Faith Without Works?

Today we begin our study of perhaps the most controversial passages in the book of James—namely, his discussion of faith and works. James 2:14–26 served as a central text during the Reformation debate over the doctrine of justification. Even today, many Roman Catholic apologists will marshal these verses in an attempt to refute the Protestant insistence that we are declared righteous in the sight of God by faith alone in Christ alone.

Rightly understanding James’ teaching in this passage requires us to set it in the context of the entire letter. When we do that, we see that while James certainly highlights good works, he is as committed to the centrality of faith in Christ as is the Apostle Paul. The first teaching that James offers concerns the role of trials in strengthening our faith (1:2–4). James well understands that it is not our good works that save us but rather our reception by faith of the “implanted word”—the gospel (v. 21). He talks about faith as something that we must hold on to (2:1), and he agrees with Paul that faith is a gift given to those whom God has chosen (v. 5; see Eph. 2:8–9). Clearly, then, James understands that those who will receive mercy in the final judgment are those who have trusted only in Christ (James 2:13).

Since faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone will save us from the wrath of God, we need to know what constitutes true, saving faith. James 2:14–26 helps us immensely here, demonstrating that a mere claim to trust in Christ is by itself insufficient to save us. This is evident right away in verse 14, where James puts forward an individual who “says he has faith but does not have works.” John Calvin notes that James here “speaks of false profession of faith: for he does not begin thus, ‘If any one has faith;’ but, ‘If any says that he has faith;’ by which he certainly intimates that hypocrites boast of the empty name of faith, which really does not belong to them.” James sets forth the example of someone who says that he has faith and yet lacks good works and asks whether “that [kind of] faith” can save him. The expected answer is, “No, it cannot.”

James has already said that we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only, lest we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are right with God (1:22). His teaching on the nature of saving faith in 2:14–26 concretely applies this principle. The one who claims faith but does not do what God’s Word says is only a hearer, not a doer who has really trusted in Christ.