The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum James

Yeh, Luther early in his life remarked that he thought the book of James was, "one straw epistle". The issue is the relationship between grace and works, which was foundational to the Reformation and the rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church and it's heretical teachings re: Justification by Faith + Works vs. Justification by Faith ALONE which Luther discovered to be the truth of Scripture. Briefly, James wrote about the "works" that "justifies" one's faith unto salvation. The key is CONTEXT and proper hermeneutical principles. The word "justify/justifies" as is often the case with most words, has various definitions, not only in Scripture but in every language. Bottom line, James is using the word 'justify' to mean evidence of something that already exists and not the proximate cause that brings about a result. This can be shown in Scripture in several places, e.g., Matt 11:19; 1 Cor 4:4; Rom 2:13, 3:4, et al. The other hermeneutical principle is that Scripture NEVER contradicts itself. And thus the didactic statements always interpret the inferential and unclear. Thus, Paul in Rom 2:13 appears at first glance to be saying that a man is saved 'justified[ by works but elsewhere he is adamant that salvation/justification is NOT by works but by grace alone, e.g., Rom 3:20 ff, 4:2,5,6,24; Gal 2:16.

The defense of the Reformers against the RCC and all similar religions is well known in the phrase, "Justification is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone." Both Easy believism and all forms of Pelagianism are thus rejected.