Paul goes all the way back to Abraham (when there was no Law) to refute your claims. Kindly read and study Romans 4 and other passages. So let's cut to the chase:
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
No "works of the Law" here. Just "to him that worketh" (to earn salvation). And as James tells us Abraham was justified before men by his obedience. Abraham was therefore SEEN AS JUSTIFIED by what he did. But long before that he was justified purely by grace through faith.
Amen! No works of the law here and Abraham was BEFORE the law of Moses. Also, when it comes to the moral aspect of the law, we cannot dissect good works from the law and teach that we are saved by "these" works (good works/works of obedience etc..) but just not "those" works (works of the law). 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?" To give a brother or sister these things needed for the body would certainly be a "good work/works of obedience" yet to
neglect such a brother or sister and not give them the things needed for the body is to break the second great commandment "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39)
as found written in the law of Moses. (Leviticus 19:18)
In Matthew 22:37-40, we read: Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. So good works are not "completely detached" from these two great commandments which are found in the law of Moses. (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18) *NOWHERE does the Bible teach that we are saved by grace through faith "and works." That is salvation by works no matter how much others try to sugar coat it.
Paul does not merely limit "works" only to specific works of the law, but includes works in general. In Titus 3:5, we read that it is
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.. and in 2 Timothy 1:9, we read that God saved us and called us with a holy calling
not according to our works.. so the saved by "these" works and just not "those" works argument is bogus.
In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God's accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6, many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to account him as righteous, but it
showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. That is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." He was
shown to be righteous.
*People need to realize that James is discussing the
evidence 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)
