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Paul’s Teaching
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James’ Teaching
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You cannot be saved by works
(Ephesians 2:8-9)[/TD]
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You cannot show that you are savedwithout works (James 2:14,18)[/TD]
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How can a person be saved?
By faith alone (Rom. 3:28)[/TD]
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How can a person show that he issaved? How can he “show his faith”?
Only by works (James 2:18)[/TD]
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Faith without works saves
(Romans 3:28)
This is a living faith (saving faith)[/TD]
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Faith without works does not save
(James 2:14)
This is a dead faith (James 2:17,20,26)[/TD]
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Faith alone saves[/TD]
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The faith that saves is not alone[/TD]
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A person is not saved by works
(“works” are rejected by Paul as themeans of salvation: it is wrong to say that aperson must do good works in order to besaved)
These are meritorious works, that is,works done to try to merit or earnsalvation[/TD]
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A saved person will perform good works
(“works” are understood by James to bethe result of salvation: a person doesgood works because he is saved)
These are faith works, that is, works thatspring from a faith that is real and living.[/TD]
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Paul agreed with James
He taught that good works mustaccompany saving faith (Eph. 2:10; Tit.3:8; Gal. 5:6; Phil. 2:11-12).[/TD]
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James agreed with Paul
He taught that a person inherits thekingdom only by faith (James 2:5) andthat Abraham was justified by faith (2:23)[/TD]
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Paul used the example of Abraham whenhe first believed in God (Rom. 4:3 andcompare Genesis 15:6).[/TD]
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James used the example of Abrahamwhen his faith was tested by God, about40 years later (James 2:21 and compareGenesis 22)[/TD]
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The error Paul corrected:
Salvation is by the works of the law (theerror of legalism)[/TD]
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The error that James corrected:
Works are unnecessary after a person issaved (the error of antinomianism)[/TD]
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Paul wrote about how a guilty sinner maybe justified before God.[/TD]
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James wrote about how a believer canshow that his faith is genuine(justification or vindication before men)[/TD]
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At the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 the key issue was that salvation is by gracethrough faith and not by the works of the law. See the error in Acts 15:1 and Peter’sconclusion in Acts 15:9,11. James, who took a lead role in this discussion never voicedany disagreement with Peter or Paul over this crucial matter.[/TD]
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Paul’s perspective: He was viewing theguilty sinner who needed to be right withGod. (The sinner is in view)[/TD]
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James’ perspective: He was viewing thebeliever (or professing believer) whoneeded to demonstrate that his faith wasreal. (The believer is in view)[/TD]
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Paul and James did not contradict each other; but rather they complemented each other. What both menwrote was inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and true. Paul’s focus was on the unsaved man and how he mightget right with God. James’ focus was on the saved person and how he might show his faith and demonstratethe reality of his faith. www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/JamesPau.htm