Fellow Christians, do you believe that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone?

Question

"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." -James 2:24

Please also answer this question:
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Thanks in advance, and may God bless you.

Answer 1

Faith without works is dead.

Answer 2

Well, the whole 2nd chapter of James is sufficient for this question and I believe that our opinions are really unnecessary. However, we must remember that just because we are not justified by faith alone doesn't mean that we can be justified by works alone. To believe that would be to state something that clearly isn't taught in the Bible.
1 Corinthians 13:13
"But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

May God bless.

Brandon

Answer 3

The key are the word alone and justified....

Faith (belief in God, accepting Christ as your savior, etc) is the key to salvation and eternal life. And from that faith you will have works that are fruit of the vine... or basically a result of your faith. However works alone without faith, will not get you into heaven.

And the word justified is one thing, salvation is another. A man will have salvation through faith alone, but can be justified through faith and works.

Answer 4

James shifted to the plural form of the second person “you.” Not the hypothetical interlocutor but his actual audience now participated in the principle he had been driving at throughout this section. The claim of faith requires its demonstration in action. Abraham’s righteousness was made manifest by the obedient offering of his son. Many find a verbal parallel here with Paul in Rom 3:28. Was James counteracting either Paul or misreadings of Paul? One must be cautious about the canonical availability of Paul’s writings as we read James. Nothing in this verse, however, directs us to the person of Paul or some definite passage in his corpus. For Paul faith that trusts the word of God saves. This was his understanding of “faith alone.” This simple faith is the point of entry “into Christ.” But for James the overarching concern was with demonstration. Given that so much can be done within the church out of “bad faith,” what is meant by “faith” must be clarified by deeds. For James “faith alone” was a crass avoidance of the necessity of demonstrating faith. In view of the judgment to come (Rom 4:12–13; 5:5, 9), only those whose faith has been demonstrated to be genuine can hope to be saved. “Faith by itself” (Jas 2:17) demonstrates its deadness in that it shows no vitality. Vital faith is that which God considers righteous. This is visible in the lives of the two exemplars in this passage: Abraham and now Rahab.

Answer 5

It is by the grace of God we are saved- but it is by faith that it might be by grace. In other words- if only God's grace saved EVERYONE would go to heaven. But you have to have faith for the grace to work in you. There are 3 things you need to have faith.

1. Faith comes by hearing the Word.
2. Faith without works is dead.
3. Faiths worketh by love.

Without these 3 things, you cannot imagine that you will have enough faith to go to heaven. There will be many who will tell you otherwise- dont believe them for a minute.

Answer 6

I think I will answer your question with another verse from the same context: James 2:22

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

To my understanding this means:

Our justification begin with our faith in Jesus Christ; Then it become complete when Jesus Christ who lives in us begin to show His life through us.

Here is another verse to consider:

Romans 8:29-30
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

To me this describes the process that every believer must take from childhood to adulthood Christian life.

Answer 7

If The Tree Is Good It Brings Fourth Good Fruit If The Tree Is bad It Brings Fourth Bad Fruit But You Will Be judged By Your Actions And Intentions

Answer 8

That passage incensed Martin Luther who tried to get the book of James out of the Bible. When you read that passage in context, the author isn't saying that works are necessary to be saved, he is saying that works are evidence of the true faith that is necessary to be saved. He is making a differentiation between people who have given an intellectual assent to the gospel message...Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19

... and those who show that they have been truly born again and are doing those good works that God created them in Christ Jesus to perform.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

Answer 9

yes so long as we do not confuse works with works of law Gal 2:16 The works as refered to in James...are the fruits that faith produces...We are not under penalty of law...and the fruits that are produced by faith come from God that none should boast.

Answer 10

Yes,because faith without works is dead. We can't get to Heaven with just our works we must have faith also. God bless you!

Answer 11

Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.