You cannot generalize that with Paul nor with James. Doing so would also lead to error.
Tong
R0880
I will break it down with precision and analysis of the meaning of Greek words:
Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16,21; 3:2,5,10; Eph. 2:8-9 – many Protestants err in their understanding of what Paul means by “works of the law” in his teaching on justification. Paul’s teaching that we are not justified by “works of the law” refer to the law of Moses or to any legal system that makes God our debtor.
They do not refer to good works done in grace with faith in Christ. This makes sense when we remember that Paul’s mission was to teach that salvation was also for the Gentiles who were not subject to the “works of the law.” Here is the proof:
James 2:24 – compare the verse “a man is justified by works and
not by faith alone” to Gal. 2:16 – “a man is not justified by works of the law,” and Rom. 3:20,28 – “no human being will be justified in His sight by works of the law.” James 2:24 appears to be inconsistent with Gal. 2:16 and Rom. 3:20,28
until one realizes that the Word of God cannot contradict itself.
This means that the “works” in James 2:24 are different from the “works of the law in Gal. 2:16 and Rom. 3:20,28.
James is referring to “good works” (e.g.,clothing the naked; giving food to the poor) and
Paul is referring to the “Mosaic law” (which included both the legal, moral and ceremonial law) or any works which oblige God to give us payment. Here is more proof:
Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16 – Paul’s phrase for “works of the law” in the Greek is
“ergon nomou” which means the Mosaic law or Torah and refers to the teachings (legal, moral) and works (ceremonial) that gave the Jews the knowledge of sin, but not an escape from sin. We have further proof of this from the Dead Sea Scrolls which provide the Hebrew equivalent (“hrvt ysm”) meaning “deeds of the law,” or Mosaic law. James in James 2 does not use
“ergon nomou.” He uses
“ergois agathois.” Therefore, Paul’s “works of the law” and James’ “works” are entirely different types of works. Again, they could never contradict each other because the Scriptures are the inspired word of God.
Rom. 3:29 – Paul confirms that works of the law in this case refer to the Mosaic law by rhetorically asking “Or is God the God of the Jews only?” It does not mean “good works.”
Rom. 4:9-17 – Paul provides further discussion that righteousness God seeks in us does not come from Mosaic law, but through faith.
But notice that Paul also never says “faith alone.”
Rom. 9:31-32 – righteousness is pursued through faith, not works of the law. Again,
“works of law” does not mean “good works.”
Rom. 11:6,11 – justification is no longer based on “works” of the law, but on the grace of Christ. Why? Because salvation is also for the Gentiles.
Rom. 15:9-12 – Paul explains that Christ also saves the Gentiles. Therefore, “works of law” are no longer required.
Acts 13:39 – Luke also confirms this by providing that we have been “freed from the law of Moses.” This is the “works of the law” from which we have been freed.
Rom. 3:20,28 – in addition to the Mosaic law, as stated above, “works of the law” can also refer to anything that makes God a debtor to us. This is because law requires payment, but grace is a free gift from God.
Therefore, faith must be behind every good work in order for it to be a work of grace. If not, it is a work of debt, and we cannot obligate God to do anything for us.
Rom. 4:3-4 – Paul refers to works apart from God’s grace. We do not obligate God to give us grace like an employee obligates his employer to pay wages.
Faith in Christ must be behind our good works in order for it to be considered a work of grace; otherwise, it is a work of law or obligation.
Rom. 6:23 – this is why Paul says the “wages” of sin is death. Eternal life is a free gift from God. We cannot obligate God to pay us for our works; otherwise, we are in a system of law, not a system of grace.
Rom. 11:6 – Paul says that if justification is now based on grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
Rom. 11:35 – it is impossible to obligate God for payment, and sinful to think we can. We cannot do “works of the law” to obligate God. We are not in a debtor/creditor relationship with God. He owes us nothing. Instead, we are in a Father/child covenant relationship with Him, and He will reward us for being faithful.
Gal. 6:8-9 – the earnings referred to here are from God’s grace. It is a free gift, not an obligation.
This underscores that our relationship with God is Father/son and daughter, not employer/employee.
Rom. 8:14-17; Heb. 12:5-11 – these texts further emphasize our father/son relationship with God. Our relationship is familial, not legal.
Rom. 7:6 – we are now discharged from the “law,” that is “works of the law.” We now serve God in faith working in love.
Rom. 10:4 – Christ is the end of the “law.” We are now justified by faith in Christ, not faith in the law.
Rom. 13:8,10 – loving one another is fulfilling the new law of Christ. This is internal and personal, not external and impersonal.
Gal. 2:16 – again, man is not justified by “works of the law.” Again, Paul is referring to the Mosaic law and anything which views God as a debtor to us.
Gal. 2:19,21 – justification “through the law” means justification through the Mosaic law or a legal system that makes God a debtor to us.
Gal. 3:10 – shows that “works of the law” refers to the “book of the law” which was the strict and impersonal Mosaic law of the Old Testament.
Gal. 3:17 – this “law” came 430 years after Abraham. So “works of law” here clearly refer to the Mosaic law,
not “good works.”
Gal. 3:13; 4:4-5 – in fact, the “works of the law” (not good works in God’s grace) is a curse from which Christ freed us.
Gal. 3:19 – these “works of law” were only good for showing us our sinfulness, but not teaching us how to live.
Gal. 5:4,14; 6:2 – the “law” is of no use. The new law is the law of Christ,
which is faith working through love.
Eph. 2:8-9 – we have been saved by grace through faith, not because of “works,” lest anyone boast. This much-quoted verse by Protestants refers to the “works” of the Mosaic law or any works performed in a legalistic sense, where we view God as a debtor to us, and not as our heavenly Father. Paul is teaching us that, with the coming of Christ,
we are now saved by grace through faith, not by Mosaic or legal works.
This is why Paul refers to “works of ourselves” and so we can’t “boast.” Paul says the same thing about “works” Rom. 4:2,4 – if Abraham was justified by “works,” he would have something to “boast” about. Here, the wages are not counted as grace, but debt. “Boasting” does not attribute works to God, but to oneself. But good works done in faith are necessary for justification (James 2:24, etc.) because we receive rewards by grace, not by legal obligation, and
we attribute these works to God, not ourselves.
Eph. 2:10 – in quoting Ephesians 2:8-9, Protestants invariably ignore the very next verse. Right after Paul’s teaching on “works” referring to Mosaic law, Paul says we are created in Christ for “good works” – a clear distinction between “works of law” (Mosaic law/legal payment) and “good works” (law of Christ/reward of grace).
THE ERROR OF USING GOOD WORKS INTERCHANGEABLY WITH WORKS OF THE LAW AS IF THEY MEAN THE SAME THING OCCURS IN EVERY FORUM ON THE INTERNET EVERY DAY AND TWICE ON SUNDAYS.
