“Justified by Works”

Sunday, July 23, 2023

In last week’s article, we examined a long list of passages in Paul’s letters, in which he hammered the fact that we cannot earn salvation.  We struggled to make sense of this, in light of his prediction elsewhere that each of us will “receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2Co 5.10).  In the end, we found that our motivations in tugging one way or the other were, to say the least, suspect; and that we are supposed to trust God, do what he says, and let him sort out the details.

But what about James?  He tells us as plainly as you could ever want, belief is not enough!

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

(James 2.19)

Demons believe, yet they are destined for destruction!  We can see an example of this, in one of Jesus’ miracles in Capernaum.

And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

(Mark 1.23-24)

This demon believed in God’s Son, Jesus Christ!  Yet it was an “unclean spirit,” who well knew that Jesus would eventually bring destruction to such spirits.  Why doesn’t that spirit get a pass?  After all,

with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

(Romans 10.10)

It’s reasonable to suggest that the demon’s works are the problem.  Recognizing Jesus doesn’t count for much, if you actively rebel against him!  This is what James meant.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

(James 2.14)

That’s a rhetorical question—the answer is no.  But James isn’t done there! 

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

(James 2.21-26)

This seems obvious, and yet James has to point it out, and an enormous number of those of who profess to be Christians today cannot fully acknowledge what James says here, because it undermines their dogma.

Yet Paul was the Apostle who so clearly laid out Christ’s system of salvation by faith, not works (e.g. Ep 2.8-9), and it’s not as if he gave us no hints about the importance of what we do.  In addition to the 2 Corinthians 5 passage, he also wrote things like this:

[God] will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

(Romans 2.6-8)

In fact, we can even hear this straight from the judge, himself!

“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”

(Matthew 16.27)

And,

“I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

(Revelation 2.23)

And again,

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”

(Revelation 22.12)

This all leaves us confused.  On the one hand, in many New Testament passages God speaks of justification by faith, and his mercy—not giving us the penalty we deserve—as well as his grace—giving us the reward we don’t deserve.  Yet, on the other hand, in the very same New Testament God also speaks bluntly about repaying us in eternity for the works we have done in the body.  Which is it?

We can find some help in the account of the demon who recognized Jesus in Capernaum.

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

(Mark 1.25-26)

Wait a second—the demon’s belief obviously didn’t count for much, but didn’t it also obey?  Jesus gave the demon a command, and it immediately did exactly as it was told!  So the demon had both the belief, and the action to back it up!  Why does the demon expect to be punished, then?  Notice that the demon makes a spectacle of its obedience.  It’s an ugly scene, with an obviously unwell man thrashing and shrieking as the source of his suffering begrudgingly departs.  The demon obeys, because he’s compelled to do so.  He obeys unwillingly.  That’s not the faith that Jesus and the Apostles meant.  They meant a genuine, reverent trust in the one who claims to be our Savior, and our King—a faith that leads us to choose obedience, rather than having it forced upon us.  Instead of arguing bickering about words and semantics, we should be busy living faithfully.  Thus, by openly considering God’s word on the topic of works, we’ve drawn the same conclusion we drew last time, from God’s word on faith and grace—Christ is in charge, so trust and obey him, and he’ll take care of you.

Jeremy Nettles

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