James is not teaching that man is justified/accounted as righteous/saved by works in James 2:24 as works-salvationists teach. *Once again, In
James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" to mean "accounted as righteous" but is
shown to be righteous. *James is discussing the
evidence of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works -
James 2:14-18),
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (
Romans 4:2-3).
In Paul's epistles, yes. In James 2, no. The harmony of Romans 4:2-3 and James 2:24 is seen in the differing ways that Paul and James use the term "justified." Paul uses the term to refer to the legal or judicial act by which God "accounts the believer as righteous." James however is using the term to "describe those who would show the genuineness of their faith by their works."
A little more context indeed. In
James 2:14, we read of one who
says/claims he has faith but has
no works (to validate 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!
Faith without works is dead (James 2:17,20) does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith (which is like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree) or that works are the source of life in faith or that we are saved by works. James is simply saying
faith that is not accompanied by evidential works is dead. If some
says-claims to have faith yet they
lack resulting evidential works, then they have an
empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.
In James 2:19, the demons may believe "mental assent" that "there is one God," yet they
do not believe/have faith in/trust in/reliance in Jesus Christ for salvation. In other words, they
do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31)
and are not saved. Their trust and reliance is in Satan as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works. You seem to believe that all belief is the same except for the lack of works and cannot seem to grasp a
deeper faith which trusts in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, which also explains why you have so much faith in works for salvation.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is not works, yet we
show our faith by our works. (James 2:18)
SHOW, not establish. Works are the
fruit of faith, not the essence of faith. Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all demonstrates there is no root. That is the separation. You are trying to infuse the two and the erroneous end result is salvation by faith
and works. *Be sure to go back and meditate on post #524.
Just the opposite. It's you who does not believe that Christ's finished work of redemption is sufficient to save if you believe that works help save us in part. Either Christ did it all (ALL-sufficient Savior) or else we did some of it (IN-sufficient Savior). You can't have it both ways.
Becoming saved through faith, not works and showing our faith by our works does not mean that works play a part in obtaining salvation. My belief is not a contradiction. It is through faith in Christ alone (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justified is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony*
Your belief is a perversion of the gospel and you simply cannot see it.