Are we saved by faith alone through the grace of God, or are we saved by works? Is salvation found in the belief in Jesus and his work on the cross, or do we need to work our way into heaven? These questions have been debated for years, and the Protestant reformation was partly based on a difference with the Catholic Church on this issue.

It’s a debate that still rages on today, and both sides seem to have scripture to back up their positions because even Paul and James had a disagreement when it comes to this theological issue, so who is right? Is Paul right or is James right?

This is not the first question we should be asking, in fact, it is not a question we should be asking at all. After all, these men are two authors of New Testament books of the Bible, and the Bible is inerrant, so this isn’t a question of who is right and who is wrong. Both must be right, so how do we rectify this apparent contradiction?

Let’s take a closer look at the verses which have caused so much debate. First we’ll look at what Paul said:

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Romans 4:5 ESV)

⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5 ESV)

Now let’s look at James:

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? (James 2:14 ESV)

¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:17, 18 ESV)

We seem to have a major conflict between Paul and James, but I think a key to this issue comes from Ephesians 2:8-10:

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Paul is talking about justification before God, and how it is through our faith in Jesus’ work on the cross that we are granted our salvation. All the glory for our salvation belongs to God, the idea that we can get to heaven on our own without God is rather boastful, and it certainly is prideful. But there’s more in those verses, did you notice that little three letter word in verse 10? I’m talking about the word for. “Created in Jesus Christ for good works.”

Paul is saying we are saved for good works, not saved by good works. This is a subtle, but huge, difference. We are saved by our faith, it is all God’s doing, but that doesn’t mean good works shouldn’t follow. Our faith should lead us to do good works, but our salvation is still based on our faith.

Now we need to go back and take another look at James. Notice how James says I will “show” you my faith through my works? Who does this person need to “show” his faith to? Who does this person have to “prove” his faith to? It certainly isn’t the God who knows what is in the hearts of all men.¹ He is talking about justification to other men, not justification before God, while Paul is showing how we are justified before God.

So while we are saved by grace through faith, the natural byproduct of faith is good works. Good works are the visible manifestation of our faith that justifies us before man, but it is faith in Jesus Christ that gives us our salvation. These verses do not contradict each other, they go hand in hand.

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1. 1 Samuel 16:7 ↩︎