Subject: Saved by belief or belief and baptism? |
Bible Note: HALF TRUTH: "...according to James 2:24 we are not justified by faith alone either." TRUTH: According to James 2:24 ALONE we are not justified by faith ALONE. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. (James 2:24, NASB) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (Romans 4:2 KJV) Which is true and correct -- Romans 4 or James 2? Do Paul and James contradict each other? If they do, then the Bible contradicts itself. If the Bible contradicts itself, then how can it be inspired of God? Fact: Paul and James do not contradict each other. Fact: The Bible does not contradict itself. Fact: "All Scripture is inspired by God" (2 Tim 3:16). Fact: God, who cannot lie, never contradicts Himself. Conclusion: Romans 4 and James 2 are both true. James 2:21 *justified by works.* "This does not contradict Paul's clear teaching that Abraham was justified before God by grace alone through faith alone (Rom. 3:20; 4:1-25; Gal. 3:6, 11). (...) "James' teaching perfectly complements Paul's writings; salvation is DETERMINED by faith alone (Eph. 2:8,) and DEMONSTRATED by faithfulness to obey God's will alone (Eph. 2:10)" (emphasis added, page 1930, MacArthur Study Bible, Word Publishing, 1997). "One of the basic principles of biblical interpretation is the analogia scriptura, the analogy of Scripture. In other words, we must compare Scripture with Scripture in order to understand its full and proper sense. And since the Bible doesn't contradict itself, any interpretation of a specific passage that contradicts the general teaching of the Bible is to be rejected. Since the general teaching of the Bible is . . . that baptism and other forms of ritual are not necessary for salvation, no individual passage could teach otherwise" (http://www.gty.org/IssuesandAnswers/archive/baptism.htm). |