Effectively the same thing
Accounted as righteous by faith, not works (Romans 4:2-6) and shown to be righteous by works (James 2:21,24) are not effectively the same thing. Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all would demonstrate there is no root.
You forgot to mention the part where James 2 says "a man is justified... not by faith alone". If justified "not by faith alone", what else is required?
I did not forget. I said a man is justified (shown to be righteousness--in context) by works and not by a
bare profession of faith, which is what James means by "faith alone." Not to be confused with what Paul means by salvation through faith in Christ alone "apart from works." (Romans 3:24-28; 4:5-6) James is not describing authentic faith but an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. (James 2:14) Hence, 'faith alone' or 'faith only' in James 2.
Says/claims to have faith but he has
no works (to evidence his claim).
You also forgot to mention this part:
"What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?" Is a rhetorical question. James is saying faith without works doesn't save anyone.
In James 2:14, we read of one who
says/claims he has faith but has
no works (to evidence his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a
bare profession of faith. So, when James asks, "Can
that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. So, James
does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to
show the reality of the faith
professed by the individual (James 2:18) and
demonstrate that the faith
claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is
genuine. Simple!
And this part:
"faith" is "completed by works". Contrary to your claim that works are merely "evidence of faith", James says works are needed to complete faith.
In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works means bring to maturity, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It does not mean that Abraham was finally saved based on the merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he
fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.
In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God accounting Abraham as righteous. The
accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness (which produced the divine result) was made in Genesis 15:6,
many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to account him as righteous, but it
showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. (James 2:18) That is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." He was
shown to be righteous.
And this part:
"faith without work is dead". James destroys your argument that works are merely "evidence of faith". James says, without works (obedience), you effectively have no faith at all. James reduces the doctrine of "saved by faith alone" to an absurdity ... ie, you're saved by "dead" faith.
Your misinterpretation of James 2:20 does not destroy my argument at all and "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith (or that we are saved by works). That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree, and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying
faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely
says-claims they have faith,
but lack resulting evidential works, then they
demonstrate that they have an
empty profession of faith/dead faith (James 2:14) and not authentic faith. We are made alive together with Christ by grace through faith FIRST then UNTO good works. (Ephesians 2:5-10)
So, when James 2:24 refers to being justified by faith, you're saying that's not the same justification by faith that Paul refers to in Romans 3:28?
Absolutely! Otherwise, that would contradict Romans 4:2-3. For
if Abraham was
justified (accounted as righteous)
by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham
believed God, and it (faith, not works) was
accounted to him for righteousness.”
In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2.
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works are
evidence for, or against a man being in a state of righteousness.
God is said to have been
justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads,
"acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads,
"they declared God just.." That is the "sense" in which God was "justified." He was
shown to be righteous.
Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."
Man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is
evidenced by works (James 2:14-24).
Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not based on the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies does not remain alone (unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine. (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony*
