Simply By Grace Podcast

In this episode, Charlie walks through a very controversial passage, James 2:14-26. It's controversial because it's often misunderstood and consequently misapplied. James says some strange things that seem to contradict Paul like "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." But it can be confusing if you don't understand the context and the distinction between discipleship and salvation. 

Most people understand this passage as a call to look at your works to prove you're saved. If you don't have works, it proves you're not a Christian. The problem with this is that it takes the focus off of Christ, who did all the saving, and creates an inward focus by the individual to determine if the works they are doing will be sufficient.

Those same people will also argue that you have to have "biblical faith" or the "right kind of faith" and they pull from James saying "Even the demons believe..." So if you had that right kind of faith then, you're saved. The argument goes like this: "A person who says that he believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, but does not do good works is not really saved. He is like the demons who believe in God but are not saved because they have not submitted to God or obeyed Him." This is at best a careless misuse of the verse. 

Many pastors and theologians explain James this way saying "we are saved by faith alone but the faith that saves is never alone." Sounds like a good example of an oxymoron.

But could James be talking about justification by works before men?  Could he be talking about encouraging Christian growth? The answer is yes, so be sure to listen and find out how to break down this passage and make proper sense of it, and how it can be applied in your walk today.

For further reading checkout Gracenotes #47 Demon Faith and the Misuse of James 2:19.