FAITH THAT WORKS
By R. Herbert
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Reading the epistles of Paul it is very clear that faith is a vital aspect of Christian life, because God’s saving grace comes to us through faith alone. Paul spells this out for us clearly and repeatedly, as we see in the Book of Romans: “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 8:28). But does this mean, as many have claimed over the centuries, that good works are unnecessary in God’s plan of salvation, that faith is everything?
Given the clear importance of faith in Paul’s writings, it might be easy to presume that all we need is faith, and that works are extraneous in relation to faith; but other New Testament verses show that there is more to the picture than that. The apostle James discusses this wider view in the second chapter of his epistle and concludes dogmatically: “You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).
This might seem to be a total contradiction of Paul’s position and historically some have gone as far as rejecting James’ epistle outright because his teaching seems to be at variance with that of Paul. Martin Luther, for example, challenged anyone to reconcile the two apostles’ teachings and stated that “[James] contradicts Paul and all Scripture.” But is there really a contradiction?
Two Aspects of Salvation
If we read Paul’s writings carefully, we see that Paul actually distinguishes two aspects of salvation throughout his letters – a completed aspect and a continuing aspect. The completed aspect took place in the past, the continuing aspect is ongoing with future fulfillment. Look, for example, at what he says in Romans 6: “You have been set free from sin [completed action] and have become slaves to righteousness [implying continuing action]” (Romans 6:18). In Romans 5 Paul explains this in more detail:
“… While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:8-10).
Note how Paul directly contrasts completed and continuing aspects of salvation in these verses – he says we “have been” justified on the one hand and we “shall be” saved on the other; we “were” reconciled and we “shall be” saved. When Paul speaks of the completed aspect of salvation in these verses, he is referring to Christ’s death: “Christ died for us,” “justified by his blood” and “reconciled through … the death.” When he speaks of the continuing aspect of salvation, he is referring to the resurrected Christ’s life being lived in us: we are “saved ...through him” and “saved through his life.”
Ongoing Actions and Future Events
Paul is making a clear theological statement here – and throughout his epistles – that we were saved through Christ’s death in the past and we are also saved through his ongoing life (Romans 5:10). The vital thing to notice is that when he speaks of the ongoing aspect of salvation, Paul invariably mentions works in the same context. Notice two other examples from the Book of Romans – both dealing with ongoing actions that precede future events not yet fulfilled:
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life” (Romans 2:6-7).
“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13).
We can find examples like this throughout Paul’s writings. In each case the connection between ongoing, working faith and future judgment or salvation is clear. A classic example is found in 2 Corinthians:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
“Eager to Do What is Good”
So whenever Paul addresses the completed aspect of salvation through Christ’s death on our behalf, he stresses the vital importance of our faith. Faith is indeed the only necessary response to this aspect of salvation. But when Paul speaks of the continuing aspects of salvation – things that will yet happen, such as Christ’s acceptance of us at His return or God’s judgment – he frequently stresses the importance of works. Notice what he says regarding salvation offered to all people (obviously an ongoing and future context):
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11).
The words “gave himself for us to redeem us [the completed aspect of salvation] … to purify for himself a people … eager to do what is good [the ongoing aspect of salvation]” summarize perfectly Paul’s position regarding the fact that we are saved by faith in Christ’s death, and that this salvation leads to and includes ongoing good works through faith in His life. Paul stresses this again in Titus 3:
“ … [God] saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life … so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men” (Titus 3:4-8).
This does not mean that the works we should have are our own, but that God works them in us as part of this second, ongoing aspect of salvation (Galatians 3:1-5) – but Paul says we will be eager to do these good works if we have living faith.
No Contradiction
Once this principle is grasped, we can see that there is in fact no contradiction between what Paul and James wrote. It is just that Paul tends to stress the need for faith in the completed aspect of salvation in many of his writings (though the need for good works is clearly there if we look for it), while James stresses the necessity of good works in the ongoing aspect of salvation. This different stress is a result of the different audiences James and Paul are addressing. As has often been said: “Paul is attacking self-righteous legalism, and James is attacking self-righteous indifference.” Paul speaks to those who feel they can be saved by works, James speaks to those who feel salvation by faith does not need resultant ongoing works.
We can see an interesting example of how Paul and James are talking about different aspects of salvation by looking at parallel events mentioned in their respective writings. In Romans Paul uses Abraham as an example of justification by faith:
“… if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness” (Romans 4:1-5).
James, on the other hand, uses Abraham as an example of the works associated with salvation:
“Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (James 2:21-22).
If we read the Genesis account of Abraham’s life, we see that Paul and James are talking about two separate times: Paul is talking about Genesis 15:6 when Abraham began his walk with God – and his faith was “counted as righteousness.” James is talking about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son when commanded to do so by God, many years later, in Genesis 22:12. This is a clear example of what we have found in the scriptures – Abraham’s salvation was based on faith, but his salvation was manifest in works of faith as he continued through life. Once again we see that Paul and James do not disagree, they simply stress different aspects of the same process.
In fact, if we compare Paul’s statement “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13 – and note the future context “… who will be declared righteous”) with that of James “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22), we see there is no contradiction in their approaches at all.
Faith that Works
So are we saved by faith alone? The answer is clearly both yes and no. Salvation is by faith alone if we are speaking in terms of the completed aspect of forgiveness of sins through Christ’s past death. But salvation does include works if we are speaking in terms of the ongoing and future aspect regarding judgment and eternal life through Christ’s ongoing life in us.
Most Christians understand this situation almost intuitively because they see the verses throughout the New Testament which do stress good works. This explains the summary statement used by many believers that: “We are saved by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone.” Yet theologically it is not just that we should “tack on” some good works after we are saved by faith. Rather, once saved by faith, we should continue in the way of salvation through faith with good works – or, as we might put it in its most simple terms: by ongoing faith that works.
By R. Herbert
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Reading the epistles of Paul it is very clear that faith is a vital aspect of Christian life, because God’s saving grace comes to us through faith alone. Paul spells this out for us clearly and repeatedly, as we see in the Book of Romans: “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 8:28). But does this mean, as many have claimed over the centuries, that good works are unnecessary in God’s plan of salvation, that faith is everything?
Given the clear importance of faith in Paul’s writings, it might be easy to presume that all we need is faith, and that works are extraneous in relation to faith; but other New Testament verses show that there is more to the picture than that. The apostle James discusses this wider view in the second chapter of his epistle and concludes dogmatically: “You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).
This might seem to be a total contradiction of Paul’s position and historically some have gone as far as rejecting James’ epistle outright because his teaching seems to be at variance with that of Paul. Martin Luther, for example, challenged anyone to reconcile the two apostles’ teachings and stated that “[James] contradicts Paul and all Scripture.” But is there really a contradiction?
Two Aspects of Salvation
If we read Paul’s writings carefully, we see that Paul actually distinguishes two aspects of salvation throughout his letters – a completed aspect and a continuing aspect. The completed aspect took place in the past, the continuing aspect is ongoing with future fulfillment. Look, for example, at what he says in Romans 6: “You have been set free from sin [completed action] and have become slaves to righteousness [implying continuing action]” (Romans 6:18). In Romans 5 Paul explains this in more detail:
“… While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:8-10).
Note how Paul directly contrasts completed and continuing aspects of salvation in these verses – he says we “have been” justified on the one hand and we “shall be” saved on the other; we “were” reconciled and we “shall be” saved. When Paul speaks of the completed aspect of salvation in these verses, he is referring to Christ’s death: “Christ died for us,” “justified by his blood” and “reconciled through … the death.” When he speaks of the continuing aspect of salvation, he is referring to the resurrected Christ’s life being lived in us: we are “saved ...through him” and “saved through his life.”
Ongoing Actions and Future Events
Paul is making a clear theological statement here – and throughout his epistles – that we were saved through Christ’s death in the past and we are also saved through his ongoing life (Romans 5:10). The vital thing to notice is that when he speaks of the ongoing aspect of salvation, Paul invariably mentions works in the same context. Notice two other examples from the Book of Romans – both dealing with ongoing actions that precede future events not yet fulfilled:
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life” (Romans 2:6-7).
“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13).
We can find examples like this throughout Paul’s writings. In each case the connection between ongoing, working faith and future judgment or salvation is clear. A classic example is found in 2 Corinthians:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
“Eager to Do What is Good”
So whenever Paul addresses the completed aspect of salvation through Christ’s death on our behalf, he stresses the vital importance of our faith. Faith is indeed the only necessary response to this aspect of salvation. But when Paul speaks of the continuing aspects of salvation – things that will yet happen, such as Christ’s acceptance of us at His return or God’s judgment – he frequently stresses the importance of works. Notice what he says regarding salvation offered to all people (obviously an ongoing and future context):
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11).
The words “gave himself for us to redeem us [the completed aspect of salvation] … to purify for himself a people … eager to do what is good [the ongoing aspect of salvation]” summarize perfectly Paul’s position regarding the fact that we are saved by faith in Christ’s death, and that this salvation leads to and includes ongoing good works through faith in His life. Paul stresses this again in Titus 3:
“ … [God] saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life … so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men” (Titus 3:4-8).
This does not mean that the works we should have are our own, but that God works them in us as part of this second, ongoing aspect of salvation (Galatians 3:1-5) – but Paul says we will be eager to do these good works if we have living faith.
No Contradiction
Once this principle is grasped, we can see that there is in fact no contradiction between what Paul and James wrote. It is just that Paul tends to stress the need for faith in the completed aspect of salvation in many of his writings (though the need for good works is clearly there if we look for it), while James stresses the necessity of good works in the ongoing aspect of salvation. This different stress is a result of the different audiences James and Paul are addressing. As has often been said: “Paul is attacking self-righteous legalism, and James is attacking self-righteous indifference.” Paul speaks to those who feel they can be saved by works, James speaks to those who feel salvation by faith does not need resultant ongoing works.
We can see an interesting example of how Paul and James are talking about different aspects of salvation by looking at parallel events mentioned in their respective writings. In Romans Paul uses Abraham as an example of justification by faith:
“… if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness” (Romans 4:1-5).
James, on the other hand, uses Abraham as an example of the works associated with salvation:
“Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (James 2:21-22).
If we read the Genesis account of Abraham’s life, we see that Paul and James are talking about two separate times: Paul is talking about Genesis 15:6 when Abraham began his walk with God – and his faith was “counted as righteousness.” James is talking about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son when commanded to do so by God, many years later, in Genesis 22:12. This is a clear example of what we have found in the scriptures – Abraham’s salvation was based on faith, but his salvation was manifest in works of faith as he continued through life. Once again we see that Paul and James do not disagree, they simply stress different aspects of the same process.
In fact, if we compare Paul’s statement “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” (Romans 2:13 – and note the future context “… who will be declared righteous”) with that of James “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22), we see there is no contradiction in their approaches at all.
Faith that Works
So are we saved by faith alone? The answer is clearly both yes and no. Salvation is by faith alone if we are speaking in terms of the completed aspect of forgiveness of sins through Christ’s past death. But salvation does include works if we are speaking in terms of the ongoing and future aspect regarding judgment and eternal life through Christ’s ongoing life in us.
Most Christians understand this situation almost intuitively because they see the verses throughout the New Testament which do stress good works. This explains the summary statement used by many believers that: “We are saved by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone.” Yet theologically it is not just that we should “tack on” some good works after we are saved by faith. Rather, once saved by faith, we should continue in the way of salvation through faith with good works – or, as we might put it in its most simple terms: by ongoing faith that works.