Zone1 New Testament "contradiction"?: Justification before God

[DStar777]

According to Paul, justification (imputed righteousness) before God is by faith apart from works:

(Rom 4:4-6 NASB95) Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

According to James, justification before God is by works and NOT by faith alone:

(Jas 2:20-24 NASB95) But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

So how is a Christian justified before God?
a) By Faith alone
or..
b) by works and NOT faith alone
??

 

[Meriweather]

According to Paul, justification (imputed righteousness) before God is by faith apart from works:

According to James, justification before God is by works and NOT by faith alone:

So how is a Christian justified before God?
a) By Faith alone
or..
b) by works and NOT faith alone
??

What do other verses say? Let's take Paul for example. Here are a handful of verses to consider along with the one you reference:

Romans 5:1-2: Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

Ephesians 2 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

II Cor. 6:1: Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.

St. Paul in Acts 13:43 says “continue in the grace of God”

Romans 2:13-16: For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified… on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:16: Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience which leads to righteousness?

Romans 13:11: For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

I Cor. 5:5: You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.


Perhaps our Baptism can be called our first conversion that starts us our way. But don't we experience additional conversions the more we practice and live our faith? I believe that is called sanctification. It is because of our faith in Jesus that our words and actions that bring about sanctification, and it is in sanctified words and actions that lift us into righteousness. It all starts with faith and moves on from there.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

According to Paul, justification (imputed righteousness) before God is by faith apart from works:

According to James, justification before God is by works and NOT by faith alone:

So how is a Christian justified before God?
a) By Faith alone
or..
b) by works and NOT faith alone
??

Faith, without works, is DEAD

 

[DStar777]

Faith, without works, is DEAD

So you say (no verse quoted).
but I'll go ahead and quote it anyway (doing your homework for you):

(Jas 2:26 NASB95) For just as the body without [the] spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

So all you did was confirm that James stands in opposition to Paul's words on justification by faith APART from works.
The question remains:

how is a Christian justified before God?
a) By Faith alone
or..
b) by works and NOT faith alone
??

 

[Carl in Michigan]

So you say (no verse quoted).

I absolutely quoted a verse. If you don't know this verse you shouldn't be trying to debate me

 

[Carl in Michigan]

So all you did was confirm that James stands in opposition to Paul's words on justification by faith APART from works

There are NO contradictions in Scripture. If they don't seem to fit your understanding, than the problem is YOUR understanding

 

[DStar777]

There are NO contradictions in Scripture.

Are you going to show us why opposing views on justification are not contradictory?
Paul's example is of a ungodly person without works being justified by his faith.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Are you going to show us why opposing views on justification are not contradictory?
Paul's example is of a ungodly person without works being justified by his faith.

They're not opposing. You just decided they are. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, Go and sin no more. That is WORKS. Im not going to spend my lunch hour debating you on this. You have the tools to figure this out if your spirit is right

Common sense should tell you that if the Scripture is inspired by God, there can be no contradictions. The problem is your understanding

 

[Meriweather]

Are you going to show us why opposing views on justification are not contradictory?
Paul's example is of a ungodly person without works being justified by his faith.

Perhaps Romans 4:13 will clarify this for you. Read it carefully, especially the part that is in bold.

It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.

Our faith is actively following the Way of Christ, being an active disciple of Christ, following actively in his steps.