The Epsitle of James: a Commentary | Page 5

(from the law of sin and death, Rom 8:2)
-the commands to 'speak' and 'act' are continuous
imperatives; 'continually or habitually speak..act'
v13 'triumphs over' - lit. 'glory against' (kata-kauxamai)
-the need to show mercy, to forgive (see Matt 6:14-15;
18:21-25)
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2:14-26 Works the test of faith
James has already contrasted true (or 'pure') religion-
that of the person who cares for those in need and the
person who 'beguiles himself with a false religion
devoid of result' (1:26-27). he now develops on this
point. The person who has a religion that is 'for real' is
the person who has faith; a faith that is not easy
believism but is whole-hearted: such a person is 'born
again'. And such a person will produce results. If he
sees someone in need (and is in a position to do
something about it), he will not send the person on
their way with an 'easy blessing'! It is possible to
believe in a way that makes no difference in life. True
faith will immediately show itself in deeds.
James takes two figures from Old Testament history
to prove his point. the counterpoint to Abraham's faith
were his deeds- thus his willingness to sacrifice Isaac
on this basis he was called God's friend; it was on this
basis that God counted him 'in the right'. The other
example is Rahab who gave lodging to the Jews who
wanted to spy out the Promised Land. A faith without
deeds (or 'works') can only be a dead faith. This is the
ultimate test of faith!
vv15-16 John wrote in his first epistle to defend belief
against gnostic heresies, but came to the same
conclusion (3:17-18)
v17. 'accompanied' exo- the thought is that faith which
does not have action as a possession is dead.
v18b is literally 'show me your faith apart from (ek)
works and I will show you my works apart from faith
(but as a proof of it)'
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v20. 'foolish' kenos- a word meaning 'empty'; 'empty of
quality'; 'worthless'
'useless'- nekros- lit. 'dead'- a faith without life or
vitality.
v25. 'considered' The word is not in the Greek but
covered by umoios-'in like manner' (referring back to
v23), ellogao- 'to credit'; usually to someone's
account.
Rahab is also an example of faith in Hebrews 11
(v31)- see Josh 2:1-11; 6:22-25.
JUSTIFICATION, FAITH AND WORKS
The great founder of the Reformation, Martin Luther,
sought peace with God (and his conscience) for many long
years before the words 'the just shall live by faith' (Hab 2:4)
illumined his soul on a pilgrimage to Rome. The words are
the 'text' of Paul's epistle to the Romans (1:17) and Luther
was later to declare James 'an epistle of straw'! (but see
'Introduction'. Certainly there seems to be a diametric
opposition between James and Paul, as will be seen by
setting two passages side by side:

Romans 4:3,5
What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed
God and it was credited to him as
righteousness...however to the man who does not
work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his
faith will be counted as righteousness.
James 2:23,24
The Scripture was fulfilled which says 'Abraham
blessed God and it was credited to him as
righteousness...You see that a person is justified
by what he does, and not by faith alone.
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It would seem that Paul and James are arguing against
each other. Did one write as a corrective to the other? How
can we explain the seeming contradiction?
First we need to remember what 'justification' really
means. I wrote about Romans 3:21-31 the following:
God's justice excludes any (sinful) self-based effort,
but his justice also requires only the response of
faith. The pledge of God's new way, his New
Covenant was foreseen by the prophet (Jer 31:34).
'Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more'
God puts away our sin; we respond by faith in this
fact, and in the One, Jesus, by whom this was
done. True our past can never be changed. But the
consequences can. And this is God's gift: it is by his
grace. Jesus, on the Cross, upheld God's love as
the way of life and showed that love was so great
as to include the sinner. What can never be ours
through our own goodness, correctness or even
faith (as a desert) is ours to be accepted.
We need now to go a little into the contexts of both writers.
Paul has been saying that all men are sinners under God's
condemnation: none can keep his law to win his
acceptance. A man works (ergazomai) to be paid- he puts
his employer in his debt. We can never put God in our
debt! We are rewarded by his grace. James as we have
been seeing is saying that on the other hand a mere 'belief'
is insufficient ('even the demons believe', 2:19). True faith
is complemented by deeds (v22). So a man is justified ex
ergon (out of his deeds). James in 2:23 quotes (as does
Paul) Gen 15:6. God made his promise to Abraham:
Abraham believed and it was credited to him. But James
could argue that the later deeds evidenced that his belief
was a vital belief; a belief leading to maturity.
For