Paul and James: Did They Contradict Each Other?

“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

This is one of the more well known verses in James. James is telling his congregation that faith is good, but faith is dead if you don't show your faith through good works. In verse 21 James says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” You can see here James gives an example, from the bible, of a man showing his faith through his works.

But in Romans Paul seems to completely contradict James by saying in chapter 3 verse 28, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Then Paul continues saying in 4:2-3 , “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” These two verses seem to completely contradict James by saying that Abraham was justified by faith and not works. And if that doesn't seem to contradict James enough, Paul wrote to the Galatians saying, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Okay so now it looks like they contradict each other again. But it's not added works like circumcision that earns God's favor. What will earn it then? “Faith” But what kind of faith? “Faith working through love.” Okay so now we can see that they don't contradict each other. At least as much as we thought.

But how can scripture seemingly contradict each other? It can't. In 2 Timothy it says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2T 3:16) This says that all scripture comes from God. So how could God's own words contradict each other. It also says in John, “and Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35b) So this verse pretty much seals the fact that God's word can not be contradictory. Paul even said, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6)

Reading these two views on faith and works, tells us that they are both equally important. You can't have works without faith and you can't have faith without works.