WILL YOUR FAITH GET TO HEAVEN?
by Jerry Vines
Scripture: EPHESIANS 2:8, GENESIS 1:5, I JOHN 5:7, JAMES 2:14-26, ROMANS 3:28
Will Your Faith Get To Heaven?
Jerry Vines
James 2:14-26
This is the passage that some people believe that James contradicts the Apostle Paul. It certainly seems on the surface that this is true. In Romans 3:28 Paul specifically says that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law. Yet, we are told specifically here in verse 24 by James that it is by works a man is justified and not by faith only. Also Paul uses Abraham as an illustration of how a person is justified by faith before God. Yet, in this same passage of Scripture in verse 21 James specifically uses Abraham as an illustration of how a person is justified by works. On the surface it does seem that there is a contradiction between the two. I think we are going to find that the contradiction is more apparent than real. I hope to prove to you as we move through these verses that James and Paul are not in contradiction with one another but rather they are in agreement.
James and Paul are actually battling opposite enemies. James and Paul are not standing toe to toe battling each other, rather they are standing back to back battling opposite foes. Paul is battling those who say you have to work in order to earn your salvation. On the other hand James is battling those who say that you are saved by faith and it really doesn't matter how you live. What I want to show you is that we have here a beautiful passage on the part of James to show us that a faith which is saving faith, a faith which is of the kind that will get you to heaven is always a faith which manifests itself in works. Paul talks about faith in terms of how the Christian life is begun.
James talks about works and how the Christian life is lived. Paul talks about being justified before God. James talks about being justified before men. Paul is talking about inward experience. James is talking about outward experience. Paul is talking about faith on the believing side. James talks about faith on the behaving side. T ...
Jerry Vines
James 2:14-26
This is the passage that some people believe that James contradicts the Apostle Paul. It certainly seems on the surface that this is true. In Romans 3:28 Paul specifically says that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law. Yet, we are told specifically here in verse 24 by James that it is by works a man is justified and not by faith only. Also Paul uses Abraham as an illustration of how a person is justified by faith before God. Yet, in this same passage of Scripture in verse 21 James specifically uses Abraham as an illustration of how a person is justified by works. On the surface it does seem that there is a contradiction between the two. I think we are going to find that the contradiction is more apparent than real. I hope to prove to you as we move through these verses that James and Paul are not in contradiction with one another but rather they are in agreement.
James and Paul are actually battling opposite enemies. James and Paul are not standing toe to toe battling each other, rather they are standing back to back battling opposite foes. Paul is battling those who say you have to work in order to earn your salvation. On the other hand James is battling those who say that you are saved by faith and it really doesn't matter how you live. What I want to show you is that we have here a beautiful passage on the part of James to show us that a faith which is saving faith, a faith which is of the kind that will get you to heaven is always a faith which manifests itself in works. Paul talks about faith in terms of how the Christian life is begun.
James talks about works and how the Christian life is lived. Paul talks about being justified before God. James talks about being justified before men. Paul is talking about inward experience. James is talking about outward experience. Paul is talking about faith on the believing side. James talks about faith on the behaving side. T ...
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