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Chapter 1: The Text of James 2:14-16, JKV and NKJV
Chapter 2 - What is the Problem?
Chapter 3: James in Three Peanut Shells: Nutshell 1
Chapter 4 - Chapter 3: James in Three Peanut Shells: Nutshell 2
Chapter 5 - Chapter 3: James in Three Peanut Shells: Nutshell 3
Chapter 6 - Overview of the Message of James
Chapter 7 - What Does it Mean to Be "Saved?"
Chapter 8 - Poverty in the Epistle of James
Chapter 9 - Wisdom Literature and the Epistle of James
Chapter 10 - Eternal Salvation: What Does James Have to Say?
Chapter 11 - Irony in the Epistle of James
Chapter 12 - The Opening Verses of James' Epistle
Chapter 13 - Analysis of James 2:18-20
Chapter 14 - Justification and the Epistle of James
Chapter 15 - Exegesis of James 2:21-24

Faith and Works in the Second Chapter of James

by

By Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D.

 

James in three Peanut Shells

 

1)         Peanut Shell No. 1-- Salvation In James:

 

When James speaks of being "saved," he is not talking about

being saved from hell.  He is talking about being saved from

the consequences and hardships of trials ("peirosmoi" in

Greek) especially though not exclusively, the hardships and

trials that poverty and homelessness had visited upon

believers who had fled Jerusalem during the great

persecution of Acts, chapter 8.  Those trials and hardships

could realistically include homelessness, hunger and freezing

to death.

 

And faith is no more the commodity for delivering one from

The trials of homelessness than obedience to the Ten

Commandments is to save one from God's eternal

condemnation, or seashells are in purchasing a new Mercedes

Benz.  One is saved from eternal condemnation by believing

on Jesus Christ, not by living a good life.  And one purchases

a new Mercedes Benz with dollars, not seashells.  Similarly,

if one wants to save their unemployed brethren in Christ from

the grave consequences that attend unemployment, such as

homelessness and hunger, they will not secure or impart such

a salvation by faith.  Saving one%u2019s brother from starvation is

done by charitable works.

 

l  James is not speaking of being saved by "faith plus works."

l  James is not speaking of a "faith that works."  (As if

works automatically follow eternal salvation.)

l  James is not saying that works will automatically

"follow" eternal salvation.

l  James is not saying that works will "prove" whether or

not someone has "really" been saved.

 

The reason, quite simply, is that James isn't speaking about eternal salvation at all.  He is speaking of salvation from trials and hardships.

 


Chapter 3: James in Three Peanut Shells: Nutshell 1