The letter to the Church in Rome and in Romans 3:21-4:25, along with James’ letter and James 2:14-26, are two of the most often confused and misinterpreted passages in Scripture.

Reading Paul’s letter, we get the impression that someone is justified by faith apart from works of the law, and that Abraham was not justified by works. Reading James, we get the impression that we are justified by works and not by faith alone.

In “Reading Romans in Context,” we read, “For Paul, it was in no way Abraham’s obedience that led to God’s oath. Instead, Paul equates Abraham with the “ungodly” and insists that it was the patriarch’s trust in God to fulfill his word that led to God praising him.” Elsewhere we read, “Abraham is not the father merely of those who by blood and circumcision are his offspring, but rather, of those who share his faith. Abraham’s trust that God would provide him an heir – despite every physical reason God could not – shows he truly believed that God is the one ‘who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.”¹

Paul was primarily addressing Jews and new converts.  For their entire lives they were taught that obeying the Mosaic Law was the key to salvation.  Paul of course had to mention the Law of Moses.  Abraham was respected and well known amongst both Jews and Christians.  Paul is stating that it wasn’t Abraham’s obedience to the Law of Moses that gained him favor and redemption from God; it was his faith in the Abrahamic Covenant and that God would certainly fulfill His promise to Abraham and finish what He started.  It is that same faith that we as Christians must have today.  Philippians 1:6 states, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”²  Comparing the Mosaic Law to faith in God, as well as using the figure that Jews looked to as the father of their faith, Paul was stating it wasn’t works or obedience to the Law, but faith and obedience to God.

When we read James 2:14-26, it seems as if James is contradicting what Paul wrote to the Romans.  It appears James is asking that if someone has all the faith in the world, but they lack works to back up that faith, can that faith alone save them?  James even states that if faith has no works, that faith is dead by itself.  James also brings up Abraham, and in James 2:21-22, he writes, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.”³  

Pastor John MacArthur, in his “MacArthur New Testament Commentary,” states, “The genuineness of a profession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is evidenced more by what a person does than by what he claims. A person who professes Christ but who not live a Christ-honoring, Christ-obeying life is a fraud.”⁴

So, were Paul and James in disagreement?  No.  These two passages are telling us the same thing and placing an emphasis on faith.  Paul states that Abraham’s faith in God saved him, not his works.  James is stating that Abraham’s faith in action (faith on display through works), which was displayed when he was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, saved him.  

My thoughts? As Christians we must have faith. This much many in the Christian Church agree upon. Salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ. Every other religion besides Christianity places our eternal destiny on the works that we do or do not do. But while a believer in Christ must have faith (as Paul stated), they must also have works in order demonstrate that faith (as James stated). Much of our Christian testimony is based on works. We do the works not because we are genuinely good people (we are not), but rather because it is the light of Jesus Christ shining through us. There must be more to our Christian faith than just saying we believe in Christ. The Bible states that even the demons know He exists, and shudder. We must put that faith into action and demonstrate it to others in a Christ-like and humble way. If we fail to do that, our faith is useless, and we are a fraud.

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Bibliography

¹ Blackwell, Ben C., John K. Goodrich, and Jason Maston. Reading romans in context: Paul and second temple judaism. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015.

² Legacy standard bible. Irvine, CA: Steadfast Bibles, a division of Three Sixteen Publishing, 2021.

³ Ibid.

⁴ MacArthur, John. James MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1998. Accessed June 1, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central