8.60 Justified before God vs. Justified before man

We continue on James chapter 2. Are we justified by faith or are we justified by works? Paul says we are justified by faith. James says we are justified by works. This is an important question. If we are justified by works of the law, then we have to keep the law perfectly in order to attain to righteousness (James 2:10).

The Bible’s position is clear beyond doubt – nobody can be justified by works of the law. Otherwise, Christ would have died in vain (Gal 2:21). That goes against the gospel.

(Rom 3:20)
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

So what is James possibly talking about when he makes a statement (about justification by works) in verse 21 which appears to contradict himself in verse 23 (Abraham justified by faith). In one verse, he contradicts so many other verses throughout the Bible, including the source verse in Gen 15:6. God is not a God of confusion. He does not contradict Himself.

(James 2:21-23)
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

James was talking about works of faith, not works of the law. He was saying that true faith would result in some action which is visible, and which demonstrates the faith, making faith perfect. For example, Abraham’s action of sacrificing Isaac demonstrated his faith in God which already existed.

If someone claims he has faith but there is no visible action before man, then faith did not exist in the first place. God sees faith in our hearts but people can only see our faith demonstrated through our actions.

So James was talking about “justification before man” through “works of faith”, while Paul was talking about “justification before God” through faith. People will know we have faith through our works. People will be blessed by our actions of faith in meeting their needs. Let us read the concern of James in the preceding verses. He was concerned about works of faith which meets the practical needs of other people, and justifies us before man.

(James 2:15-17)
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Let us experience justification by faith in Jesus alone. Then let us demonstrate the existence of that faith by allowing Jesus to work through us to bless others, and to impact lives. Let your faith be demonstrated externally through your actions.