Why Will "Works" Save Us?

Paul wrote, "By grace are ye saved through faith...NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast" (Eph.2:8-9). But James wrote, "BY WORKS a man is justified, and not by faith only" (Jam.2:24).

Again, James says: "Faith without works is dead...Was not Abraham justified by works?" (Jam.2:20-21), while Paul argued, "If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory...but to him that worketh not, but believeth on [God], his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom.4:2,5).

How could both these apostles be correct, when one was saying "not of works", while the other said, "by works"? This has been a puzzling enigma for many throughout history. However the mystery is solved, and the perfect harmony of their teachings is seen, once we realize that Paul and James were speaking of different kinds of works. In the books of the new testament, there are many kinds of works listed: "good works", "works of Abraham", "works of God", "works of repentance", "works of men's hands", "works of the flesh", "works of the devil", and so on.

When "works" is mentioned in our Bible, we must be careful to make certain what kind of works the writer is referring to, so that we do not misunderstand the meaning; the end result of our error being confusion, and even damnation in some cases. When the apostle Paul taught on "works", he was most often referring to the works of the Mosaic Law.

Paul held that the "works of the Law were good and holy: "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom.7:12). Jesus too, showed great respect and deep love for the Law, and he told his disciples to do the same. Unfortunately, his devotion to the Law sometimes caused conflict with traditions that had developed in Israel, and for that he was despised and hated; on the other hand, Jesus never despised the traditions if they did not conflict with Moses' Law. When forced to choose between obeying the laws of Moses, or the traditions of the elders, he always chose to obey the Law, and in the end was killed, that being one of the chief reasons.

Paul knew that Christ came to fulfill the "works of the Law" which spake of him. Because Christ fulfilled the law, Paul taught that it was pointless to continue to perform ceremonies and rituals that pointed to a messiah that had already come. This is what Paul was speaking of when he said to Gentile believers, who had already received the holy Ghost and been cleansed of their sins by Jesus: "A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ...for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Gal.2:16) . For this reason the works (the ceremonial deeds of the Mosaic Law) are now called: "dead works" (Heb.6:1, 9:14). Circumcision, animal sacrifices, the priesthood, the temple worship, had all been done away with. The way of Christ is a new and living way, not a way of symbols and ceremonies. This means that only the blood of Christ secures atonement for sin (Heb.9:12); only Jesus's baptism (of the Spirit) cleanses us (Eh.4:5); only his intercession avails upon the Father for our mercy (T.2:5). As the writer of Hebrews states it: "For the Law having a shadow of good things to come... can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year, continually, make the comers thereunto perfect...And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man [Jesus], after he offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God....For by one offering hath he perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the holy Ghost is a witness to us..." (Heb.10).

James does not contradict Paul, because he was not referring to the works of the Law. The "works" of James' letter are the "good works", the "moral deeds" of obedience to God. James knew as well as Paul knew, that performing ceremonies would now justify no one. James was reminding the saints that man's eternal destination will be determined by his behavior, or "works" in this life. Only by holy living will anyone ever be saved in the end! (He.12:14).

Every voice that God has used from the beginning of the world to this moment, has warned us that how men live will determine where they spend eternity: "All that are in the graves shall come forth, they that have DONE GOOD, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have DONE EVIL, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28- 29). Every account of the final judgment is an account of men being judged on the basis of their deeds. John, exiled to the isle of Pathos, saw this final moment of judgment so clearly in his book of Revelation: "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, And there were judged every man according to their WORKS" , and again: "and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their WORKS".

Paul, the man who wrote "by grace are ye saved through faith...not of works", also wrote: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2.Car.5:10).

In conclusion, while Paul taught that performing symbolic, ceremonial works of the Law means nothing, he strongly insisted that doing good works is essential for salvation, and that eternal life will only be given to those who "by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality".

Now you see, friends, how it is that Paul and James were in perfect accord in their doctrines. Paul was correct in saying that we cannot be saved by (symbolic) works, and James was correct in saying that we cannot be saved without (good and moral) works. They both would have given the other a hearty "Amen". So may we.

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