Does James Contradict Paul?

Throughout much of church history, many have pointed out that James seems to contradict Paul on the issue of justification. Let’s look at a key example from each apostle:

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law (Rom 3:28 NASB95).

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone (Jas 2:24).

We must admit, that on the surface these verses do seem to contradict. However, the inspired word of God cannot contradict. We should, then, be mindful of the context in which we find each of the apostle’s teaching. It becomes clear from a simple reading of Romans 3–4 that Paul was concerned with a “justification” that directly results in being declared righteous. In Romans 4:3, Paul quoted Genesis 15:6, where Abraham (Abram) believed God’s promise. Abraham placed his faith in the Lord. And when he did so, the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. Simple as that. None of Abram’s works earned, or helped to earn, him righteousness. Truly, as Paul taught, our righteousness comes from God and not us (Rom 3:21–26).

On the other hand, James started with a different event in Abraham’s life, one that took place decades after the patriarch was declared righteous. In James 2:21, the apostle stated that Abraham was justified when he offered up Isaac on the altar on the mountain in Moriah, an event recorded in Genesis 22. Then, in James 2:22–23, the apostle developed his argument by explaining that faith was working with Abraham’s works. It is only at this point that James quoted Genesis 15:6, concluding that Abraham’s faith was perfected on the mountain in Moriah. The point is that Abraham’s faith produced obedience, thus demonstrating, or “justifying” his faith as one already declared righteous. James earlier argued that even the demons believe that God is one (the Shema, Deut 6:4) (Jas 2:19). But their belief was merely an assent to that fact; they didn’t place their full trust in God. A faith of only assenting to the facts without trust is indeed dead. Trust in God isn’t a work, but it does lead to doing works.

While Paul certainly taught that works being required for salvation was a false gospel (indeed, this was the central message to the entire epistle to the Galatians), he also taught their importance in the life of a follower of Messiah. Among other places, such a harmony of faith and works is found in Ephesians 2:8–10:

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

James taught much the same thing. Faith without works is dead (Jas 2:26), in that it doesn’t result in doing good works for Christ, which is the Lord’s desire for His people. Faith alone in Christ alone, without works, is what saves. But a saved person should genuinely desire to do good works for the Lord. Put simply, salvation leads to good works, not the other way around. All glory to Christ!