Off-Cuts: James 2:14-26
“A Hollow Creed”
James 2:14-26
Questions
Quotes &
Citations
Not all of a pastor’s research can make it into a message. But sometimes there’s some value left to be found on the sermon cutting room floor. So here’s a few exegetical “off-cuts” from last Sunday’s message. You never know, you just may find a piece that helps it all fit together.
Do Paul and James use “to declare righteous” (δικαιόω) in the same way?
Since Paul views God’s justifying action in close connection with the power of Christ’s resurrection, there is sometimes no clear distinction between the justifying action of acquittal and the gift of new life through the Holy Spirit as God’s activity in promoting uprightness in believers. Passages of this nature include Ro 3:26, 30; 4:5 (on δικαιοῦν τὸν ἀσεβῆ cp. the warning against accepting δῶρα to arrange acquittal Ex 23:7 and Is 5:23; δικαιούμενοι δωρεάν Ro 3:24 is therefore all the more pointed); 8:30, 33 (Is 50:8); Gal 3:8; Dg 9:5.
— BDAG, “δικαιόω“, A Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.Do Paul and James contradict each other on salvation by faith “alone”?
By works Paul means the “works of the law” that had salvific value for many Jews, while James means the good works that are exhibited in the Christian life. There is no true antithesis; Paul and James are not in conflict.
— Osborne, Grant R. “James.” In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, edited by Philip W. Comfort, 58. CBC. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011.How are the writings of Paul and James consistent with each other?
Let me note three areas where the two can be reconciled: (1) Paul is concerned with the issue of regeneration, James with the issue of sanctification; Paul with how a person is saved, James with how a person lives out their salvation. (2) For Paul justification refers to that moment when God declares a person right with him, while for James it refers to God vindicating a person’s faith and showing it to be right with him, leading to the final vindication at the Last Judgment. (3) Paul fights against the “works of the law,” i.e., following its stipulations as a means of being justified, while James fights for the good works that result from salvation. To put Paul and James together, works cannot bring about justification, but works must result from justification.
— Osborne, Grant R., CBC, p.65.Isn’t “faith” simply saying what we believe?
What makes faith real? Can we be sure that our faith is a saving faith? Faith can be such a vague word. Many people would say: ‘Oh, I’m a great believer’— but all it amounts to is a wishful thought that in fact everything turns out for the best and that it will do so if only one believes it! James is far too practical— and far too concerned for us—to leave things like that.
— Motyer, J. A. The Message of James: The Tests of Faith. The Bible Speaks Today. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985.Is James proposing another way of salvation, i.e. salvation = faith + works?
[James] approaches them with his challenging question, not because he would propose a different way of salvation, but because he would have them understand what ‘by faith alone’ really means.
— Motyer, J. A.What is James trying to teach us about saving faith?
The life of faith is more than a private (long past) transaction of the heart with God. It is the life of active consecration seen in the obedience which holds nothing back from God, and the concern which holds nothing back from human need.
— Motyer, J.A.
If you want to see a full selection of my “clippings” from this message, you can download a PDF of that document by clicking this link: James 2.14-26 - Clippings
“A faith with no results is a demonic and bare affirmation.”