How do you reconcile Ephesians 2:8 with James 2:17?

Question

Ephesians 2:8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Are we to assume that the Bible says in one place that you are justified through faith and then in another place it says you're justified through faith and works? Or maybe, when James says your faith "is dead" without works, he's not referring to justification.

He could be referring to the outer manifestation of faith being works, and when others don't see your good works they don't see your faith either. In that way, your faith is dead because you produce no visible spiritual fruits and aren't a witness of your faith.

Or is this a pick and choose gospel?

To TooPregnant: I believe it's not a contradiction. But, there is a contradiction in interpretations. Now, that is what happens a lot. :)

Firechap: I'm glad this question was "too easy" for you. But, remember, God hates pride. :)

Answer 1

John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."


Jesus the Bread of Life

25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."


Faith without Jesus Christ is dead.
That's the works James is talking about.

Answer 2

It is important to remember that the James passage begins with "so also", which means that the "dead faith" is analogous to something in the verse(s) immediately preceding verse 17. In verses 15-16, we read: "But if a brother or a sister is naked and may be lacking in daily food, and any one of you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but does not give them the things the body needs, what gain is it?" So "faith which does not have works" is like offering kind words to a brother or a sister who is in need rather than something that would fill that need. Another clue to what James means is found in verse 14: "My brothers, what is the gain if anyone SAYS he has faith, but he does not have works? Is the faith able to save him? [emphasis added]" Since true faith does save and cannot be dead and James implies that the "faith" in verse 14 does not save and that in verse 17 is dead, then any claim he might make of having true faith is all talk and no action. Thus, if a faith without works is dead and cannot save, does this mean that a faith with works is alive and does save? Apparently so, but it is faith that is doing the actually saving, not necessarily the works. It is this truth that the Ephesians passage makes explicit. It is through faith that we are saved, and the result (or manifestation, if you will) of an actual (rather than a merely claimed) faith will be works.

Answer 3

There is no contradiction here- and it is not a pick and choose gospel. We are saved only by grace through faith- but once saved, if we truly are we will do works that God has prepared for us to do before the beginning of time. We cannot work for our salvation, Jesus paid it in full, but because of our salvation we will desire to serve Him by serving others, and doing good.

Answer 4

believe in Jesus is the only way to salvation

An apple tree will have apples (you can spend 50 years calling an oak tree an apple tree but it will never have apples.
The point is true faith will bare fruit.You will see things happen with the faith.Also you will be doing things that show your real faith.An example is not hating the poor and doing what you can to help (even helping them improve their life).Faith without works is dead.Salvation is only by Jesus.

Read:
Eph 2:8-9
Romans (3,6,10)
Act 2:21
(study faith for salvation and faith (belief) of christians that God will accomplish.

Answer 5

So many people believe in "faith alone" and yet the bible nowhere says we are saved by faith alone!

So how can "bible Christians" support that belief?

What the bible DOES say is we are saved "by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). So we are justified by BOTH.

The bible does differentiate between kinds of works. Those that save and those that don't. The “works” that do not justify are those performed by people who try to obligate God to reward them.

Pretty simple.

Answer 6

Salvation is a free gift from God and that Christian works are evidence of genuine faith; indeed, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:24).

We must do more than simply hear and believe. The Bible says that we must "become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [ourselves] with false reasoning."—James 1:22.

Paul never said "Accept Jesus right now, and you will forever be saved." Rather, More than 20 years after Jesus personally chose Paul to carry the Christian message to people of the nations, this hardworking apostle wrote:

"I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow."—1 Corinthians 9:27; Acts 9:5, 6, 15.

True Christians are in a saved condition in that they are in an approved position before God. As a group, their salvation is sure.

Individually, they must meet God's requirements. However, we can fail, for Jesus said: "If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is cast out as a branch and is dried up."—John 15:6.

Answer 7

Grace is getting something that you do not deserver. Salvation none of of us deserve however, God gives it to us. Even so, James is more so talking about actions. Kind of like actions speak louder than words. Thus, one simply cannot "believe in God" or "believe what his word says" and live a life without faith in him or his promises. So if you do have faith act like it

Answer 8

Pastor just preached this last Sunday 11:00 service http://www.riveroflifefellowship.org . You can get a tape or CD.

They go together.

When people get saved they confess out loud with their mouth (acting out) & believe in their heart (faith). When people get healed, they believe for the healing, then follow through with an action, in the action, the healing materializes.

Works without faith is dead. Doing anything and not trusting God or believing in God is dead works. Having faith in God and not acting out (going forward to confess, being water baptized) making a verbal confession; is faith without works. This doesn't save you. If you read in the bible accounts where Gods power comes through, you will realize that you have to act out in faith.

I am sorry that I can't explain it as good as Pastor did, May 20, 11 am service.

But I have heard of recent miracles where persons acted out an action when they weren't healed yet, but obeyed. In the process of acting out they were healed. Basically every testamony I have heard from friends, etc. this has been a part of receiving the healing. Also, people won't be saved by just believeing Jesus Christ is Lord & Savior. They have to act it out & confess it to God & actions of reaching out to God. And is the case in the bible when Jesus healed people.

Answer 9

Salvation is a gift that God sometimes chooses not to give.

True Christians (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) understand faith to be the primary thing, but they also understand that professed "faith" is not a license for a sinner to continue to indulge his sin.

(Matthew 7:20-23) Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize... “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.


One's faith must have SOME effect on the individual's personality and lifecourse. The Scriptures quite plainly explain that humans can disqualify themselves from receiving everlasting life; it is only the faithful COMPLETION of a life course that assures salvation.

(Zephaniah 2:3) Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. PROBABLY you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah's anger. [emphasis added]

(Amos 5:15) Hate what is bad, and love what is good, and give justice a place in the gate. It MAY be that Jehovah the God of armies will show favor [emphasis added]

(Matthew 7:13-14) Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.

(Matthew 24:13) But he that has endured TO THE END is the one that will be saved. [emphasis added]

(Philippians 2:12) Keep WORKING OUT your own salvation with fear and trembling [emphasis added]

(Hebrews 10:26-27) For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, 27 but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment

(Hebrews 5:9) [Jesus] became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those OBEYING him [emphasis added]

(James 2:14,17) Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it? ...17 Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/1996021/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/

Answer 10

It is simple, and stated multiple times through the Bible. We are saved BY faith, but the RESULTS of that faith is good works.

If you read the rest of James, you will see that is exactly the point he is making. He was getting after the Christians who after being saved were not doing anything to help others as a result of their faith. True faith will motivate us to good works.

We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by faith. But once we are saved, we will do good works.

You are mixing up the cart and the horse.

Answer 11

When Paul talks about "works" he usually refers to "works of the Law". He is not referring to "good deeds" (see Romans 2 and Galatians 5 for his emphasis on the importance of how one lives), but to symbolic works such as circumcision which served as badges or boundary markers of the chosen people.

Take a look at The Paul Page http://www.thepaulpage.com/ for more information about what is sometimes called "The New Perspective on Paul"