Faith / Works and our Justification

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

There is a huge push in modern day Christianity to detach our behavior from our standing or justification before God. We are told that as Christians, our standing before God is always secure and fixed and never tied to our behavior or how we conduct our lives in the faith. It is said that while our behavior may affect the level or amount of rewards we will enjoy in eternity, it could never jeopardize our standing before God since our standing as Christians is not obtained by works but by faith. Basically the idea is that since we did not obtain salvation by works, then we could never jeopardize it as a result of our works, no matter how badly we behave or how much sin we might engage in.

This may sound reasonable on the surface, but then the Apostle James comes along and states something pretty astounding in the face of that in James 2:24 - Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and NOT by faith only.

That verse may come as a shock to us Protestant Christians, but there it is...straight out of scripture. We have become so accustomed to hearing repeated warnings about “works based” salvation, that we get the wrong idea that our works never play any role in the justification of the believer, and yet, according to scripture, they do. And while it is true that we are justified by faith, apart from the works of the law, it’s crucial that we understand that there is a fruit, demonstrated by our works, that MUST accompany that faith, as it states in James 2:26, faith without works is DEAD if it is by itself.

The distinction is in the nature of the works, we don’t obtain salvation through the works of the law, but by faith alone in Christ. But, if a person is truly living by faith, good works are the natural and absolutely necessary result of that faith. In other words, there is a distinct character to our faith that must be present in order for it to be alive and effective unto salvation.

The whole 2nd half of James chapter 2 is in scripture to make this point and clear up any notion that a Christian can maintain saving faith in Christ while at the same time not have the necessary works and the fruits of righteousness (casting off of sin) that is consistent with that faith. James 2:14 - What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  The answer is no, it cannot. 

The point is further driven home by James: Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith *by my works*. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (Jam 2:17-20). He clearly provides here the definition and the context of saving faith. John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees for this notion that they were ok in their sin because of their status as “Gods chosen” by saying: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance!” (Matt 3:8).

I’ve seen horribly bad advice given to Christians who have expressed concern about the state of their soul before God because of repeated iniquity and habitual sin. They have essentially been told that regardless of the repeated string of bad fruit being produced in their life, they never need to worry about their standing before God or the status of their salvation, because regardless of how they conduct themselves, their ultimate salvation is never in question and is ever fixed in the heavens, they just might have a little “trouble” in their lives and lose a few rewards.

I think this is faulty teaching and bad counsel, scripture makes it very clear, over and over again, that the soul of any Christian who continues to walk in sin and repeatedly produces bad fruit is in danger of being cut off. This is the plain teaching from Jesus in the Gospels. In the first part of John 15, Jesus talks about the need for Christians to “abide in the vine” and for those who don’t: If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (Jn 15:6). And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matt 3:10). Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matt 7:19).

It is further reiterated in epistles: What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life (Rom 6:21-22). In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever *doeth* not righteousness is not of God (1 Jn 3:10). For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment (Heb 10:26-27).

I realize these may not be pleasant, soothing passages and are mostly overlooked in modern day preaching, teaching and popular devotionals, but they don’t go away because we ignore them. It’s always important that we consider and reckon with the whole counsel of God's Word.