2.Lewis Sperry Chafer, The Spiritual Man (Grand Rapids, MI: Editorial
God" (Rom. 8:18, 19). The final stage of our salvation is guaranteed: "Those whom he justified, these he also glorified" (8:30); "For it is necessary that this corruptible may be clothed with incorruption, and that this mortal may be dress of immortality... But thanks to God, who gives us the victory through through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:53, 57); "For those who we are in this store moaning overwhelmed, because we wouldn't want to be undressed but overdressed, so that the mortal may be absorbed by life For our citizenship is in heaven, from where also we eagerly await our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform our body of humiliation so that it may be conformed to the same shape as his body of glory" (Phil. 3:20, 21). We have a hope of victory!
For now, however, the battle continues. Complete liberation awaits. for glorification, for victory here and now is only possible step by step step, while we cause the works of the body to die by the power of the Holy Spirit: 'Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you:' sexual immorality, impurity, base passions, evil desires, and greed, which it is idolatry" (Col. 3:5); "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Rom. 8:13 It is inevitable that we feel frustrated by our inability to to experience holiness to the extent that we would desire. That is the inevitable experience of every true saint of God: because of our flesh in in this life, we can never reach the level of holiness that we aspire to We, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves ourselves waiting for the adoption as children, the redemption of our body," Rom. 8:23), but this hope only manages to kindle our aspirations of holiness.
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what ... we will be. But we know that when he is manifested, we will be like he because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in He purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:2, 3).
1. J. I. Packer, Hot Tub Religion (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1987), 172.
2.Lewis Sperry Chafer, The Spiritual Man (Grand Rapids, MI: Editorial Spokesman, 1973). In The Gospel According to Jesus Christ I described Chafer's book
and B. B. Warfield's critique on the matter. Warfield's article in The Princeton Theological Review (April 1919), 322-27, was full of appropriate reasoning and biblical reflections and it seemed as if it were a modern critique of the theology of the denial of lordship. If Chafer and those who they would have seriously debated with Warfield about these themes, perhaps 20th century American evangelicalism would have spared much confusion and false teachings.
3.The best commentators of all times in the Church have applied almost invariably Romans 7 to mature believers. With some rare notable exceptions, the commentators who have not adopted this thesis have been the Romanists, the Socinians, and the Arminians. Against they align with the judgment of the vast majority of the reformers, of almost all the Puritans and the best modern evangelical theologians. But, if Well, I do not ask anyone to call the reformers and the Puritans 'masters', I do ask my readers to read what they say about it and to try refute their arguments if you can. This hasn't been done yet! ...let's remember that there is a great fact that we cannot overlook: on one hand there are the opinions and the interpretation of the reformers and the puritans and on the other hand the opinions and the interpretation of the Romanists, the Socinians and the Arminians. Let us understand this clearly" J. C. Ryle, Holiness: its nature, obstacles, difficulties, and roots (Moral de Calatrava, City Real: Peregrino, 2013), Introduction, point 4.
4.Ryle, Holiness, chapter 2, point 3.
Chapter 9
THE FAITH THAT WORKS
Sanctification is, therefore, the invariable result of that vital union with Christ that provides genuine faith to the Christian. 'He who abides in me, and I in him, he' it bears much fruit" (John 15:5). The branch that does not bear fruit is not a branch. I live by the vine. The union with Christ that does not produce an effect in the heart and in the life is nothing more than a mere formal union devoid of value before God. The faith that it does not have a sanctifying influence on character is no better than the faith of the demons. It is a "dead faith because it is alone." It is not the gift of God, it is not faith. of the chosen ones of God. In summary, where life is not sanctified, it does not exist. a true faith in Christ. True faith works through love. It constrains to a man to live for the Lord from a deep sense of gratitude for the redemption. It makes him feel that he can never do enough for the one who died for He. Having been forgiven much, loves much. He who has been cleansed by the blood, walk in the light. He who has a living and genuine hope in Christ, is purify yourself just as he is pure (James 2:17-20; Titus 1:1; Galatians 5:6; 1 John 1:7; 3:3.
1 J.C.RYLE
A treaty written by the most extreme defenders of salvation that the lordship denies trying to explain redemption: 'Even by doing the best, you will never be able to earn or deserve a relationship with God. Only the object In your faith, Jesus Christ, count on the merits." I agree with this. porque es la enseñanza clara de las Escrituras (Tito 3:5-7).
However, the same treaty also says: 'Your personal sins do not they are a problem for God." When the author tries to explain faith practical terms, says the following: "You respond to God the Father simply forming intimately in your mind the words 'I believe in Christ . 2
All of this leads to the concept that faith is little more than a strategy. mental. The 'faith' described in that treatise is little more than a quick nodding with the head, a basic intellectual assent.
As I pointed out in chapter 3, many apologists lament being accused of reduce faith to a mere mental attitude. Dr. Ryrie, for example, does it. qualifies as a misleading argument:
Being convinced of something or placing trust in the gospel could hardly to say that it consists of its casual acceptance. When a person grants credit to the historical facts that Christ died and rose from the dead, and to doctrinal fact that this happened because of their sins, is trusting their fate eternal to the reliability of those truths... Don't be mistaken: the people who deny the gentleman says what [this] misrepresentation... claims to state (USTG).
However, many of the defenders of the denial of lordship say precisely what Ryrie denies they say. Zane Hodges, for example, it practically concedes that 'intellectual assent' is a description suitable for your concept of faith and although it makes them uncomfortable the "harmful connotations" of the phrase, stubbornly defends his point. Hodges points out that feelings simply mean 'agreement' "significant" and suggests that the negative nuance is caused by the words. mentalintellectual, which, despite meaning 'nothing more than 'of intellect or belonging to it'", according to him, it is often assumed that they imply indifference and lack of personal interest (CL). In this context we can completely discard the words mental or intellectual." Hodges adds: "The The Bible knows nothing about an intellectual faith compared to any other. type of faith (for example, emotional or volitional). What the Bible recognizes is the logical differentiation between faith and disbelief!" (CL).
How does Hodges describe faith? 'Faith, in biblical language, is receiving the testimony of God. It is the inner conviction that what God tells us in the gospel is true. That (and only that) is saving faith in the original) . 3 Is that an adequate characterization of what it means to believe? Is faith a passive thing? Is it true that people intuitively know if their faith is authentic? Do all truly saved people have a absolute security? Could it not happen that someone is deceived and thinks What is a believer when they are not really one? Can a person think What is belief but actually not doing it? Does something like false faith exist or not?
The Bible answers these questions directly and repeatedly. The Apostles they saw the falsification of faith as a real danger, hence many of the
epistles, although they were addressed to different churches, contained warnings that reveal their concern for the members of the congregation suspects of not being authentic believers. Paul, for example, He wrote to the church in Corinth: "Examine yourselves to see if they stand firm in the faith; test yourselves. Or do you not know regarding you yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are already "reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5). Peter said: "Therefore, brothers, strive even with more effort to make his call and election firm, because by doing this things will never stumble" (2 Peter 1:10).
Evidently, there were some people in the primitive church who they were flirting with the concept that faith could be some kind of static, inert, and inanimate assent to the facts The book of James 4 (probably the oldest epistle of the New Testament) confronts specifically this error and it almost seems as if the apostle were writing to the defenders of the denial of lordship of the 20th century, since it says that people can be deceived and led to believe they believe when in reality they do not, and that the only factor that distinguishes false faith the true one is the just behavior produced by authentic faith.
These are the questions that the debate about the lordship must address, more than anything else. Responder: Is it enough to know, understand, and agree with the facts of gospel until having the 'internal conviction' that these truths have been given to me they apply personally, but without avoiding sin or submitting to the Lord Jesus? Is eternal life guaranteed to the person who expresses this type of Conviction? Does such a hope constitute faith as referred to in the Bible? at the end?
Santiago explicitly teaches that no, for according to him true faith It will undoubtedly produce correct behavior and the true character of faith. salvadora can be examined in light of the believer's works, which is consistent with the soteriology of the Old and New Testament: one receive salvation by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8, 9), which is, by nature, inclined and toned towards obedience (Acts 5:32; Rom. 1:5; 2:8; 16:26), so that good works are inevitable in the life of that really believes; these works do not influence in any way for the a person receives salvation (Eph. 2:9; Rom. 3:20, 24; 4:5; Titus 3:5), but they show that salvation is actually present (Eph. 2:10; 5:9; 1 Jn. 2:5).
It is evident that one thing is faith and another is THE FAITH, wrote Roy Aldrich in
reference to Santiago 2. "There is nominal faith and authentic faith, faith intellectual and the faith of the heart, sensual faith and spiritual faith, dead faith and the It is vital. There is traditional faith, which may not be enough to transform faith. personal. Existe una fe que podría ser elogiada por su ortodoxia, pero que perhaps it has no more value for salvation than the faith of demons . 5 Santiago attacks all types of "faith" that do not meet the requirements. biblical. What other people and I myself have sometimes referred to as 'mental conformity' or 'intellectual assent', Santiago it characterizes as only hearing, empty profession, demonic orthodoxy and faith dead.
Only listeners?
Santiago wrote, 'But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.' deceiving yourselves" (1:22), but used a noun to "makers of the word" or "workers of the word" (poietai) instead of a direct imperative ('make the word'). It is describing a behavior. a characteristic and not an occasional activity: one thing is to fight, but another is very much Being a soldier is different; one thing is to build a stable, but to be a builder. It's something different. Santiago is not only challenging his readers to do the Word, but it is telling them that true Christians are doers of the Word, which describes the basic disposition of those who screen to receive salvation.
Listening is important, as James has emphasized in 1:19-21. Although faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17), true faith must be something more. that merely listening is because hearing is the means and not the end (which is faith, that resulting in obedience.
True believers cannot be just listeners. The word Greek for "hearer" (v. 22) esakroates, a term used to describe a the students who participated as listeners in a class: one listener per the general is dedicated to listening to the classes, but he is allowed to consider the tasks and exams as optional. Nowadays, there are many people in the church that addresses spiritual truth with the mindset of a listener, receiving the Word of God passively. However, the point of Santiago (clarified by its illustrations of verses 23 to 27) for merely hearing the Word of God results in vain religion (v. 26); in
In other words, merely hearing is no better than disbelief or rejection. directly and, in fact, it is worse! The mere listener is enlightened but not regenerated. Santiago is reiterating the truth that there probably is heard firsthand from the Lord Himself, for Jesus warned severely against the error of listening without doing (Matt. 7:21-27), just as it the apostle Paul also did (Rom. 2:13-25).
Santiago says that listening without obeying is self-deception (v. 22). The The Greek term for 'deceive' (paralogizomai) means 'to reason against' (something or someone)" and refers to a twisted logic: those who believe that just listening to the Word without obeying makes a terrible mistake of calculation and they are deceiving themselves. Robert Johnstone wrote:
Even knowing that the study of divine truth (through reading the Bible, on the participation of public ordinances of grace and other things) it is a very important duty (it is, in fact, the path that leads to the gates of eternal life), is allowed through man's natural aversion towards all true spirituality, being persuaded by the evil one that this is the sum of all Christian duties and the door to life itself, in such a way that enter into mere hearing and for them everything is fine. To rest satisfied with the means of grace without submitting our hearts to its power as such to Receiving grace and displaying its works in our lives is such an obvious deception. like that of a worker who had to settle for having tools without to use them, a madness of the same kind as that of the man dying of hunger should rejoice for having bread in their hands but without eating from it, but a deception and a madness as immeasurable as these, according to the "work of "God" (John 6:29) transcends in importance the work of an earthly craftsman, and the "life with Christ in God", finite existence on earth . 6
Santiago presented two illustrations that contrast mere listeners with the obedient listeners.
The mirror
For when someone hears the word and does not do it, this is similar to the man who sees his natural face in a mirror. He looks at himself the same and leaves, and soon forgets what it was like. But the one who lends pay attention to the perfect law of freedom and persevere in it without being a listener forgetful but doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does (1:23-25)
"No maker" is literally someone who does not make, someone with a disposition to listen but not to do. In contrast to what some claim commentators, "look... in a mirror" does not describe a rushed glance or casual, well that verb (katanoeō) means 'to look carefully,' carefully, observing": the man carefully studies his face and gets familiar with its features; listens to the Word, seemingly not for a moment if not for long, in order to understand what he hears; he knows what God expects of him. The absence of response cannot be attributed to the lack of understanding What Santiago wants to point out is not that 7 this man has not looked at the time long enough or with enough attention or sincerity, but instead turned around without doing anything and "right away forget how it was" (v. 24). This passage reminds us of the grounds unproductive ones from Matthew 13, where the person who listens to the Word does not have the appropriate heartfelt response and that is why what has been sown cannot to bear fruit.
The teaching is double. First, Santiago is illustrating the urgency of actively obey the Word. If you do not confront what you see when you are in front of the mirror, then you will forget about it: on Monday morning you will have forgotten the impact of Sunday's sermon; the readings of this morning They could be vague memories this afternoon. If you do not carry out the actions. necessary while God is convincing your heart, it is likely that not you manage to do it because the image reflected in the mirror of the Word of God will soon disappear.
Second, and more deliberately, Santiago is illustrating it completely. the uselessness of the passive reception of the Word. Verse 21 was speaking of how we must receive the Word: "Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and the overflow of wickedness, receive with meekness the word implanted which can save your life." The conjunction but at the beginning of the Verse 22 is equivalent to this now, which implies that what it continues not as a contrast but as an expansion of the mandate in verse 21. In other words, Santiago is saying that it is wonderful that we are receptive to the Word (listening with approval and being in agreement), but that is not enough: we must receive her as those who are going to be doers, because non-doers are not true believers.
Santiago provides a contrasted example. This is the effective doer: "The one who pay attention to the perfect law of liberty and persevere in it without being a hearer
forgetful but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does (1:25). The word translated as "pay attention" is esparakuptō, the same used in John 20:5 to describe how John leaned in to look inside the empty tomb of Jesus, which also appears in 1 Peter 1:12 when speaking about the angels who long to contemplate the things related to the gospel. This the word refers to a deep and captivating gaze, like when someone leans in to look closer. Hiebert says that parakupto 'represents a a man bent over the mirror on a table to examine more detailed what is being revealed to him there What is implied is a 8 anhelo por comprender razones que van más allá de lo académico.
This is a description of the true believer, who, unlike the mere listener, "he leaned before the mirror and impressed by what he saw, he continued looking and obeying his precepts. This characteristic marks his difference. crucial with the other man This man is looking at "the perfect law of the 9 "freedom" (v. 25), which refers to the gospel in its most complete sense: the complete counsel of God, the implanted word that saves (v. 21). Burdick escribe:
It is not just about the law of the Old Testament, nor about the law Mosaic law has been perverted to become a legalistic system in order to earning salvation through good works. When James calls it "the the perfect law" what is in mind is the total sum of God's revealed truth: not only the preliminary portion found in the Old Testament, but also the final revelation realized through Christ and his Apostles that it would soon become part of the New Testament. Thus, it is complete, unlike of what is preliminary and preparatory. It is also "the law of freedom" (according to the expression in Greek), according to which James refers to not enslaving. It is not not mandatory due to external compulsion, but rather, on the contrary, it is accepted freely and fulfilled with joyful devotion under the training of the Spirit of God (Gal. 5:22, 23) . 10
Santiago is not speaking of the law in contrast to the gospel. "The perfect law of freedom" is the implanted Word (v. 21), so those who they understand that expression as something different from the gospel they are not understanding what Santiago refers to, who when describing the man who looks at the Word, which continues in it and which is blessed, is representing the effects of true conversion . 11 Does this mean that believers are doers of the Word? Yes. And that
Do they always put the Word into practice? No. If that were the case, the task of a pastor... It would be relatively easy. Believers fail, and sometimes they do so in terrible way, but even in those cases true believers will not give up suddenly having the disposition and motivation of the doer. Santiago, so, present these words as a reminder for the true ones believers (the "doer of the work", v. 25), in addition to as a challenge for the non-believers who have identified with the truth but are not obedient to her (the "forgetful listeners").
The unbridled tongue
Santiago continues to illustrate the deceptive nature of listening without obeying: If anyone seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, the religion of such is vain. The pure and undefiled religion before This is the true religion of God and Father: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, "and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (1:26, 27).
The word translated as "religious" in verse 26 esthrēskos, a word often used as a reference to ceremonial worship in public: it is the word that Josephus used, for example, when he described the temple worship; thrēskeia ('religion', vv. 26, 27) is the same word what Paul used in Acts 26:5 to refer to the tradition of the Pharisees. This term emphasizes external ceremonies, ritual, liturgy, etc., things which, according to Santiago, are meaningless when they occur separately from the meaningful obedience.
We all struggle with the control of our tongues. It was Santiago who He wrote: 'For we all offend in many things. If any man offend not...' word, this is a whole man, also capable of stopping the whole body (3:2). However, the tongue of this man is like a runaway horse. to the one who gives free rein while deceiving his own heart (1:26). It is not being facing a transient slip in controlling your tongue, but rather it is seen dominated by a pattern that characterizes its very nature. Although it professes being religious, their character does not match what they say and despite considering themselves Just, he is mistaken about the effectiveness of his own religion.
Despite this man's external religion, his tongue constantly unbridled and out of control reveals a deceived heart and impious, because "what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart" (Matt. 15:18); "The
A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things; and the man bad, from the bad treasure of his heart presents the bad. For out of the abundance the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45). Our Lord warned: "Because by your words will be justified and by your words you will be condemned 12:37 Kistemaker emphasizes the importance of the expression 'deceives his heart':
This is the third time that Santiago tells the readers that they should not deceive themselves themselves (1:16, 22, 26). As a good shepherd, he fully realizes that there is a false religion that is nothing more than an external formality. Know that much people only pretend to serve God, but their tongue betrays them. Their religion has a hollow sound. And even though these people may not realize it, through their words and actions —or the lack of them— deceive themselves. Their the heart is not in the right relationship either with God or with its neighbor, and its effort
By hiding this lack of love, it only increases her self-deception. Her religion is vain. . 12
This vain religion is the opposite of true religion, which is 'pure and uncontaminated before God and Father... to care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (v. 27). James is not trying to define religion, but to establish a concrete illustration of it principle with which it began: true religion involves more than mere to hear, so that true saving faith will inevitably produce the fruit of good works.
Empty profession
The first thirteen verses of James 2 continue to develop the Santiago's argument that believers are by disposition doers of the Word, not mere hearers, besides confronting the problem of favoritism, which had evidently arisen in the church or churches to which I was writing. Keeping in mind that this is the context, we move on to James 2:14, where after warning his readers that they would be judged for his impious and merciless behavior (v. 13), James focus on the essential issue: their apparent confusion regarding what faith is an inert ingredient in the formula of salvation. Its challenge could not be clearer
My brothers, if anyone says he has faith and does not have works, what good is it?
Can your faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and you... falta la comida diaria, y alguno de ustedes les dice: "Vayan en paz, caliéntense y "they are removed" but it does not give them what they need for the body, what is the use? Thus also the... faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. However, someone will say: 'You tienes fe, y yo tengo obras". ¡Muéstrame tu fe sin tus obras, y yo te mostraré mi fe by my works! You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe And they tremble. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith without works is dead? Do you not? It was justified by the works of our father Abraham, when he offered his son Isaac. About the altar? You can see that faith was working together with their works and that faith it was completed by the works. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says: And he believed Abraham to God, and it was credited to him as righteousness; and he was called a friend of God. You can see, then, that a person is justified by works and not solely by faith. In the same way, was not the prostitute Rahab also justified by her works? When did he receive the messengers and send them by another way? Because just as the A body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
JAMES 2:14-26 (ADDED EMPHASIS)
Santiago repeats his thesis in this passage at least five times (vv. 14, 17, 20, 24, 26): passive faith is not an effective faith, but a frontal attack against the empty profession of those whose hope is in an inactive faith.
Reicke writes: "It should be noted that the discussion is about a person who The only thing he does is say that he has faith, although that person's faith is not real. because it is not manifested in his actions. The author has no problems with faith in itself, but with the superficial conception of it, which reduces it to being a formal concession, and wishes to point out that a Christianity of mere works do not lead to salvation Likewise, Cranfield observes: 'The 13 the key to understanding this passage is the often ignored fact that in verse 14, the author did not say 'if anyone has faith' but 'if anyone says he has faith. We should allow that fact to control our interpretation of the whole paragraph... The burden of this passage is not (as many times it is assumed that we are saved by faith plus works, but rather that we are saved by genuine faith, as opposed to false faith . 14 Santiago cannot be teaching that salvation is earned through the works, for he has already described salvation as a 'good gift' and a "don perfecto" que nos fue entregada cuando "Por su propia voluntad, él [God] made us be born by the word of truth so that we would be like first fruits of their creatures" (1:17, 18). Faith is an integral part of that gift perfect that is granted supernaturally by God, not conceived
independently in the mind or will of the individual believer.
As we observed in chapter 3, faith is not a nostalgic. nostalgia, a blind trust or not even an 'inner conviction', but a supernatural certainty, an understanding of spiritual realities 'that eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, are the what God has prepared for those who love Him. But to us God has revealed them revealed by the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the things profundas de Dios" (1 Cor. 2:9, 10). La fe es un don de Dios, no algo conjured by human effort, so that no one may boast, not even by his faith (cf. Eph. 2:8, 9).
The verbs in the phrase "if anyone says he has faith and does not have works" (v. 14) they are in the present and describe the person who routinely claims to be believer, but nevertheless continually lacks all external evidence of his faith. The question 'Can his faith save him?' uses the Greek particle negativeme, which indicates that a negative response is assumed, and it could be literally translated as 'Faith cannot save you, right?': James, like the apostle John, questions the authenticity of a profession of faith that does not produce fruits (cf. 1 Jn. 2:4, 6, 9). The context indicates that the 'works' of the what speaks is not the person's attempt to gain eternal life, but acts of compassion (v. 15).
Faith in this context is, evidently, the faith that saves (v. 1). James he is talking about eternal salvation. In 1:21 he has referred to "the word "implanted which can save your life" and here you have it in mind the same salvation. It is not discussing whether faith can save; on the contrary, it opposes the the concept that faith can be a passive and sterile intellectual exercise and still thus save. Where there are no works, we must assume that faith does not exist either, something As for this, Santiago limits himself to reflecting on Jesus, who said: 'By their' you will recognize them by their fruits. For do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? thorns? Likewise, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the rotten tree A bad tree produces bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can it... a rotten tree cannot bear good fruits" (Matt. 7:16-18). Without works, there is no faith, for the Authentic faith inevitably produces works of faith.
In this regard, even Charles Ryrie seems to defend the 'salvation' of lordship
Can an unproductive, dead, spurious faith save a person? Santiago no
it is saying that we are saved by works, but rather that a faith that does not produce good works works is a dead faith...
An unproductive faith cannot save because it is not a genuine faith. Faith and works they can be compared to a voucher, coupon, bill or "ticket" to heaven, printed on two halves with a hole in the center. The coupon part belonging to the works is useless, it is not good, for the journey to heaven, but the part what corresponds to faith is not valid if it is torn from that which belongs to the works . 15
Santiago presents below an illustration in which he compares faith without works with hypocritical compassion, with words without action: 'If a brother or a sister are naked and lack daily food, and one of them you say to them: 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled' but you do not give them what is needed necessary for the body, what good is it?" (2:15, 16). The faith of a false the profession is equally useless: "So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead in herself" (v. 17).
Santiago concludes with a challenge for people whose profession of faith is under suspicion: 'However, someone will say: 'You have faith, and I have works'. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works! (v. 18). Commentators do not agree on whether "anyone" is it refers to an objector nor how much of the following discourse should be attributed to them. this "someone" in opposition to Santiago himself Regardless of the 16 the way we read it, the main point that Santiago is clarifying is This: the only possible evidence of faith is works. How can someone Show your faith if you have no works? It cannot be done.
Barnes summarizes the meaning of this passage:
Santiago was not questioning genuine and authentic faith or its importance in the justification, but rather the assumption that mere faith was the only thing necessary for to save a man, whether or not accompanied by good deeds. What he affirms genuine faith will always be accompanied by good works and that only faith it can justify and save. If it does not lead to a life of practical holiness... it lacks all value . 17
Demonic Orthodox
Santiago continues his assault on passive faith with this striking statement: You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe and
"tremble" (v. 19).
Orthodox doctrine by itself is not evidence of salvation by faith. Well, the demons affirm that God is one and tremble at the implications. of that truth, but they are not redeemed. Matthew 8:29 speaks of a group of demons that recognized Jesus as the Son of God and even manifested fear. Demons often recognize the existence and authority of Christ (Matt. 8:29, 30; Mark 5:7), his deity (Luke 4:41) and even his resurrection (Acts 19:15), but their devilish nature does not change due to what they know and screen. Her fearful assertion of orthodox doctrine is not the same as the savior faith.
Santiago implies that demonic faith is greater than fraudulent faith of false teaching, because the faith of demons produces fear, while For the people who are not saved, 'there is no fear before their eyes' (Rom. 3:18). If the demons believe, tremble, and are not saved, what can we say of those who profess to believe and do not even tremble? (cf. Isa. 66:2, 5) . 18 The Puritan Thomas Manton perfectly summarizes the subtle nature deceptive of the sterile orthodoxy that constitutes demonic faith:
It is a simple empty assent to things such as those proposed in the Word. of God, who allows men to know more but without being better, more holy or more heavenly. Those who have it believe in the promises, the doctrines and the precepts, in addition to the stories... but still, it is not the living faith that saves, because the one who has it finds that their heart is committed to Christ and believes both in the promises of the gospel related to the forgiveness of their sins that the search for your happiness; believe so much in the mysteries of our redemption by the means of Christ that all his hope, peace, and trust come from it; and believes both in threats, whether from temporary plagues or eternal curses, that in compared to them all the intimidating things in the world are like nothing . 19
Faith dead
Santiago pronounces his strongest reprimand so far: "But, do you want Know, vain man, that faith without works is dead? of 'vain', in the sense of 'empty, defective', as it refers to a person hollow because it lacks living faith: his confession of faith is a fraud and his faith it's pure pretending.
'Do you want to know?' (theleis gnonai), implies a lack of willingness on the part of the objector to confront the issue. This lack of
the willingness to accept the revealed truth is not due to the ambiguity of the subject but to your resistance to recognize the truth. The infinitive of aorist translated as 'to know' can also mean 'to recognize' or 'to assume' and requires an act of recognition from the objector, whose refusal to to do so would imply an inner perversion in his will . 20 In verse 20, both 'faith' and 'works' carry definite articles. Greek ("faith without works"). "Dead" is argē, which means "sterile," "unproductive" and whose meaning seems to be that it is unproductive for the salvation. Although other versions translate it as "sterile" or "useless", "dead" is undoubtedly the appropriate meaning here (cf. vv. 17, 26), for dead orthodoxy has no power to save and could even be an obstacle for true and living faith. So James does not contrast the two methods of salvation (faith and works), but rather two types of faith: one that save and another that does not.
The Apostle is simply confirming the truth stated in 1 John 3:710:
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who Practicing sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested: to undo the works of the devil. Everyone who Whoever is born of God does not practice sin because the seed of God remains. in him, and he cannot continue to sin because he has been born of God. In this is revealed the children of God and the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.
Just behavior is an inevitable result of spiritual life, for such faith that does not produce this behavior is dead.
To not extend ourselves too much, we must move on without examining look for examples of living faith in the lives of Abraham and Rahab (2:21-25) . 21 However, what follows is a summarized statement of the teaching of Santiago in this passage: both Abraham and Rahab, despite coming from opposite extremes of the social and religious spectrum, had an attitude of willingness to sacrifice what is most important to them for the sake of their faith, and that Submission was the test of the authenticity of both their faith.
The most serious problem posed by these verses is the question of meaning of verse 24: "You can see, then, that a man is justified by works and not only by faith." There are those who imagine that this
it contradicts what Paul says in Romans 3:28: "So we consider that the man is justified by faith without the works of the law." John Calvin explained this apparent difficulty:
It is clearly seen that [Santiago] speaks of the declaration and manifestation of the justice, and not from the accusation; as if to say: those who are just by the true faith, and prove your justice with obedience and good works, and not with a false and dreamed appearance of faith. In summary: he does not discuss the reason why we are justified, but rather asks the faithful for a justice that is not idle, that manifest in the works. And just as Saint Paul seeks to prove that men they are justified without any help from works, in the same way in this place Santiago denies that those who are considered righteous do not do good works... And Thus, no matter how much they twist and turn Santiago's words, they will not be able to conclude another thing than these two statements: that the vain imagination of faith not
justifies; and that the believer declares his righteousness through good works . 22
Santiago does not disagree with Pablo: 'They are not antagonists. confronted, crossing their swords, but they are back to back in order to confront different enemies of the gospel . As we have seen, in 1:17 and 23 18 Santiago affirmed that salvation is a gift granted according to the sovereign will of God, but is now emphasizing the importance of the fruit of faith (the righteous conduct that genuine faith always produces). Paul he also saw the just works as the necessary proof of faith.
Those who imagine a discrepancy between Santiago and Pablo rarely they observe that it was this second one who wrote "What then? Shall we sin" for we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! (Rom. 6:15), just as "Having been freed from sin, they have been made "servants of justice" (v. 18). Paul, therefore, condemns the same mistake that Santiago is presenting here, and he never defended any concept of faith. inactive.
When Paul writes: 'For by the works of the law no one will be justified' in front of him" (Rom. 3:20),
is combating Jewish legalism that insisted on the need for works to to be justified, while Santiago insists on the need for works in lives of those who have been justified by faith. Paul insists that no one can earn. the justification by their own effort; Santiago demands that the person who already declares being in a healthy relationship with God through faith must demonstrate, by through a life of good works, that has become a new creature in Christ, something with which Paul was totally in agreement. Paul was
eradicating the "works" that excluded and destroyed the saving faith; James was stimulating a dormant faith that minimized the results of saving faith in daily life . 24
Both Santiago and Pablo reflect the preaching of Jesus: the emphasis of Pablo reminds us of the spirit of Matthew 5:3 ('Blessed are the poor in spirit') spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"), while the teaching from Santiago has the tone of Matthew 7:21 ('Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord,' No one will enter the kingdom of heaven except for the one who does the will of my "Father who is in heaven"); Paul represents the beginning of the Sermon of mountain and Santiago the end. Pablo declares that we are saved by faith in the works of the law, and Santiago declares that we are saved by the faith that is put into manifesto through works. Both Santiago and Pablo saw the good works as a test of faith, not as a path to salvation.
Santiago could not be more explicit, as he is confronting the concept of the passive, false, empty 'faith' of the fruits of salvation. It is not discussing about the works besides faith or apart from it, but is showing why and how living faith always works, besides fighting against dead orthodoxy and his tendency to abuse grace.
The error that Santiago addresses closely follows the teaching of salvation. that denies lordship: it is a faith without works, justification without sanctification, the salvation without a new life.
Once again, Santiago remembers the Master himself, who insisted on a the theology of lordship that implied obedience instead of mere words. Jesus rebuked the disobedient people who had approached him only nominally: 'Why do you call me: 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what "I say?" (Luke 6:46). According to him, loyalty in words will not lead anyone to heaven. (Matt. 7:21)
That is in perfect harmony with Santiago: "But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers deceiving yourselves" (1:22); "Thus faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead . 25
1.J. C. Ryle,La santidad: su naturaleza, obstáculos, dificultades y raíces (Moral de Calatrava, Ciudad Real: Pilgrim, 2013), chapter 2, point 1.
2.R. B. Thieme, Jr., 'A Matter of Life [and] Death: The Gospel of Jesus'