Basic Theology: Justification - Does James disagree with Paul?
Does James disagree with Paul?
JAMES: "A man is justified by works and not by faith only" (James 2:24)
PAUL: "A man is justified by faith apart from works" (Romans 3:28).
➢ James is saying that we cannot be saved by FAITH alone. Faith must be perfected by works.
➢ Paul is saying that we cannot be saved by WORKS alone. Works must be perfected by faith.
Both statements are true.
We are all "without works" sufficient to justify ourselves.
Galatians 5:6, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
1. We are justified by GOD
God is the author of our Justification.
Romans 3:26, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 4:5, But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Romans 8:33, Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
God is the giver of justification.
2. We are justified by GRACE
Principle of our Justification. This means that we are justified without any merit on our part.
Titus 3:7, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Romans 3:24, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The word “freely” denotes that there is nothing in us to deserve it, and no means whereby we can earn it.
3. Justified by Christ’s death
Romans 5:9, Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Romans 5:18, Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
1 Corinthians 1:30, But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
4. We are justified by Blood of Christ
The ground of our Justification.
A holy God must have a righteous basis on which to justify ungodly sinners, and this is found in the blood of the cross.
Man, as a condemned sinner, can only atone for his sin by paying the death penalty.
Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 3:23, “all have sinned”
God’s law demands that all must die.
God loves us so much, that through the death of His Son, who took our place upon the cross, all the righteous demands of the law against the sinner have been fully met, and all the claims of God’s holiness have been satisfied.
5. We are justified by Faith
The condition for our Justification.
The one human condition for being justified is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ!
Romans 3:22-28,
Romans 5:1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 4:5, But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Galatians 2:16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
6. Justified by faith and obedience
Romans 1:16-17, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
1 John 3:7, Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
7. We are justified by Resurrection
The assurance and our guarantee of our Justification.
Romans 4:25, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was the visible proof that God was satisfied with His finished work.
Justification is available for all men, and that all believers are justified.
8. Evidence of our justification by accompanying WORKS
Romans 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
James 2:24, you see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
we are faced with what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction.
James 2:20, But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Works are the evidence of faith.
Wherever there is real faith it will be followed by works.
James 2:18, But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
9. We are justified by EXPERIENCE
The result of our Justification.
Certain wonderful things take place as a result of our justification.
Romans 5:1-11, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
The chapter begins, “Therefore since we have been justified (having been counted righteous)”
a) “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (V 1).
“We were God’s enemies” (V 10),
At Calvary our Lord Jesus Christ reconciled us to God (Romans 5:10) and made peace.
Colossians 1:20, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
b) “We have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (V2).
Being justified we have an entrance, or a welcome, into the presence of God.
John 10:9, I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
Hebrews 10:19, Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
c) “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (V2).
The word “hope” does not imply uncertainty. It refers to the assurance which we have that God will consummate His purpose in and for all whom He justifies.
Colossians 3:4, When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Titus 3:7, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
d) “We rejoice in our sufferings” (V 3).
Four reasons are given in verses 4 and 5.
When trials and testing’s come we are able to say that these are temporary!
2 Corinthians 4:17, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
Acts 14:22, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-10, We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
2 Corinthians 6:4-10, But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
1 Thessalonians 3:3, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.
e) “God has poured out his love into our hearts” (V 5)
This is His love in four dimensions!
Ephesians 3:17-18, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
His love in our hearts, we love each other.
1 John 3:14, We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
f) “The Holy Spirit, whom God has given us” (V 5).
The moment God justifies us we become indwelt by the Holy Spirit!
John 14:16-17, And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Romans 8:9, But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
1 Corinthians 6:19, Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
g) “We also rejoice in God” (V 11)
“we glory in God.” How wonderful this is!
We were condemned, lost sinners, now by His grace, being justified, rejoice in Him!
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