Romans 4:1-25 - The Supposed Conflict between James and Paul on the Justification of Abraham

 

•        Many casual readers of the Bible have observed what seems at first to be a contradiction between what James and Paul said concerning the justification of Abraham.

 

•        Paul:

–       Romans 3:28 - For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

–       Romans 4:1-3 - What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about-- but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

 

•        James:

–       James 2:21,24 -  Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

•        Does James’ teaching conflict with Paul’s teaching? Did James teach a different Gospel than Paul?

•        Absolutely not!

 

•        First of all, what Paul wrote and what James wrote are both a part of Scripture.

–       All Scripture is God-breathed

•         2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

–       The Scriptures do not originate from man, “but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

•         2 Peter 1:20-21 – Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

–       “God, who does not lie” (Titus 1:2) cannot contradict Himself

–       Therefore what God has written by the hand of these two men cannot be in conflict -

•         Romans 3:4 -  Let God be true, and every man a liar.

 

•        Secondly, we know historically that James was familiar with Paul’s Gospel and the two agreed in the Lord.

–       Paul tells us that he received the gospel directly from God not men

•         Galatians 1:11 - I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

–       Paul further states that anyone who preached a different gospel than the one he preached was eternally condemned

•         Galatians 1:8 - But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

–       Paul met James and discussed his Gospel and his ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. In response, James and other pillars of the Jerusalem church gave Paul “the right hand of fellowship”

•         Galatians 2:7-9 - Those who seemed to be important . . . saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews . . .. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

 

•        So what is the resolution of Paul and James’ statements?

•        Paul and James, using similar wording, are addressing two different issues!

–       Paul, as we have seen in our extensive study of the Roman letter, is addressing the issue of salvation - how we achieve right standing before God. On this issue Paul is very clear:

•         Romans 1:17 - For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last

•         Romans 3:28 - For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

–       James, however, is addressing an entirely different issue. James is addressing those who claim to have “faith” but who show no fruit (of obedience and good works) in their life. James argues that such a faith is not genuine, and therefore not a saving faith!

•         James 2:14-18 -  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

 

–       James, like Paul, recognizes that salvation comes through believing, for James even quotes the same passage quoted by Paul concerning Abraham:

•         James 2:23 - Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness

–       James then goes on to show that genuine faith, such as the faith that Abraham had, will result in obedience:

•         James 2:21-26 - Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone . . .As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

–       When James says that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone, he is using the word “justified” in a different sense than Paul does in the Roman letter:

•         Paul used the word “justified” in a legal sense, to say that a man is “legally declared to be in right standing with God” when he believes in Christ.

•         James uses the word “justified” in a practical sense to say that a man is “shown or proven to be in right standing with God” when his faith results in works.

 

–       Paul also teaches that genuine faith should result in obedience to God. He does this later in the book of Romans and other places as well:

•         Romans 6:1-2,13 - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

•         2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?

 

•        Therefore, Paul and James, rather than being in conflict, actually compliment one another’s teaching.