In James it says, "Faith without works is dead." But Paul says worksd are nothing, and salvation is by faith alone.
2007-03-22 05:25:22 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Christians have so much cognitive dissonance about the NT that it's almost amusing, there are so many things within the NT, and tons more when you look at it from the OT to the NT... But once you invest your life in a religion, you feel the need to be willing to justify all the contradictions...
2007-03-22 06:49:11 · answer #1 · answered by XX 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These statements are not mutually exclusive. Paul is saying that we are saved when, by faith, we accept what God is telling us through the life of Jesus, "not by works so that no man may boast." James is not saying that we are saved by the works that we do, he is saying that if we truly have faith then it will show up by the way we live our lives. Even Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says "if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." Love for others, how you treat them, how you speak to them. True Christianity isn't just a doctrine or theology, it is a lifestyle.
2007-03-22 12:51:45 · answer #2 · answered by real illuminati(Matt) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
James is referring to your works as a result of your new faith. If you don't experience a change in your life than your faith and salvation is questionable.
Think of it this way. If I say that I'm a vegetarian and I while I'm with other vegetarian I don't eat meat I'm a vegetarian right. But, if late at night I drive thru McDonalds for a Big Mac then how can I truly be a vegitarian.
It usually doesn't just happen like turning on a switch. But a saved person should see changes in themselves over time as they pursue a life with Christ.
2007-03-22 13:06:34 · answer #3 · answered by Rick D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read the whole book you will see the book of James spells it out for a Christian. From chapter one about being doers of the Word (living out your faith) to chapter three about the tongue and how it can hurt others through the rest of the Book that talks about pride promoting strife and how to treat your brother in Christ. So it does not contradict Pauls writing that says Faith in Jesus alone saves you. James is pointing out to believers that we need to be a light, do our job to reach the lost through our testimony and be careful that we just didn't get fire insurance, because we might not have had the faith we needed to be saved.
The Bible never contradicts itself if you truly look at the passage as a whole.
2007-03-22 12:38:32 · answer #4 · answered by squeezy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They do not contradict each other, they both talk about different aspects of works. Works do not save us. No one can be good enough to make it to Heaven. We can not rely on our works. James points out that works show us and God, what we truly believe. If we have been Born Again then we will automatically do good works because God's Spirit now lives in us. If we are not, we should question our faith and seek in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
2007-03-22 12:41:35 · answer #5 · answered by Apostle Jeff 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Paul is right. So is James. No contradiction at all, dear one.
SALVATION is by faith and grace - no doubt - but - read on in James' Epistle - we "show" our faith by our works. No contradiction - works still do not save us - James is not saying that at all. Look at the context.
C.S. Lewis said it best: "Arguing about which is more important - "faith or works" - is like arguing about which is the more important blade in a pair of scissors"
2007-03-22 12:36:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
James starts off his letter talking about the trials Christians face to test their faith to see if it's real and he gives many test points in his letter: How do you deal with temptation, anger, the control of your tongue, helping the poor, dealing with the rich etc. His letter is basically saying: "Here are a bunch of check points to see if your faith is real."
Paul gives the same advice to the Corinthians in 2Cor 13:5 "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test?"
Once you become a follower of Jesus, He gives you His Holy Spirit, to enable you to live the Christian life. If there are no changes for the better- then you have to ask yourself if what you have is just head knowledge, not true faith.
Also, Paul says in Ephesians 2, right after he talks about salvation not being by works, that God has prepared good works for us to do.
2007-03-22 13:00:25 · answer #7 · answered by pinkrose 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats not a contriction. In the meaning alone, they work together.
Faith without works is dead, means you can have all the faith you want, but when you dont show it, you dont work to keep it, it dies, it helps noone.
Salvation IS by faith alone. No proof in the salvation story, so you must accept it by faith.
Put the two together, Salvation is by faith, but faith without work, without continuance, dies. Faith dies, not salvation.
But I suppose this is something only those of us with faith really understand, as many of us have faltered in our faith when we dont work on it,
2007-03-22 12:32:59 · answer #8 · answered by sweetie_baby 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
James doesnt say you need works for salvation but that how does your faith show it self - if you have true faith you should want to go good works (James) - but doing the good works does not earn you salvation (Paul)
they do not contradict but they enhance each other
2007-03-22 12:31:03 · answer #9 · answered by servant FM 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
It's not a contradiction at all! James is saying that if you have faith but dont do anything about it, then your faith is void.
Paul is saying that you can never gain salvation by doing good works, you must have faith.
NEXT
2007-03-22 12:31:30 · answer #10 · answered by Dr. Linder 4 · 8⤊ 1⤋