Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
Does James 2:24 say in plain English that we are justified by works? - yes.
Is the meaning of "justified", "make righteous" , as referring to salvation? - yes, as evident by the preceding verse 23.
Does Paul say in plain English that we are justified by faith only and not works in Ephesians 2:8-9? - yes.
So there we have a dilemma. James contradicts Paul, yet the gospels support the view that salvation is by faith without works (the thief on the cross, John 3:16, etc etc), and never once says that salvation is faith + works.
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This is a very simplistic view.
Here is the section in James that you refer to with the context:
James 2:14-24 14What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, 16and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 18Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith. 19Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
"If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food" -- this is the context. He is not referring to eternal salvation, he is referring to a person in need of a meal, or a coat, or a place to stay.
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; 23and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. 24Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
Here the term justified is a very clear reference to Genesis 22:12
And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.
This is not equivalent to justified from sins. Paul refers to Genesis in his doctrine of justification by faith when he quotes the verse "Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto hims as righteousness".
These are two completely different justifications. One, refers to justification by God, who can alone can see what we believe in our heart. The other refers to justification by people who cannot see our hearts, but can see our actions.
A living faith is expressed in our daily living. If you claim to have faith but don't have any expression of that faith, then it is dead.