James vs. Paul: Salvation by Grace or Works?

James Walker

Is salvation by faith in Christ alone or in faith plus works?

This is one of the most important questions that must be answered when Christians witness to
those in the cults.

Almost uniformly, cults teach that salvation is obtained through a combination of a person's faith
plus works.

In other words, the cults will almost always teach that eternal life is based at least in part on doing
a certain list of good deeds or serving the organization with time or money.

The challenge for the Christian, is to convince them to stop trusting their own good works or
obedience for salvation and to put all of their faith and trust in Jesus alone for eternal life.

Often a Christian will rightly turn to the Apostle Paul's words in Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5, or
Romans chapters three and four to document the Biblical doctrine of salvation through faith alone.

But, at this point almost every cult member -- whether Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Worldwide
Church of God, etc -- will turn to the book of James to defend their belief that works are necessary
for salvation.
The Clash of the Apostles

Paul says that God is the, "...justifier of him which believeth in Jesus ...By what law? of works? Nay:
but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds
of the law" (Romans 3:26-28).

However James states, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only"
(James 2:24).

When witnessing to someone in a cult, Christians should be prepared to deal with this apparent
contradiction. The nature of the Gospel hinges on a proper understanding of the relationship of
faith and works in salvation.
Justification by Faith

The major theme of Paul's letters is that salvation is a totally free gift -- not earned by good works,
rituals, or obeying laws. Eternal life is by grace through faith.

In Romans chapters three and four alone, Paul states this principle no fewer than fifteen times. A
few examples are:
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight...." (Rom. 3:19).

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested...." (3:20).

"Being justified freely by his grace...." (3:24).

"...Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (4:3).

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness." (4:5).

"...God imputeth righteousness without works" (4:6).

Therefore it is of faith that it might by grace...." (4:15).

Justification by Works?

However, when turning to James one finds what appears at first to be a direct contradiction. James
states:

"...though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" (James 2:14).

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone...." (2:17).

"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (2:20).

"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (2:24).

This apparent conflict between the two epistles has caused confusion on the part of many
Christians when cult members point to James as "proof" that one must earn salvation.

As one commentator, Dr. D. Edmond Hiebert, observes, "This paragraph [James 2:14-26] is one of
the most difficult, and certainly the most misunderstood, sections in the epistle.

"It has been a theological battle ground; James often has been understood as contradicting Paul's
teaching that salvation is by faith alone apart from works" (The Epistle of James, D. Edmond
Hiebert, p. 174).

Reformer Martin Luther, the champion of salvation through faith alone sola fide, once even called
the book of James "a right strawy epistle" because of this difficult passage (ibid).

While some critics may even point to this as an example of the Bible contradicting itself, a close
examination shows no contradiction between Romans and James -- both Paul and James were
teaching the same Gospel.
What Kind of Faith?

In different contexts, the words belief or faith can mean a number of various things.

Someone may say, "I believe we will have rain tomorrow." This kind of belief is simply expressing
an opinion or fact.

This type of belief, even when applied to religious truths, is not the kind of faith that saves. The
devils believe that there is one God (a true Biblical fact) but this is not saving faith (James 2:19).

It is only agreeing with a fact such as someone who believes two plus two equals four.

As James Adamson points out the word faith (pisteuo) "...is used sometimes to mean mere
intellectual belief in God's existence, a faith which even the devils share. (The Epistle of James, The
New International Commentary on the New Testament p. 125.

It is this type of faith that James is attacking.

He rightly points out that one can distinguish between this type of "dead" faith and saving faith.

Saving faith will produce a changed life. A person who is saved is trusting Christ alone for their
salvation, not their works (ie Romans).

However, once saved by grace alone, a true Christian will want to practice good works such as
feeding the poor (ie James). Not to earn salvation -- which they already have -- but because they
are saved. (see Ephesians 2:8-10).

John Calvin reduce this principle to a sentence: "Faith alone justifies, but the faith which justifies
is not alone" (The Principles of Theology, p. 61).

James is warning of a belief in facts -- a type of faith that never results in a changed life.

Saving faith comes when someone stops trusting their own goodness or work (Phil. 2:8) and puts
all their trust in Christ for salvation. And this type of faith will naturally exhibit good works.
Two Deadly Kinds of Faith

Paul and James were defending two different errors.

As one author explains, "They are not antagonists facing each other with crossed swords; they
stand back to back, confronting different foes of the Gospel" (Alexander Ross, The Epistles of
James and John, p. 53).

James was warning of the wrong kind of faith -- that is mere intellectual assent or belief in facts.
Even if these facts are true, this type of faith can not save.
Paul's concern is over a different error. Faith with the wrong object. Paul was addressing those
who were trusting in their own works or obedience rather than trusting Christ alone for salvation.

This kind of faith -- faith in works -- does produce a changed life. Like the Pharisees, people who
believe that works are necessary for salvation are zealous to perform these works.

But neither faith in facts nor faith in works saves.

For both Paul and James, true salvation is found in believing, trusting, and having faith in the
finished work of Christ on the cross alone for salvation.

This type of faith, true faith, will result in two things: eternal life and a desire to do good works.
WHICH WORKS SAVE?

The list of works necessary for salvation varies from cult to cult. A cult member will often feel that
their eternal life is based on all or some of the following:

Donating money or tithes

Participation in secret rituals
Abstaining from certain foods or beverages
Spending hours each month fund-raising
(through literature distribution, or
the selling of trinkets or flowers)
Recruitment of new members
Observing certain holy days
Not observing certain holy days or holidays
Obeying the Ten Commandments and/or other laws
Baptism by the organization
Maintaining membership in the group
Abstaining from medical treatments
Purchasing the programs or literature needed for enlightenment
Loyalty and obedience to superiors
Limiting contact with former members or others outside the group

Although some of the items on this list are worthy goals that Christians should be involved in,
none of these help gain eternal life. Salvation is a free gift (Titus 3:5). If someone is trusting any of
these good deeds to help them earn salvation, they are not fully trusting Jesus as their Savior.

Source: https://www.watchman.org/articles/other-religious-topics/james-vs-paul-salvation-by-
grace-or-works/
Can Salvation Be Earned? A Bible Study of
Works vs. Grace
April 3, 2013 by Jack Wellman
7 Comments
Can a person be saved by works? Can the absence of works doom a believer? What is
the connection between salvation and works? Can it be earned by works?
What Are Works?
Martin Luther wanted the Book of James excluded from the New Testament. Why? It was
because James wrote,
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of
you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the
things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does
not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me
your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:14-18).
Can you see why the Father of the Reformation, Martin Luther, wanted to cut out the Book
of James? He saw it as tying salvation to works but is that what James was really saying?
James concluded this chapter with verse 24-26
“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab
the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out
another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
The conclusion of this chapter really reveals what James was saying. If there are no works,
then there must be no faith in Christ. We are not saved by works as Paul wrote and Martin
Luther saw in Romans 3:20a, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by
the works of the law.” Since we know, and James must have also known, that we are not
saved by works…then we must be saved for works. That is we are saved for the purpose
of doing good works and that is to glorify God. Our works don’t get us to heaven but our
works follow us there. James was saying that if there are no visible works…no fruit of
conversion…then that professed faith is dead (James 2:26).
Jesus on Fruits Revealing Conversion
 Jesus would have agreed with James because
if there are no works then the faith is not real. Jesus liked to use the analogy of fruits in
showing whether that person is really converted. You can tell a fruit tree by its fruits but
if a tree has no fruit, or it has bad fruit, then you know its not from God the Holy Spirit for
the Spirit always bears godly fruit.
Jesus said “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). Plainly,
we can not bear good fruit by ourselves. We must be attached to and receive the help of
the Vine (Jesus Christ). Jesus continued “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain
in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do
not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are
picked up, thrown into the fire and burned” (John 15:5-6). So then, if we are attached to
the Vine (Jesus), we will no doubt bear fruit, but a serious warning is given to those who
produce no fruit (and may be false converts) that they will be gathered up and “thrown
into the fire and burned” which reminds us of the fate of all those who have and those
who will reject Jesus as Lord and Savior. The proof is in the fruit as Jesus said, “that [if] you
bear much fruit [you are] showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8b). Fruit is
produced by effort and we might say that this effort takes work. If there are no works of
the Spirit, there will necessarily be no fruits of the Spirit. This is what James was basically
saying. We are not saved by works…we are saved by grace alone but grace alone doesn’t
come alone…it comes with works.
Verses About Works
Paul wrote,
“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” (Eph 2:8-9).
Indeed,
“we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:28).
If you think you can ever earn your way into heaven, listen to what Isaiah wrote about
human efforts:
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (64:6).
God has actually prepared, ahead of time, good works for us to do but they don’t save
us. That doesn’t mean we don’t do them, as Paul wrote, “For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk
in them” (Eph 2:10). Now if God has prepared “good works” for us to do ahead of time,
surely He expects us to be doing them. Why would God prepare them in advance and
not expect us to do them? It’s not that we’d be saved by them but that we would glorify
God in doing them. Paul wrote to Titus that, “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to
insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote
themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people” (Titus
3:8). For “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). This means
not just talking the talk but walking the walk. Talk is cheap. Actions speak loud.
Conclusion
Thankfully no one is saved by works for we would always wonder just how many works
we needed to do to be saved or get saved…and that nagging thought in the back of our
minds would always be…”Is it enough. Did I do enough works?” Rest assured…we could
never, ever do enough good works to save ourselves. Actually, “he saved us, not because
of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5). If we were saved by
works, no doubt we’d all be bragging and boasting about ourselves (Eph 2:9). God knew
this. Jesus’ disciples once “asked him, “What must we do to do the works God
requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John
6:28-29). That is the greatest work of all. To put your trust in Him and realize you could
never do enough works to pay for your own sins. Jesus already paid it all…in full…at
Calvary. If you have not put your trust in God, then you must know that just being a good
person is not enough. We have to be perfect to get into heaven. But Jesus has made a
way. How? “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become
the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). That works for me. How about you?
Article by Pastor Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Senior Writer at What Christians Want to Know whose

mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about
the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible.
Source: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2013/04/03/can-salvation-be-earned-a-
bible-study-of-works-vs-grace/