What does James mean by "works"?
In James 2:15-16, the example of a "work" that James gives is: "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" So to give a brother or sister who are in need these things needed for the body certainly is an example of "works." Certain people like to play games with the word "works" then proceed to teach that we are saved by "these" works and just not "those" works. The apostle Paul leaves no room for salvation by works of any kind. (Romans 4:2-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9 etc..).
James asks, “What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but not works?” (James 2:14). Notice that James says, “if a man SAYS he has faith”, not “if a man HAS faith” … implying that talk is cheap and means nothing - it is only through works that one’s faith is proven.
Amen! If someone merely
says/claims they have faith but
lack resulting evidential works (to substantiate their claim) then they have a
bare profession of faith and not genuine faith. So when James asks, "Can
that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. *So James
does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to
show the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine. Simple!
Then James asks “Can his faith save him?” - in other words, can we be saved by faith alone? He answers this question in verse 26 - “faith without works is dead” - ie, No, faith alone does not save. Man is saved by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24).
James is talking about an
empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains "alone" -
barren of works. Not to be confused with faith that trusts in Christ alone for salvation. (Ephesians 2:8,9) In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is
shown to be righteous. James is discussing the
evidence/proof of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3).
In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2.
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works are evidences for, or against a man being in a righteous state.
God is said to have been
justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads,
"acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads,
"they declared God just.." So this is the "sense" in which God was "justified." He was
shown to be righteous.
Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."
In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith converges around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body exhibits no indication of life, so fruitless, dead faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works (Ephesians 2:5-10)
We are commanded to be “obedient” and “holy”, as we will be judged according to our “deeds” (1Peter 1:14-17).
To be holy is to obey “His commandments”, without which one is a “liar, and the truth is not in him (1John 2:3-4).
Without the holiness obtained by striving to obey Christ’s commandments, you will not be saved - “Strive for … the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14).
Believers will be judged according to their works for the purpose of rewards and loss of rewards (not salvation or loss of salvation) at the judgment seat of Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15) Unbelievers will be judged according to their works at the great white throne judgment and (apart from the righteousness of God which is by faith) will be found wanting and will be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15) For certain people like these scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:14, Jesus points out their (bad) works and calls them hypocrites and because they devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers, they will receive
greater condemnation. Sadly, many unbelievers will find out the hard way that without faith it's impossible to please God no matter how many so called wonderful works that they attempt to conjure up through the flesh in a vain effort to obtain salvation by works. (Matthew 7:22-23)
In 1 John 2:3-4, we read - By this
we know that we have come to know Him, (already know Him/already saved/demonstrative evidence) if we
"keep" (Greek word
"tereo" - guard, observe, watch over) His commandments. 4 The one who
says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not "keep" (guard, observe, watch over) His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. This does not mean sinless, perfect obedience to all of His commandments 100% of the time as sinless perfectionists teach. It also does not mean that we will obtain eternal life based on the merits of perfectly obeying the 10 commandments either, as misguided teachers of the law teach.
In Hebrews 12:14, those who teach salvation by works are quick to
point out - Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy;
without holiness no one will see the Lord. The implication is that if we are not "holy enough" (practical holiness) then we will not see the Lord. The NASB reads - Pursue peace with all men, and the
sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. To be
"sanctified" is to be
"set apart, made holy." Without justification, there is no sanctification. Our ongoing, practical, progressive sanctification has no bearing on our justification. That is, even if we don't reach entire sanctification/sinless perfection in this lifetime (which we won't) we are still justified by faith in Christ (Romans 5:1). Those who have been justified by faith are also
sanctified/set apart/made holy before God
positionally in Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:11 - Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Yet we also have practical, progressive, ongoing sanctification in which the reality of that holiness becomes more and more evident in our actions, words, thoughts, attitudes, and motives. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, - For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain (present tense) from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. So becoming washed, sanctified and justified in Christ is a one time event, yet abstaining from sexual immorality is not a one time event. Here is how I see it. The
believer possess positional, holiness, in their judicial standing of righteousness in Christ and, second, a remaining need for
practical, progressive holiness, in regards to ongoing sanctification towards spiritual growth.
News to me - I’ve never heard of any Christian teaching that we are “saved by works.”
"Nominal" Christians teach salvation by works. You said that you never heard of any Christian teaching that we are "saved by works," yet you previously used James 2:24 to teach that we are saved by works, when you said -
"Man is saved by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:24) Yet James said that man is "justified" by works (not saved by works) and not by faith alone and in context, once again, James is not using the term "justified" to mean accounted as righteous, but is shown to be righteous. James is discussing the evidence/proof of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3).