Justified By Faith, Not By Works

Photo by Josue Michel on Unsplash

Often when teaching the Bible we must keep in mind any possible misconceptions that might be held by those who hear us. One example is in the biblical teaching a person is “saved by grace through faith.” Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9, NKJV). While we rejoice in the truth of this passage we realize that many in the current religious world misunderstand what it teaches.

The Misunderstanding

Commonly, people think Paul is saying that man does nothing but “believe in Jesus” and is saved by God’s grace before and without any obedient response to the gospel. We then point out that repentance and baptism are necessary responses wherein God applies the blood of Christ to your soul and forgives your sins. They usually retort by pointing out that Paul says salvation is “not by works, lest any man should boast.” Are repentance and baptism “works” according to Paul’s statement here? Is a person in a position to “boast” if he submitted to baptism as the gospel commands? A closer look at Paul’s teaching regarding salvation and works within the total context of the New Testament helps us to clear up the confusion and arrive at the truth.

One of Paul’s clarion calls is his mantra that “a man is justified by faith apart from [the] works of [the] law” (cf. Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16). However James appears to contradict this truth when he writes, “you see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Of course, those of us who believe in biblical inspiration believe the truth of both sentiments as expressed by each writer. The question is how to harmonize the two. How can both be true?

Harmonizing the Apparent Contradiction

The first interpretive step is to understand that Paul and James are referring to different kinds of “works.” Paul specifically mentions “works of the law” which entails a person’s effort to gain a relationship with a holy God through his meritorious effort. Those who seek to gain God’s approval in this way think that if one keeps the requirements of God’s law then God will accept him based on his goodness. The problem with this approach, says Paul, is that no one really keeps the law—at least not perfectly, which is the requirement to earn a right standing with God through works (cf. Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:10). Instead, the law’s intended function is to help all men to see their failure and to accept that their condemnation is just (Romans 3:19-20; Galatians 3:21-22).

James, on the other hand is discussing works that are produced by a genuine faith in God. When a person possesses a faith/trust in the promises of God then he is moved to comply with the will of God in order to place himself in a position to receive his promises. Abraham, for example, showed the genuineness of his faith when he complied with God’s command to offer Isaac on the altar (James 2:21). Not only was his obedience a result of his genuine belief in God, but it was also an evidence of it.

A Further Distinction

This also helps us see that Paul and James are not only discussing different kinds of works, but different kinds of justification also. Paul’s “justification” is a forensic act whereby God imputes Christ’s righteousness to our account and can thus justly declare us to be free from condemnation (Romans 5:1; 8:1). James, on the other hand, seems to be focused on how a person can “justify” his claim to “believe in God.” Listen to James’ challenge to those who say they have faith but don’t show any evidence of that faith by their deeds: “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by works!” Now which one do you suppose has any “justification” to back up his claim? Clearly, the one who “justifies” his claim by showing the works of his faith. This seems to be James’ point. In using the example of Abraham, James says the earlier declaration that “Abraham believed God” was “fulfilled” when we see him offer his son on the altar. That is, the statement made in Genesis 15:6 is “justified” (shown to be legitimate) when, for example, we see that faith in the offering of Isaac (James 2:21-23). Rahab also in declaring her allegiance to God and his army by hiding the spies and covertly ushering them to safety “justified” her claim to faith (found in Joshua 2:9-11) as being genuine (James 2:25). While these works do not merit God’s grace, they display that faith is not “dead” or “vain” and thus are necessary in a proper response to the promises of God (James 2:17, 20).

So the statements of Paul and of James are reconciled when we understand that they are discussing both (1) different kinds of works as well as (2) different kinds of justification. While neither Paul nor James declares that a man can merit his own salvation, Paul himself would say that the only thing that counts in Christianity is “a faith that works through love” (Galatians 5:6). So when Paul speaks of our salvation in Christ he asserts that we are saved by faith and not by works—but a faith that saves is a faith that works.

Baptism Is Not a Work

So while Paul says our salvation is “not by works” and yet baptism is necessary to receive salvation, it must be true that Paul would not consider baptism a work. This idea is further strengthened by the theological metaphor of baptism itself. Everything about Christian baptism is passive and thus impossible to construe as a work. Notice: The one being baptized is “dead” in his sins, thus cannot “work.” He then doesn’t bury himself, but is buried in baptism by another. No work. Finally, says Paul, the baptized believer is “raised by faith in the work of God” (Col. 2:12), again, no work is being done on the part of the obedient believer but by God who “raises him from the dead.” So baptism, from beginning to end, should not be viewed as a meritorious “work” in any way. Perhaps one might assert that baptism is a “work of faith” in the sense that James describes a working faith, but I’m persuaded that the act of baptism itself cautions us against viewing it as a “work” at all. This helps the “faith only” advocate to see his error in claiming that baptism is a “work” in any sense. And it is perfectly in harmony with the truth that we are not saved by works and yet baptism is necessary to receive God’s grace and forgiveness.

So one can confidently affirm with Paul, we are saved “by grace…through faith…not by works,” and with James that “a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” without fear of logical contradiction. With these helpful distinctions in mind we can urge our “faith only” friends, “Now, why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).