Justification by faith alone or also by (good) works or (obedient) works of both?
Book of James
James 2 Explained - "Faith Without Works is Dead" | Can Faith Save Him?
Is Faith Without Works Dead? (James 2:14–26)
James is trying to equate work is a follow up of the faith that one has in order to judge whether this person has a genuine faith that saves.
Works = good work, action, good deeds, works of obedience to God's command
Faith: Justification before God
Works: Whether works of obedient to God or good work that profits men, are Justification before men to show men whether the faith is genuine faith or not genuine faith
The book of James emphasis is that works is the evidence (fruits or results) of a genuine faith.
The whole idea of our faith is loving God and loving men. All the law of Moses and the speaking of the Prophets hang on this. But the final is love you neighbor and love your enemies (Love men). If you love men, it is evident that you love God.
James 2:1
New Living Translation
My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
Amplified Bible
My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery]
New King James Version
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
Observation
Not showing favoritism or not showing partiality is the fruit of a genuine faith
Is it our faith or the faith of Jesus?
James 2:2-7 Example of favoritism
Showing favoritism between rich man and poor man
James 2:8-10
New Living Translation
8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
Observation: Not showing favoritism by loving all men, it's evidence of the fruit of a genuine faith that people can see (justification before men to judge whether your faith is a genuine faith)
James 2:12 New Living Translation
So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
Observation
Set free from the Law or the Law that sets you free?
Set free from Moses Law that bound us
The Law that set us free (Grace and Truth).
James 2:14
English Standard Version
What good (profit) is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:15-17 Example of good works to someone who is in need
By sending the needy away without providing food, the faith is useless without providing good deeds
James 2:17
English Standard Version
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Observation
Good works is evidence of justification before men
James 2:18
New Living Translation
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
Observation
I show you my genuine faith by the evidence of my good works
James 2:19-20
New Living Translation
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.
How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
Observation
You believe there is a God, satan also believe that there is a God, So by saying that you believe that there is a God by without evidence of good works is of no use, it is a dead faith. Likewise, satan believe in God but didn't produce good works. That believe by itself cannot save satan.
James 2:21-24 Example of Abraham's works of obedience
Amplified Bible
21 Was our father Abraham not [shown to be] justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [as a sacrifice to God]?
22 You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching its maturity when he expressed his faith through obedience].
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND THIS [faith] WAS CREDITED TO HIM [by God] AS RIGHTEOUSNESS and AS CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see that a man (believer) is justified by works (by what they do) and not by faith alone [that is, by acts of obedience a born-again believer reveals his faith].
Observation
The scripture that says Abraham believed and righteousness was credited to him and he was called the fried of God become fulfilled because of his work of obedience. not just by his faith alone
Who is James? What is he personality and belief system pertaining to the Law and Grace?
James is a Law based person
Do not take the belief of a human to be the command of God even though all scriptures are inspired by God, many are in the form of stories and what one actually believes in. The pharisees also expressed what they believe in the inspired word of God. Job's friends also expressed what they believed in the inspired word of God, but in the end, God said the 3 friends of Job wrongly represented God.
Does God give and take away? [Misinterpreted Bible verses]
Moan with those who moan, not try to fix those who moan
Job 42:7 New International Version
After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth (accurately, what is right) about me, as my servant Job has (Job has spoken rightly about God)
The book of Job has 42 chapters. Since the bible is the inspired word of God, why God allowed so many chapters of wrong information about Him being spoken and written in the bible?
Did Job has the right perspective of God?
\Job 1:21 New Living Translation
He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”
It was true that the Lord blessed him and gave him many things as satan had said. But did God took all His things away or it was the work of satan? When God allowed things to happen from the work of satan, do we attributes those work of satan to God?
