Genuine Faith

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

⏤Romans 4:5

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” 

⏤James 2:26

To resolve these seemingly contradicting verses, we should look at it in its entire context. James is not against the Pauline doctrine of justification which is by faith alone; but he is just trying to illustrate what genuine faith is all about. James used the life of Abraham to illustrate genuine faith in James chapter two. If we try to look back the life account of Abraham in Genesis, we can find in Genesis 15:6 that tells us, “and he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he [the LORD] counted it to him for righteousness.” The kind of faith that Abraham had is genuine and it was counted by God for him as righteousness. Years later (probably 20 or more), we find Abraham in Genesis 22 offering his son Isaac who is the heir of all that he possessed. It was through Issac whom the LORD promised Abraham that he will become a father of many nations. Because Abraham believed that the LORD is able to fulfill what He promised so he did not withhold his son Isaac from offering him to God. James simply illustrating what genuine faith can do⏤action follows. 

Whenever someone ask me to explain about faith and works, I always quote the saying of John Wesley that likely says, "In the sight of God faith alone can justify (saved); but the faith that justify is not alone, it always stand side by side with good works." This means that in the sight of God, the only requirement for justification (according to Paul [Romans 4:5]) is FAITH ALONE! On the other hand, in the sight of men⏤they don't care (in the first place) about your faith. They too have their own faith (religion). For you to be justified in the sight of men you must perform GOOD WORKS! 

Consider the cross! It has two beams: the vertical and the horizontal. I always used this illustration to describe a true Christian life. The vertical beam illustrates for our justification in the sight of God⏤which is by FAITH ALONE. The horizontal beam illustrates for our justification in the sight of men⏤which is by GOOD WORKS. The cross too illustrates our RELATIONSHIP with God and men. A cross cannot be a cross without two beams, so with our Christian life⏤it must have two beams!

Beware: Don't make (or even include) "good works" as the basis of your salvation⏤it must be the evidence of your faith and the by product of salvation. Christians are not to work to be saved or to keep their salvation⏤but to magnify and glorify the God of salvation, even in the sight of men. This is GENUINE FAITH is all about!