They are the evidence of a heart that has been and is continually being transformed and renewed by God. It is by God’s grace, a grace we do not deserve, and God’s work that we are saved, not our own.ĭeeds are the outer reflection of this inner transformation. “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” ( Romans 3:22). In no way does James argue that works are the key to our salvation or provide access to God’s grace.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” ( Ezekiel 36:26).The old has gone, the new is here” ( 2 Corinthians 5:17). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.We are transformed and “born again” in the process ( John 3:3). Throughout the New Testament, it is made abundantly clear that it is Christ who saves and by His wounds and “stripes we are healed” ( Isaiah 53:5).īy faith, we accept the power of salvation and forgiveness offered for sins, and in doing so, we learn to submit to the lordship and authority of Jesus Christ. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” ( Ephesians 2:8-9). “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.“to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness” ( Romans 4:5).He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” ( Titus 3:5),
If we believe that James 2:26 promotes works-based salvation, this passage would inherently contradict the writings of Paul and teachings of Jesus, which, thankfully, it does not. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also ( James 2:26).
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