Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Is there any contradiction between the opinions of Paul and James on this matter? The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 2:8 says that faith is required and, as we have seen, in verse 10, good works are also required. James, in the second chapter of his epistle, says that faith and works are inseparable:
“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (verse 17)
“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (verse 20)
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (verse 26)
The Revised Standard Version translates James 2:20 : “Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?”. Spiritually, active faith and active works are both required conditions to reproduce godly, spiritual life in us. In both cases, life, whether spiritual or physical, is a gift of God, the Creator and Life-giver. If either condition is absent or inactive, barrenness or lack of new life results.
The Greek word James uses for “barren” is “argos” (instead of nekra, “dead,” as in verses 17 and 26), meaning “lazy,” “unproductive,” “unprofitable,” “idle,” “ineffective.” Its literal meaning is “no work” [a (negative) + ergon (work)]! The word picture that develops is of an area of land that receives plenty of sunshine but too little rain, and hence, it is barren, desolate. Such a land cannot be worked because it will not produce anything profitable. In the same way, a person having only faith will produce nothing profitable; he needs a steady “rain” of work to grow and mature.
So there is no contradiction. Faith is required. Works are required. Works toward God are to do His will and His work and, yes, to obey His laws. Works toward our neighbors are to serve them and to do good for them. Doing them promotes growth of godly character and provides a shining example of true Christian living.
Faith without works is dead. Through God’s grace we are saved through Faith.
