community where all people are included and respected as people of God. The good fruit of faith is works of love and service.

For all this we can commend James' contribution to the cannon. He has much to say to all of us and we need to take his challenge seriously. But James also speaks about being justified (made righteous) through works not through faith.

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:24

James argues that faith alone cannot justify our relationship with God. It is through works of love that people's relationship with God is made right. This is the opposite of what the apostle Paul argues:

Yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. Galatians 2:16

Paul says that we are justified by faith in Christ and NOT by works of the law. This is the complete opposite of James. How do we reconcile such opposing view points on a topic as important as salvation?

Martin Luther saw this contradiction clearly and advocated dismissing James from the bible as he called it "an epistle of straw." His theological vision was closely tied to Paul's articulation of justification in Galatians and Romans (see Romans 3:21-26). For Luther, works could never get us closer to God. Only Jesus can provide salvation which comes as a free gift of grace through faith. Since the time of the Reformation, Luther's interpretation has held sway among Protestants leading to the marginalization of James' influence. But did Luther get it right? Are James and Paul really arguing against each other? Does James really have nothing to offer? Is it possible to follow Paul's interpretation of salvation and James' exhortations for living the Christian life?

I find it helpful to remember that neither Paul nor James were writing as a systematic theologian. They were both deeply concerned about the real lives of the Christian community and write pastorally. Their concern is not to carefully articulate a well-reasoned and precise theological argument for how salvation happens. Rather their primary concern is for people to live faithful lives. James' argument is compelling because he does not allow us to be self-satisfied in our relationship with God. It is not enough to be a believer; true faith will be expressed in action. Paul says many similar things about good works and loving others. In the end, I think Paul probably gets justification right but James is more helpful in encouraging us to live faithful lives. Without the letter of James we would be without a strong and powerful voice calling us to live lives worthy of being called a follower of Jesus. This voice is needed today.