Does Paul and James doctrine of JUSTIFICATION contradict to one another?
For me, NO contradiction.
Discussion
29 comments
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No
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So why asked?
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Rather they are complementary.
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The Bible and the Bible writer never contradict each other, it is readers who contradict /confuses .
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You have to accept both. Else why it’s in the bible.
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James is the synthesis of Jesus and Paul. Jesus taught that a person enters into life by keeping the law and doing good works. Paul says it is by grace through faith alone. James is in the middle with faith and works.
Sorry everyone who thinks the Bible is one book by one author having no contradictions. But what we have here are three differing schools of thought from the outset of Christianity being divided from the start.
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no but the word justified has several meanings. Paul uses it in the legal sense James uses it in the experiential sense of “shown to be righteous” which is his context and the OT context also. “Abraham was shown to be righteous by works” we have to learn to say what the bible says not what the translation says it says. that is part of the problem and why we have divisions today the original intent of some verses is not being translated.
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There are some who believe that works justifies us. But it’s Ephesians 2:8-9.
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Not at all. Paul talking about salvation. James talking fruits of salvation. In other words fruits of justification.
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The early Christians didnt see a contradiction. Read the church Fathers on this.
They saw salvation as a free gift. You did nothing to deserve it. It wasn’t from any work. You were saved by faith alone. You repented and were baptised. All your prior sins are freely forgiven and you are reconciled to God. Responding to hearing the gospel by true repentance and baptism is all it takes to enter the kingdom of God. You dont need anything more especially works of the law like circumcision. You are saved by faith alone and not by works lest any man should boast.
BUT THEN AFTER REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM,
Your faith was proven through your works. Your works now actively play a role in your continuing salvation. Your works not only were manifestations of good fruits but also kept you in good grace since purposefully sinning can lead to loosing salvation. You no longer willing sinned. You were a new creature. If you sinned you sincerely repented and stopped. Your works showed your fruit. Faith without works is dead. If you willing and purposefully continued to sin then you risked loosing your salvation, which was serious because you couldn’t recrucify christ. You should test yourself continually as Peter suggested to ensure you are indeed sealed by the spirit who will guide your conscience. Your Faith was proven through your works and your salvation was sealed by the spirit guiding your conscience from sinning anymore. You are justified by your works and not by faith alone.
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it should not.
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Here tis
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No Paul is addressing the act of being justified (by faith) while James is addressing the result of being justified (faith+works)
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Following because I feel this question
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Paul centered on initial justification to a greater extent than ongoing justification or sanctification. James centered more on ongoing justification like in James 1:21. James also wrote very likely so early in the early Church that it was before the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. So the circumcision thing was not even a controversy yet.
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No, because James is wisdom literature. He is talking about how to be saved from life’s trials, such as sickness, not getting paid by your employer, or suffering from extreme poverty.
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Being saved by grace does not mean that we get to keep sinning all willy nilly. Our works are a result of our faith. If we are saved by our works, then our faith is in our works. If we are saved by grace through God, then our faith is in God. If we are saved by grace through God, then we will produce works.
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They agree and deal with the same subject on different perspectives. One speaks of justification by faith alone while the other speaks on the evidence that proves that one is really justified.
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James is addressing those already saved, ie, the brethren.
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For the sake of members, would you mind if you can tell us what hermeneutical method you used?
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Nope, because there aren’t any contradictions in the Bible!
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No. For Paul its Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. James followed that up with walk in life and prayer.(spirituality) and practice of faith through good deeds. (Realization of Matt. 25.)
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No, only, Calvin with James contradicted each other!
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Real faith will produce works the way a good tree produces good fruit
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NO. Paul is talking about Justification before God, [Justified ny God] And James is talking about justifictation before man..
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Paul-legal definition, to clear of all guilt. James OT definition “to show to be righteous” both use the same word in greek. the context determines the interpretation. we have some problems like this with our translations, they don’t always take the context into account but just literally translate everything. and let us figure it out.
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RT I did a study on this last night
Take a look at David’s videos good break downs imho
https://youtu.be/zU-0XvpjJx4 -
Ys… For me also the same… Paul also impulses the FAITH & WORK (work of Christ; Gal.5:6). But he rejects the WORK of humans (work of law; Gal.2:6)
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