Justified

Imagine that a young man and his little sister are walking home from a ball game on a dark night. A suspicious looking van pulls up beside them, the side door opens, a man jumps out and tries to take the girl. What he does not realize is that her brother is a United States Marine, home on leave, who is trained in hand to hand combat. He quickly subdues the assailant just as a police officer arrives on the scene. Not having seen the whole incident, the officer assumes the kidnapper is being assaulted. The marine tells the officer that he can explain. The officer asks, “how can you ‘justify’ beating up this guy?” Once the evidence is presented, the officer agrees that the marine was indeed ‘justified‘. This illustration will actually help to clarify a seeming contradiction in the Scripture.
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There is a raging debate in Christianity over whether a man is saved by grace or by works. Romans 11:6 tells us, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” The point is, we cannot be saved by BOTH grace and works, it has to be one or the other. Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies the issue, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”This passage settles the issue. Salvation is clearly by grace alone, not by works. Some confusion, however, can result if another passage is misinterpreted. Consider James 2:18-26.
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18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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This passage from James does not contradict the Ephesians passage; instead it supports it. Some may ask, “if Abraham was justified by works, doesn’t that mean he was saved by his works?” The answer is no. That would be a misapplication of the word justification. In order to understand this passage we must understand that word. Remember the marine who gave the justification for his actions? Perhaps you as well have done something where you have been asked to provide justification for your actions. What they are asking you to do is to show them that your actions are just. In other words give them evidence that what you did was right. Justification in James 2 means showing through action that you are just. Let us break down the passage further.
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Verse 18 says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” In other words look at what I do, and I will show you I am just. Then, verses 19-20, state, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” This shows us that there is a kind of belief that is nothing more than an understanding of the truth and there is a belief that puts one’s complete confidence in God and turns to Him as Lord and Savior. The devils did not have the second kind of belief and that was evidenced by their actions. The same can be said of humans. If they do not have a saving belief, their works will show that they are not justified before God and that they are spiritually dead.
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A question is then asked about Abraham. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” That rhetorical question is not saying that Abraham was saved by his works, it is showing that he was shown to be just by his works. In other words, his works proved his relationship with God rather than establishing it. Notice how verse 22 is saying that his faith worked with his works. In other words the works were a result of his faith.
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So then how was his faith established? Verse 24 makes it clear that it happened when he believed God- when he put his full confidence in the Lord- not when he did the works: “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” Notice the difference in terms. The earlier verses talked of him being justified. This one speaks of him being righteous. His righteousness is his right condition before God as opposed to his justification which was the evidence of that condition.
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His righteousness came by belief, not by works, but the works which followed justified, or showed that his belief was real. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (vs. 24) In other words, you cannot show yourself to be just if you don’t do anything. The works are the evidence, but belief/faith is the means. If all you do is exercise faith and then don’t do anything, how can you show that you really believe?
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The passage ends with another example of this principle. “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (Vs 25-26) Realize you are not saved by your works, but if there are no works there is no evidence that you are saved and you are thus unable to show yourself to be just. So what is your justification for ‘your’ claim of faith? Could you show any proof that you actually believe God like Abraham and Rahab did?