ANOTHER VIEW OF FAITH AND

WORKS IN JAMES 2
ROBERT N. WILKIN
Editor
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Irving, Texas

I. INTRODUCTION
How one understands any given passage is dependent, at least in
part, on his understanding of the book in which it is found. James 2:14-
26 is a prime example.
E. D. Hirsch, in his book Validity in Interpretation suggests that the
interpreter of any literature must make a series of genre guesses. Correct
guesses, those that rightly understand what the author is saying, are
called intrinsic genres. Incorrect guesses are extrinsic genres.1
Hirsch illustrates that extrinsic genre guesses result in a wrong un-
derstanding of the author’s point with Donne’s poem, “A Valediction
Forbidding Mourning.” When his students misinterpreted the poem, he
attempted to correct them. They were unmoved, however, because they
felt the particulars of the poem fit their genre conception. They were un-
willing to see that Hirsch’s genre guess better fit the particulars.2
It is the contention of this article that something similar has occurred
in the exegesis of Jas 2:14-26. The genre conception most often given
somewhat fits the particulars of the passage; thus proponents of that view
see no need to consider any other view. However, there is good reason to
believe that another genre understanding better fits the particulars of the
passage.
James 2:14-26 has long been recognized as a crux passage. A recent
article in Bibliotheca Sacra by C. Ryan Jenkins laid out four interpreta-
tions:3

1
E. D. Hirsch, Jr., Validity in Interpretation (New Haven, CT: Yale Uni-
versity Press, 1967), 88-89.
2
Ibid., 73-74.
3
C. Ryan Jenkins, “Faith and Works in Paul and James,” Bibliotheca Sa-
cra (January–March 2002): 63-64.

3
4 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

™ View A. In this view James 2 shows that works are instrumental in a

sinner’s justification before God. Those who propose this view assert
that James was arguing that a sinner’s acceptance with God depends
on both faith and works.
™ View B. James was dealing with physical deliverance from the dev-
astating affects of sin. James was not addressing unbelievers con-
cerning [eternal] salvation…James then was referring to just-
ification/vindication only before others in a nonsalvific context.4
™ View C. James was stating that a Christian’s justification before God
depends not on faith alone but, on faith and works and…he was di-
rectly refuting Pauline theology (as expressed in Romans 4 and Gala-
tians 2–3). This view is not committed to the inerrancy of Scripture.
™ View D. James’s concern was to refute antinomianism by showing
that one’s true conversion will be “justified” objectively by works…
James sought to show that a person who possessed faith in Christ
will be justified (i.e., vindicated as a true Christian) by his or her
works, and that a mere profession of faith that is not vindicated or
evidenced by works is not characteristic of genuine conversion.

We might call these views respectively, the Arminian view, the tem-
poral deliverance view, the New Testament scholar view (since many
scholars see no need to harmonize Scripture or uphold inerrancy), and
the traditional view. The traditional view is the one defended by Jenkins
in his article and it is the traditional Reformed understanding of James 2.
In this article I will attempt to show three things. First, the traditional
understanding has some difficulties. Second, the temporal deliverance
understanding has points in its favor. And third, the traditional Reformed
understanding of the perseverance of the saints is not dependent on the
traditional understanding of James 2.

II. DIFFICULTIES WITH THE

TRADITIONAL UNDERSTANDING
A. THE USES OF BROTHERS (ADELPHOI) IN JAMES
James addresses his readers with one of three designations: “breth-
ren,” “my brethren,” and “my beloved brethren.” While this could quite

4
Italics his.
 Another View of Faith and Works 5

naturally refer to Jewish people, regardless of their spiritual condition,

the evidence in the epistle suggests that each time James designates his
readers as “brethren,” he is indicating that they are fellow heirs of the
grace of God. Therefore, his readers are believing Jews who have been
part of the diaspora (1:1).
In his first use of adelphoi James says, “My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith
produces patience” (1:2-3). It would be very odd for James to be encour-
aging unbelieving Jews to count their trials as joy. Odder still would be
to speak of the testing of their faith. The very first use strongly suggests
that the brethren James has in mind are Jewish believers.
The second use is in 1:16-18.5 James calls his readers “my beloved
brethren” and then explains that God “brought us forth by the word of
truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (1:16, 18).
That the new birth is in view is undisputed in the commentary literature.
The context clearly shows that the brethren of 1:16-18 are regenerated.
Verse 19 begins, “So then, my beloved brethren.” The most natural
understanding of brethren here is that it continues to refer to the regener-
ate brothers of the immediately preceding context.
James’s next use of adelphoi is as follows: “My brethren, do not
hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality”
(2:1). In the first place, this is a continuation of a string of uses that refer
to regenerate people. In the second place, James specifies here that these
brethren have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus there is little doubt that
regenerate people are in view in this section (cf. 2:5, “my beloved breth-
ren”).
The next use of adelphoi is in Jas 2:14. If “my brethren” now refers
to unregenerate people, James is making an abrupt change with no hint
of this fact. In fact, all through Jas 2:14-26 he refers to the faith of his
readers, and of Abraham.
Verseput strongly defends the regenerate status of the readers. He
writes, “‘The twelve tribes’ casts the readership with surprising clarity in

5
The word adelphos does occur in 1:9. However, there it is not direct ad-
dress. I have excluded the uses of the term in 2:15 and 4:11 as well for the same
reason. All excluded uses are in the singular and are not designations for the
readers.
6 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

the role of true Israel.”6 A footnote appears here in which he continues,

“The clear assumption of the author that his audience was homogeneous
in its belief in ‘our Lord Jesus Christ’ (2.1) prohibits understanding tais
do„deka phylais to refer to the Jewish community at large.”7
Soon thereafter he continues, “Thus, in the language of the author,
pistis—which has already been described in 2.1 as ‘the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ’ (te„n pistin tou kyriou he„mo„n Ie„sou Christou)—can readily
function as the single most essential identifying feature of the religious
community of the ‘brethren’ to whom he writes.”8
Verseput concludes: “James is not seeking to downgrade the impor-
tance of ‘faith’ in 2:14-26. On the contrary, faith retains its role as the
primary distinguishing feature of the community.”9
Without examining all of the other uses of adelphoi,10 the following
are representative and support the conclusion that regenerate people are
meant:

6
Donald J. Verseput, “Reworking the Puzzle of Faith and Deeds in James
2:14-26,” New Testament Studies (January 1997): 97.
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid., 98. It should be noted that Verseput later writes, “The author of the
epistle insists that one’s Godward service—i.e., faith—cannot be divorced from
righteous deeds, for obedience is the most holy form of faith” (p. 115). Does he
mean that all true believers always or characteristically produce good works? It
is unlikely he means that, for earlier in the same paragraph he writes, “neither
are ‘works’ understood as the natural product of faith, the visible sign of an in-
ner disposition, for on the discourse level the independence of the two elements,
faith and works, has been and is maintained throughout” (p. 114). Most likely
what Verseput means is clarified in the conclusion: “Piety without righteousness
is vain and ineffectual, unable to achieve the recognition of God, whereas deeds
of obedience to the divine will can be said to constitute the proper and valid re-
ligion which God approves. Viewed in this light, it becomes evident that James
is not seeking to downgrade the importance of ‘faith’ in 2:14-26. On the
contrary, faith retains its role as the primary distinguishing feature of the com-
munity. But as the prophets of old had denied the efficacy of sacrifice without
obedience, so faith without works is dead” (p. 115).
9
Ibid., 115.
10
I chose not to discuss Jas 2:19 and the faith of demons in the text of the
article. My reasons are threefold. First, we have addressed that verse and issue
extensively elsewhere. For a detailed discussion of Jas 2:19, see John Hart, “The
Faith of Demons: James 2:19,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (Au-
tumn 1995): 39-54. See also Zane C. Hodges, The Epistle of James: Proven
 Another View of Faith and Works 7

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing

that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (Jas 3:1)
This most naturally refers to regenerate individuals. James would not
likely be telling unbelieving Jews that not many of them should seek to
be teachers in the church! Besides, the Judgment Seat of Christ is the
most natural understanding of this future judgment. Compare the uses of
adelphoi in 3:10, 12 and 4:11.
Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the
Lord…Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you
be condemned [literally, judged]. Behold, the Judge is at the
door! (Jas 5:7, 9)
These verses, in comparison with Rom 14:10-12, show that this con-
cerns the Judgment Seat of Christ as well. Why James would tell unbe-
lieving Jews to be patient until the Lord comes back is hard to grasp. It is
much more natural if he is understood as addressing regenerate individu-
als. Compare the uses of adelphoi in 5:10, 12, and 19.
This, of course, doesn’t fit well with the traditional understanding of
Jas 2:14-26 which sees “brethren” as a flexible term that includes believ-
ing and unbelieving Jews. Then the call to works in Jas 2:14-26 is seen
as the means by which “brethren” determine whether or not they have
true faith. If all the brethren addressed have true faith in Christ, a differ-
ent genre conception is necessary.
B. THE USE OF So„zo„ IN JAMES
A second way to evaluate our genre understanding of James is by
considering the uses of the word so„zo„ (to save) in the book. While an
author is not bound to use the same word the same way each time in an
epistle, it is a possibility which one should explore. The evidence

Character Through Testing (Irving, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 1994), pp.
64-66. Second, the argument that demons don’t believe in monotheism and
hence illustrate false faith is patently false. The Gospels make it clear that the
demons not only believe in monotheism, but they also believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God (see, for example, Matt 8:29). Not only that, but why
would James use the great shema of Israel, something dear to every Jewish be-
liever, to introduce false faith? Third, Jesus did not die for demons. There never
has been, nor will there ever be, any eternal salvation for demons. Thus regard-
less of what they believe or do, they are ultimately doomed.
8 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

strongly suggests that the four uses of so„zo„ in James, outside of Jas 2:14,
refer to temporal deliverance, not to eternal salvation from hell.11
Here are the other four uses, with comments:
Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to
save your souls. (Jas 1:21)
James made it clear in 1:16–20 that he was talking to “my beloved
brethren” (1:16, 19), whom he identifies as those whom God “brought
forth by the word of truth”—a reference to their new birth. If James has
not shifted his attention to different readers, the people in 1:21 who need
saving are born-again brothers in Christ. Clearly born-again people do
not need eternal salvation. They do, however, need temporal salvation
from the deadly consequences of sin in their lives (cf. 1:15).
The temporal deliverance understanding of 1:21 is supported by the
expression so„sai tas psychas hymo„n (to save your souls). In the Septua-
gint and the NT this expression always or nearly always refers to the
saving of one’s physical life.12

11
Some barely even consider this evidence. See, for example, Jenkins,
“Faith and Works.” He mentions only two of the five uses. He writes, “In objec-
tion to view B, it seems unnatural to assume that James 1:21 and 2:14 refer to a
‘physical’ salvation rather than an eternal one, especially since the word ‘soul’
(psyche„) and not ‘life’ (zo„e)„ is used in 1:21” (74). Since psyche„ is not found in
2:14, he is really commenting on only one of the five uses. And then his discus-
sion is based on a single word and not the expression “saving the psyche”
(so„zein te„n psyche„n), which in the Septuagint (see fn. 12) and NT always refers
to the physical deliverance of one’s life. Compare, for example, Matt 20:28 (cf.
27:42); Mark 3:4; 10:45 (cf. 15:30); Luke 6:9; Acts 27:22 (cf. v. 31); and 1 Pet
3:20. When the Lord Jesus spoke of laying down His life for us, He used psyche„,
not zo„e„ (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 10:11, 15, 17).
12
See for example, Mark 3:4, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to
do evil, to save life [psyche„n so„sai] or to kill?” (Cf. Luke 6:9); “For the Son of
Man did not come to destroy men’s lives [psychas anthro„po„n apolesai] but to
save them” (Luke 9:56, MT); “There will be no loss of life [psyche„s] among
you, but only of the ship…Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be
saved” (Acts 27:22, 31); “In the days of Noah…eight souls were saved [okto„
psychai dieso„the„san] through water” (1 Pet 3:20). This expression occurs ap-
proximately eight times in the Septuagint as well, always with the sense of
saving the physical life (Gen 19:17; 32:30; 1 Sam 19:11; Ps 30:7; 71:13; 109:31
[108:31 in the Septuagint]; Jer 31:6; see also Job 33:28, which some might un-
 Another View of Faith and Works 9

Additionally, the readers were to receive the word “already im-

planted” in them, which supports the idea that they are born-again
believers and that the deliverance is temporal.
Finally, James makes it clear that by “receiving the word” he does
not mean believing it. In this context, receiving the word is being “doers
of the word, and not hearers [= believers] only” (1:22; cf. vv. 23, 25).
There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.
Who are you to judge another? (Jas 4:12)
The saving and destroying here appears to be general in scope. God
is the one who saves and destroys in all senses, temporal and eternal. Yet
there is reason to believe James has the saving and destroying of physical
life specifically in view. What follows in the illustration of Jas 4:13-17
deals with this life. James says, “your life…is even a vapor that appears
for a little time and then vanishes away” (v. 14). James 4:12 fits perfectly
with the temporal deliverance genre understanding.
The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise
him up. (Jas 5:15)
Eternal salvation is not in view here. This use of so„zo„ clearly refers
to the saving or healing of one’s life from an illness that could well lead
to physical death (cf. vv. 19-20).
He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a
soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Jas 5:20)
Verse 19, which precedes this verse, says “Brethren, if anyone
among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back…” The
potential wanderers are brethren…among you. This suggests that James
is not thinking of unbelievers, but believers, who wander away from
truth. If so, then he is warning here that physical death may well occur if
a fellow believer doesn’t turn him from his sin.
Dr. Charles Ryrie comments: “any among you. The reference is evi-
dently to Christians, and the death is physical death which sin may cause
(1 Cor 11:30).”13

derstand as Job hoping not to lose eternal life, but which is best understood as
him hoping not to lose physical life).
13
The Ryrie Study Bible, loc. sit, italics his.
10 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

In light of the other uses of so„zo„ in James, one should at least be

open to the possibility that temporal salvation is in view in Jas 2:14 as
well.14
C. THE USE OF So„zo„ IN 2:14
What did James mean in 2:14 when he asked, “Can faith save
him?”15
If so„zo„ here refers to salvation from eternal condemnation, then the
traditional view seems mandatory. Otherwise James would be teaching
that salvation from eternal condemnation requires faith plus works, in
clear contradiction to the Gospel of John, Romans 3–4, Galatians 2–3,
and a host of other texts.
However, there is an apparent connection between the first and sec-
ond uses of so„zo„ in James. Some commentators have noted that Jas 1:21
and 2:14 are parallel in thought.
If in 1:21 James is warning genuine believers that they must be doers
of the word to escape temporal judgment, then the idea that 2:14-26 is
proclaiming the same idea seems reasonable. This, combined with the
other three uses of so„zo„ in James, provides good reason to reconsider the
temporal salvation understanding here.
Additionally, the fact that he is addressing brethren in this passage
supports the temporal judgment view.

III. TWO TYPES OF FAITH IN JAMES 2?

The traditional view hangs on a slender thread. Indeed, it hangs on
one letter, the definite article preceding the word faith in 2:14.
If the definite article with pistis in 2:14 does not support the two
types of faith understanding, then that position collapses, regardless of
what is said about any other word in the passage.

14
For more discussion of this point see Earl D. Radmacher, “First Response
to ‘Faith According to the Apostle James,’ by John F. MacArthur, Jr.,” Journal
of the Evangelical Theological Society (March 1990): 39-41.
15
Because of the use of me„, the Greek expects a negative answer: Faith
can’t save him, can it? However, that still doesn’t tell us what type of deliver-
ance is in view.
 Another View of Faith and Works 11

If James were concerned that some of his readers were not regener-
ate, he would surely make this clear. However, the evidence is less than
overwhelming.16
Repeatedly James refers to the faith of his readers. Unless James is
referring to two different types of faith in Christ, one saving and one
non-saving, the matter is beyond dispute.
In the first place, if we exclude Jas 2:14-26 from consideration, there
is no evidence for a non-saving type of faith in any of the remaining 5
uses of pistis in James (1:3, 6; 2:1, 5; 5:15). For example, in the immedi-
ately preceding context, faith in 2:1 obviously refers to genuine faith.
“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of
glory, with partiality.” One would think that if the entire epistle were
concerned with antinomianism and false professions, then we would find
repeated evidence of non-saving faith in the entire epistle, and not just in
2:14-26. Possibly James could have modified the word “faith” in such a
way that saving faith had one designation (e.g., genuine faith) and non-
saving faith a different one (e.g., disingenuous faith). Yet as Radmacher
pointed out in a response to a paper presented at the 1989 ETS annual
meeting by John MacArthur on faith in James, such modifiers are not
found in James:
Faith…is used sixteen times in James without ever needing a
modifier. Yet the following modifiers with “faith” are sprin-
kled through MacArthur’s paper: “counterfeit” faith, “authen-
tic” faith, “spurious” faith, “imitation” faith, “nominal” faith,
“passive” faith, “sluggish” faith, “intellectual” faith, “sensual”

16
In his 1989 Evangelical Theological Society address, John MacArthur in-
dicated that “it is common for apostolic writers to include in letters addressed to
churches stern warnings for those whose profession of faith was questionable.”
He then cited the Epistle of Hebrews and the Second Epistle to the Corinthians.
He suggested they both contain warnings to false professors. Then he gave this
conclusion: “So the fact that the epistle was addressed to the ‘brethren’ does not
prove Hodges’ point [‘that the warnings of James 2 cannot be directed at false
professors’].” John F. MacArthur, Jr., “Faith According to the Apostle James,”
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (March 1990): 29. In the first
place, he fails to deal with any of the uses of “brethren” in James. Second, he
fails to show that the warnings in Hebrews or the admonition in 2 Cor 13:5 are
indeed addressed to false professors. And finally, even if epistles by other au-
thors (or the author himself) had sections addressed to false professors, what
evidence is there that James did this in this epistle?
12 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

faith, “dead” faith, “traditional” faith, “demon” faith, “heart”

faith, “spiritual” faith, “vital” faith, “transforming” faith, “per-
sonal” faith, “orthodox” faith, “actual” faith, “real” faith,
“obedient” faith, “saving” faith, [and] “efficacious” faith. 17
In the second place, evidence for two types of faith anywhere in the
Bible is quite suspect. The late Reformed scholar and apologist Gordon
Clark wrote an excellent book entitled Faith and Saving Faith. In it he
showed that all faith is a conviction that something is true. He indicated
there was no such thing as two types of faith:
In spite of the popularity and supposed superior spirituality of
the contrast between a mere intellectual proposition and a
warm, living person, it rests on a mistaken psychological
analysis. Even Berkhof admits, with at least an appearance of
inconsistency, that “As a psychological phenomenon, faith in
the religious sense does not differ from faith in gen-
eral…Christian faith in the most comprehensive sense is
man’s persuasion of the truth of Scripture on the basis of the
authority of God.”18
Clark acknowledges that not all that one believes is saving. How-
ever, his point is that it is the object of the faith that makes saving faith
saving, not the faith.19 If Clark is right, there aren’t two different types of
faith, and the traditional understanding of Jas 2:14-26 cannot stand.
Finally, the eleven uses20 of pistis in Jas 2:14-26 call into question
whether James was talking about two types of faith.
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith
but does not have works?” (Jas 2:14, emphasis added)
Is the person saying he has non-saving faith, or saving faith? It
wouldn’t make sense if a person were claiming non-saving faith. Who

17
Radmacher, “First Response,” 37.
18
Gordon H. Clark, Faith and Saving Faith (Jefferson, MD: The Trinity
Foundation, 1983), 107, italics his. See also the entire section, 91-118.
19
Ibid., 107-110.
20
Those who suggest the supposed distinction in Jas 2:14-26 fail to actually
consider more than a few uses of pistis in the passage. See, for example, Jenkins,
“Faith and Works,” 65-66. In his word study of pistis, he fails to examine even
one use of the word in 2:14-26 or anywhere in James.
 Another View of Faith and Works 13

would make such a claim? Thus this must refer to genuine faith, whether
the person actually has it or not.
However, the traditional view focuses not on what the man is claim-
ing, but on the very fact he is proclaiming faith, yet he lacks works to
back up the claim. The traditional view suggests that the word “says,”
combined with “but does not have works” is James’s way of saying that
the profession is false.
Why did James speak of his profession in the first half of the verse,
but not the second half? This point is a bit of a problem for the traditional
understanding.
In the two previous verses James had exhorted regenerate brethren,
“So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty”
(italics added). In 2:1-13 James chastised his readers for not rightly treat-
ing the poor in their assemblies. Now in 2:14 James follows up with the
question of what happens to the person who speaks but does not do. Thus
the word “says” in verse 14 need not question the profession at all.
James’s point may well be that professing genuine faith that is indeed
genuine is not enough to please God. To please God one must also have
works.
Can faith save him? (Jas 2:14b)
This is the second use of pistis in the verse. Here the traditional view
would expect to find, “Can that profession of faith save him?” But we
don’t find that.
Pistis here most naturally talks about the same faith as the first use. If
that faith was genuine faith, as it surely was, then so is this one.
Of course, many understand the definite article here to serve as a
demonstrative pronoun. Hence some understand this as such faith or that
faith. Then they conclude that this suggests the faith itself is false faith.
Yet that would require a demonstrative pronoun to modify the claim,
not the faith: “Can that claim of faith save him?”
Additionally, it is questionable whether we should draw any special
significance from the presence of the article. The article is also found
with pistis in 2:17, 18, 19, 22, and 26. In fact, every time pistis occurs in
the nominative case in James, it is always articular.
In Greek abstract nouns routinely carry the article where the English
does not. Greek has “the love” or “the faith” where English simply has
“love” or “faith.” A parallel passage using the abstract noun agape„ is
found in 1 Cor 13:1-4ff.
14 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

The anarthrous agape„n, the noun in the accusative case, occurs three
times in verses 1-3. Then twice in verse 4 and once in verse 8 the noun is
found in the nominative case, with the definite article present in each
case. No commentators suggest that we are talking about some substan-
dard form of love in verses 1-3 that is proved by the use of the article in
verses 4 and 8. No one says the article means we are talking about false
love in verses 4 and 8.
The same situation occurs in James 2. Every nominative occurrence
in this chapter is articular. However, the article does not occur with pistis
in verses 14, 18, and 24, where two accusatives and one genitive appear.
And in none of the other uses of the articular construction in 2:14-26
is this alleged distinction found.
Do you see that [the] faith was working together with his
works? (Jas 2:22a)
James is speaking of Abraham and his faith in offering up his son
Isaac. Surely this was true faith. James is not saying Do you see that such
faith was working together with his works? In verse 20 we read “[the]
faith without works is dead.” If that is false faith, and the definite article
in 22 refers back to that false faith, then Abraham had false faith when he
offered up Isaac!
And by works [the] faith was made perfect. (Jas 2:22b)
Again, this is the faith of Abraham when he was about to plunge the
knife into Isaac and sacrifice his only son. If there is such a thing as in-
adequate faith, this isn’t it. Yet the definite article is used just as in verse
14.
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by [the]
faith only. (Jas 2:24)
James is concluding his comments on the justification of Abraham
by works before men. It is reasonable to take monon, translated “only”
in the NKJV, as an adverb here.21 Then the verse could be understood in
this way, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not only by
faith.” In other words, James is thinking of two justifications. Abraham

21
Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 659, takes monon as an adverb
here. However, it suggests it means “in isolation.”
 Another View of Faith and Works 15

was justified by faith in Genesis 15. Then decades later he was justified
by works in Genesis 22. The former was before God. The latter was be-
fore men. This is in keeping with Paul’s comments regarding Abraham
and justification by works in Rom 4:2, “For if Abraham was justified by
works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” In any
case, no matter how one understands verse 24, pistis here clearly refers to
genuine faith.
There is strong support for the idea that pistis in Jas 2:14-26 refers to
genuine faith. The evidence suggests that the problem James was con-
fronting was not the type of faith his readers had. Rather, the problem
was that they were not acting in a loving way toward one another.

IV. THE TEMPORAL DELIVERANCE UNDERSTANDING

HAS POINTS IN ITS FAVOR
A. THE EMPHASIS ON PROFITABILITY IN JAMES 2:14 AND 16
Repetition of phrases in a context often provides clues to proper in-
terpretation. James 2:14-17, the first portion of 2:14-26, opens with the
words “What does it profit?” Those words occur again after the illustra-
tion of Jas 2:15-16. The exact same phrase “what does it profit” (ti to
ophelos) occurs as the very last words of verse 16.
Authors often indicate emphasis by placing words or phrases first or
last in a sentence or paragraph. Here we find the same phrase occupying
both places of emphasis.
Why does James twice ask the question, “What does it profit”? The
obvious answer is because he is discussing profitability!
First James discusses possible profit to the materially advantaged be-
liever who fails to provide for his needy brothers and sisters. He then
discusses the possible profit to those needy brothers and sisters who re-
ceive a kind word, but no tangible help. James’ answer is the same in
both cases. What do kind words without material support profit either
kind of person? Nothing. The believer who closes his heart on needy
brothers in his church will not profit. He will experience God’s judgment
here and now. The needy brothers and sisters will not profit either. They
will go home cold and hungry. That is a lose-lose situation. James is say-
ing that faith without works benefits neither the one who fails to give nor
those who fail to receive. This in turn helps us understand the expression
“faith without works is dead.”
16 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

B. “FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD”

The repetition of “what does it profit?” helps unlock the meaning of
verse 17 (and the repeated expression in verses 20 and 26). Verse 17
immediately follows the second use of “what does it profit?”
James 2:17 reads, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have
works, is dead.” In light of the repeated phrase and the obvious emphasis
on lack of profit, it is reasonable to understand James to mean, “Thus
also faith by itself, if it does not have works, does not profit.” Deadness
here is clearly figurative, and points to the lack of profitability. There is
no profit in cold dead orthodoxy, for the rich or the poor believer.
Why didn’t James just say that, then? Why introduce the idea of
deadness? There are three logical reasons.
First, James has already introduced the idea that “sin, when it is full-
grown, brings forth death” (1:15). Thus the believer who commits the sin
of failing to help disadvantaged believers in his church is on the path of
death. He may not die immediately. But he will certainly not escape
God’s temporal judgment (2:14). That believer is on a deadly course.
Second, the needy brothers or sisters who remain in want are a step
closer to death themselves. Left unaided, literal death is possible. In any
case, they are not experiencing the life that God wishes them to have.
Third, the idea of death has as its opposite life or vitality. Thus James
is making the point that loving works directed to fellow believers in need
give vitality and life to our faith. James doesn’t say that faith—or true
faith—makes our works good, as is commonly thought. In that case he
would have said, “Thus also works by themselves, if they do not have
faith, are dead.”
Verse 26 says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead.” There the first element in each case is body/faith
and the second is spirit/works. Faith is likened to the body, not the
spirit.22 The energizing spirit of a Christian is his works, not his faith. His
faith is the body that must be energized by the spirit which is works.

22
John Hart, “How to Energize Your Faith: Reconsidering the Meaning of
James 2:14-26,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (Spring 1999): 47-48.
Hart says, “James is teaching that faith without works is simply a cold ortho-
doxy, lacking spiritual vibrancy…The real issue for these believers is the
absence or presence of a freshness, vitality, and energy in their faith. When a
Christian engages in practical deeds to benefit others, James says our faith
comes alive.”
 Another View of Faith and Works 17

Many assume James is saying something like this: “Thus also faith
by itself, if it has no works, is not true faith.”23 While that makes sense
within the traditional grid, one wonders if it fits James. Whether faith has
works or not, it is by definition still faith. James didn’t say, “faith with-
out works is not faith.”
The traditional view understands this phrase in verses 17, 20, and 26
to refer to what characterizes one’s whole life, not brief moments of
one’s life.24 Thus if a person’s life is generally characterized by good
works, he has genuine, that is, living faith. That same person may have
turned his back on needy believers many times over the years. Yet the
traditional view would say that in none of those instances was his situa-
tion comparable to Jas 2:15-17 because, while he was negligent on
occasion, his life was generally characterized by good works.
Yet is this consistent with James? James does not give illustrations
based on what characterizes one’s life, but on what occurs or doesn’t
occur at specific moments in time. In verses 15-16 James gives an exam-
ple we can all relate to. If any of us fails to meet the needs of believers
around us, then at that moment our faith is unprofitable, dead, and life-
less. We have failed to enliven our faith. Our orthodoxy has lost its vital-
ity and has become cold and dead. The illustration does not concern the
whole of one’s life.

23
Jenkins, “Faith and Works,” 66, says, “James, however, was contrasting a
dead faith (which is only an intellectual assent) with a living faith that produces
works and subsequently vindicates that profession.” He and others point to the
word “dead” in Jas 2:17, 20, 26 in the expression, “faith without works is dead”
as describing a special type of faith that is not true faith. However, three points
argue against this. First, if this is the overriding issue in James, why is only one
modifier used for the bad kind of faith, and that only three times? Second, why
is there no positive modifier for the good kind of faith anywhere in the epistle?
And third, is it really accurate to say that the word “dead” identifies some
unique kind of faith? Is it not more accurate to say that the predicate nominative
modifies the phrase “faith without works”? Faith is dead or unprofitable when it
is not joined with works. But it is still faith.
24
See, for example, Jenkins, “Faith,” p. 78 (“although faith is the sole in-
strument by which the righteousness of God is revealed in fallen sinners [Rom
1:17; 4:5], it will nevertheless be normatively and objectively demonstrated in
the fruits of regeneration.” Ryrie, a Free Grace advocate, is alone in adopting the
view that Jas 2:14-26 teaches that good works will occur somewhere, somehow,
sometime, but that they will not necessarily persist or be characteristic.
18 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

Similarly, when James considers the examples of Abraham and Ra-

hab, he does not speak of what characterized their lives. He speaks of
one incident in each of their lives. In that instant their faith was active
and mature. We are not told, for example, whether or not Rahab’s life
from that point onward was characterized by godliness.
I have a 1984 Diesel Mercedes Benz automobile with 250,000 miles
on it. But you know what? My Mercedes is the best car I’ve ever had. I
typically rent cars several times each year while on speaking engage-
ments. They are usually new cars with less than 10,000 miles on them.
And I always come home appreciating my car.
As good as my Mercedes is, however, it won’t run without fuel. A
car, no matter how fine it is, is dead without fuel. Does that mean that if
a car ever runs out of fuel, it ceases to be a real car? Of course not. It
means that it loses its energizing force. So also, faith without works is
like a car without fuel. It won’t do what it is designed to do. Works are
the fuel that makes our faith profitable, productive, and lively.
A believer whose life is generally characterized by good works may
go through times when he is unproductive because he fails to put his
faith to work. Whenever a believer has faith without works, he is in a
dead, unproductive condition, experientially.
Now my concern is not what characterizes my car generally. My
concern is whether my car works when I need it.
What do we do if a car is out of fuel? We fill it up so the car is alive
again. We don’t go out and buy a different car! So, too, a believer whose
spiritual life is dead (i.e., his faith is not combined with works) needs to
get to work. The problem is not that he needs to believe something dif-
ferent. Notice that nowhere in his epistle does James call for faith in
some other object. James is concerned that his readers need to look
around them and start meeting needs.
C. THE JUDGMENT OF BELIEVERS IMMEDIATELY
PRECEDES AND FOLLOWS 2:14-26
James 2:14-26 is preceded and followed by verses dealing with the
judgment of believers. Serving as bookends to the passage, 2:13 and 3:1
certainly test one’s understanding of 2:14-26.
The traditional view sees 2:13 and 3:1 as referring to a generalized
final judgment of all of humanity. The proposed purpose of that judg-
ment is to announce who gets into the kingdom and who doesn’t. Thus
2:13, 2:14-26, and 3:1 are understood as calling for people to try to do
enough good works to get into the kingdom. The traditional view, of
 Another View of Faith and Works 19

course, points out that these works are motivated, empowered, and even
done by God, so there is no ground for boasting or merit. Still, the tradi-
tional view does assert that James is saying that in order to get into the
kingdom one must persevere in good works.
But is that a reasonable understanding of 2:13 and 3:1? Jesus prom-
ised in John 5:24 that the one who believes in Him “shall not come into
judgment.” The judgment in view there is the Great White Throne Judg-
ment (Rev 20:11-15). No believer will be judged to determine his eternal
destiny. That is set the moment one believes in Christ. Otherwise what
does “will not come into judgment” mean in John 5:24?
Yet the NT authors are clear that there is a time of judgment for be-
lievers. Paul calls it the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom 14:10-12; 2 Cor
5:10). John calls it the believer’s day of judgment (1 John 4:17).
James, at the end of the epistle, speaking of Jesus’ soon return, says
“the Judge is standing at the door” (5:9). We know that this judgment
will occur after the Lord returns to rapture the Church unto Himself
(1 John 2:28). Either it will occur during the Tribulation, or in the few
months between it and the start of the Millennium (Dan 12:11-12).
James 5:9 is parallel to Rom 14:10-12. Both Paul and James warn
believers not to grumble against one another because the Judgment
Seat/Judge is coming soon.
The purpose of the judgment of Christians is to recompense us for
the deeds that we have done. Whatever we sow in this life, we will reap
in the life to come (Gal 6:7-9; see also 1 Tim 4:8; 2 Tim 4:6-8; 1 Pet
4:13; 5:2-4).
James 2:13 is at the close of the discussion about showing partiality
to the rich and mistreating the poor in the church (2:1-13). The point is
that if we fail to show mercy to the needy among us, we will have a
tougher judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Only by showing
mercy to others will we receive special mercy at the Bema.
James 2:14-26 follows and builds on the necessity of meeting the
needs of fellow believers. The focus is on temporal judgment here and
now, as contrasted with future judgment at the Bema in 2:13.
Then in 3:1 James begins his discussion on proper use of the tongue
with another reminder about the Bema. In the early church any man
could speak at the Lord’s Supper. Some were designated as teachers.
These were elders who did more of the teaching than other men in the
assembly. James warns here that one should not take lightly the idea of
being a teacher in the church. At the Bema those who have had that role
20 Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society Autumn 2002

will incur a stricter judgment. Failure to reverence God’s Word in one’s

teaching will be a great mark against one at the Bema.
The verses immediately before and after Jas 2:14-26 are dealing with
genuine believers. They are called “my brethren” (2:1, 5; 3:1). Only be-
lievers will be at the Bema, which is what James is referring to. James
would never warn unbelievers to be cautious about becoming teachers in
the church. Nor would he warn unbelievers of the need to be merciful to
believers in the church.
That the bookends relate to the judgment of believers supports the in-
terpretation that 2:14-26 concerns the judgment of believers as well.

V. REFORMED THEOLOGY DOES NOT REQUIRE

THE TRADITIONAL UNDERSTANDING
In my opinion even those who are five-point Calvinists should be
open to the temporal salvation understanding for two reasons. First, it in
no way contradicts the Reformed position. Reformed theology believes
that God disciplines His children. Second, as we’ve already seen, the
evidence strongly favors the temporal salvation view.
Let’s consider the first point more fully.
Reformed theology agrees with the idea that if genuine believers
willingly sin, God will bring temporal judgment upon them. Reformed
theology sees the temporal judgment of genuine believers in view in pas-
sages such as 1 Cor 11:30. Most, but not all, would also see the temporal
judgment of genuine believers in Jas 5:19-20 and 1 John 5:15.
Thus the idea of temporal judgment is not itself antithetical to Re-
formed theology. One could maintain a strong view of the perseverance
of the saints and still hold that whenever a believer fails to put his faith to
work, it is unproductive and will not deliver the believer from God’s
temporal judgment.
Reformed theology need not react to the temporal judgment view of
James 2 as though its entire system of thought would crumble if that in-
terpretation were adopted.
Now the loss-of-salvation view of James 2 is clearly antithetical to
the Reformed doctrine of eternal security. But the temporal judgment
view affirms eternal security. It merely understands James to be saying
something which Reformed thought admits is found in the apostle Paul’s
writings and in those of other OT and NT authors.
 Another View of Faith and Works 21

VI. CONCLUSION
Far from being an epistle of straw, James is an epistle of steel. And
Jas 2:14-26 is one of the most powerful passages in the entire Bible. It is
a call to action. Get to work. Don’t just talk the talk; walk the walk.
Look around you, find needs, and meet those needs. If you do, your
life will be enriched now and forever. If you don’t, you are on a deadly
course that leads to pain and ultimately to premature death.
R. T. Kendall holds the temporal deliverance understanding of Jas
2:14-26.25 His remarks on this passage challenge both the traditional
view and our complacency in the face of need around us:
What startles me is the number of people who insist that one
must have works to show he is saved but who themselves have
virtually nothing of the very works James has in mind! They
wish to use James as a basis of “assurance by works” but not
the kind of works James has in mind—caring for the poor. I
have yet to meet the first person who holds (or preaches) that
giving another “those things which are needful to the body”
must follow faith to show that it is saving faith indeed. We
prefer to be selective in our use of James.26
It’s time to reevaluate our understanding of Jas 2:14-26.

25
R. T. Kendall, Once Saved, Always Saved (Chicago: Moody, 1983), 208-
217; see also 171-72. It should be noted that Kendall believes the person lacking
temporal salvation in 2:14 (“Can faith save him”) is the needy brother (of 2:6)
illustrated in the next two verses (vv. 15-16). Thus his view is that faith without
works cannot save the needy brother from his destitute condition. See pages
171-72, 209, 216-17.
26
Ibid., 212, italics his.