Subject: Unforgivable sin |
Bible Note: Greetings Teacher! I'm glad you caught the humor! :-) While the word 'alone' may not be found in Eph. 2:8-9, the following phrase is most definitely found - 'not by works'. Yet, you seem to interpret James to say that one is saved by faith AND works. Both cannot be true. I believe that the problem is that you have taken James' comments out of context. I have written on this issue many times before, so allow me to quote from an older post on this point. ********************************************** James isn't teaching that works save, but that those who are saved will work. In fact, James 2:1-13 makes it clear that the 'works' being referred to concern the way we treat others. In this light, James says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" - James 2:14. To the objector in v. 18, James says, "....Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." Because, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." - James 2:17. Thus, the context is clearly speaking to those who claim to have faith, but do not live it. James is simply saying to them that they don't really have faith because faith works. Which is fully in accord with Eph. 2:10. There Paul, says that once a person is saved that they will produce good works. Verse 24, simply says that faith which works is proven true. ********************************************* Rom. 4, Gal. 2, Eph. 2:8-9, and more, make it clear that works do not and cannot save us. We cannot ignore the phrase 'not by works' and make it mean 'not by faith alone'. So, we are left with either two options. Either: 1) James and Paul contradict each other. Or, 2) James has been misunderstood, and is in full agreement with Paul. The latter is much more likly since the context of James 2 deals with those who 'say they have faith, but have no works'. Even Paul went on in Eph. 2:10 to say that those who are saved will produce good works. The only problem Paul had with works was from those who would say that they were saved by them. This he denied emphatically. I hope this helps! If would like to read more detail about my view of James, simply search under my username and 'works' and 'faith'. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |