Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Apparent Contradiction?

Paul writes in his letter to the Christians at Ephesus, "for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:9). In His letter to the Romans he writes, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God" (Romans 5:1).

Yet James writes, "what dies it profit, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but dies not have works? Can faith save him?" (James 2:14). Do these letters reveal an argument between Paul and James? Do they expose a contradiction in the Bible? It seems like Paul is clearly stating that we are saved by faith only and James is saying we are saved by works.

But that is not the case. James and Paul are both teaching that faith in The Lord Jesus Christ changes you from the inside out. True faith comes first and is immediately followed by works as a natural outcome of faith.

Saying I am a butterfly does not make me one. Mouthing faith does not mean I have faith. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not to excuse them (1John 3:8).