The Biggest Contradiction in the Bible

Recently, in a message titled “How Can I Know The Bible Is True?” we identified several reasons people doubt the Bible’s trustworthiness. One reason was the so-called contradictions in the Bible. I’ve found that when people raise that objection, they can rarely actually name one contradiction, but they’ve heard that they exist.

Many of the so-called contradictions in the Bible are easily explained. But today, we’re going to find the biggest apparent contradiction in Scripture—and one that has eternal consequences for each one of us: are we saved by our faith as the apostle Paul proclaimed, or are we saved by our works, as James appears to say?

Getting the right answer to this question is the difference between heaven and hell for you and me.

Which one is it? 

Remember the theme of James: authentic faith produces genuine works. A genuine follower of Christ demonstrates his faith by perseverance through trials, victory over temptation, obedience to God’s Word, and impartiality in judging others.

All of these verses have been built toward a climax in James 2:14-26. These verses are the heart of James’ theme.

1. The Problem (James 2:14, 24)

The problem with this passage is its apparent contradiction of the teaching of the apostle Paul concerning the doctrine of justification by faith.

Paul says we are saved by faith alone. And he uses Abraham as an example. On the other hand, James asks, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone” (James 2:14, 24)

James says we are justified by faith and works. And he, too, uses Abraham as an example.

Most would agree that this problem is more than a peripheral theological discussion. How is a man-made right before God? What will determine a person’s eternal destiny—faith or works?

To solve this problem, I want to lead you through four principles of interpretation that will not only help solve this particular problem but will aid in discovering the meaning of any passage of Scripture.

2. The Solution (James 2:15-26)

• The Goal of Interpreting Scripture

The goal of interpreting a passage of Scripture is not to determine “What the passage means to me?”—that is application.

The goal of interpretation is to discover what the writer meant when he wrote this passage. That is what is meant by interpretation. 

There is only one correct interpretation, but many applications. How is that possible? How can we go back several thousand years and “get into James’ head” to discover what he meant when he wrote, “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone” (2:24)?

• The Steps to Interpretation of Scripture

Context 

First, let’s look at the general context. As we learned earlier, James is not a doctrinal treatise like many other books in the New Testament. Unlike the book of Romans, James does not teach about the way to God—salvation. Instead, James is concerned about a believer’s walk with God.

James assumes the readers’ salvation can be seen in James 1:18. 

Also, the repeated phrase “my brethren” indicates that James was not concerned about the eternal destiny of his readers—that was assumed. Instead, he was interested in his fellow Christians living a life that was consistent with their profession of faith. Thus, looking at the general context of the passage helps us to understand the backdrop against which the passage is written.

However, it is also necessary to look at the specific context of the passage and the verses immediately preceding and following the passage in question. And when you do, you see that when James says that faith without works is dead, he is not talking about living faith but dead faith; a non-existent type of faith.

Characteristics of a Dead Faith

• Fruitless (James 2:14-17)
• Powerless (James 2:18)
• Orthodox (James 2:19)

Composition (James 2:21-24)

Obviously, the keyword in this interpretative problem is the word “justified.” James writes, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled, which says, ‘AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,’ and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:21-24)

James uses an episode from Abraham’s life to show that a person is justified by faith and works working together.

Now let’s compare these words to the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans in which Paul declares we are justified by faith alone and not by faith and works. Interestingly, Paul also uses Abraham as an example of that truth but uses a different episode of Abraham’s life to prove his point. 

“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:1-5).    

Paul is saying that our justification—that is, our salvation—is based on grace alone. If our works play any role in our salvation, then our salvation is a wage God owes us, not a gift from God.

So how are we justified—made right with God? Is it faith in God’s grace or faith and works?

I believe that a careful examination of this passage will show that James uses the term “justified” to mean “vindication.” James does not believe that Abraham was made righteous by his willingness to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. How do I know that?

By reading James 2:23, “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’ . . . .”

Like the Apostle Paul, James points to an incident in Abraham’s life that occurred 30 years earlier (Genesis 15:6) that made him righteous. Both men agree that it was at the moment that Abraham believed in God, that he was made righteous. This incident with Isaac simply proved the reality of his faith in God.

Comparison

In Acts 15, we have a record of the discussion at the Jerusalem Council, the purpose of which was to decide whether there were certain Jewish rituals like circumcision that Gentile converts had to participate in to be saved. In the record of that discussion, we find that James sided with Peter, who said, “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are”(Acts 15:10). A further indication in James belief in justification by grace alone is found in his speech recorded in verses Acts 10:13-29.

It should also be noted that the Apostle Paul believed in the necessity of works to validate a person’s profession of faith. 

He writes about justification by faith alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” But he does not stop there. In Ephesians 2:10, he says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” 

Paul and James are in agreement that while a person is made righteous by his faith in Christ alone, that faith will express itself in concrete ways.

Consultation

There are many sources one could check about this passage. In commenting on the alleged contradiction between James and Paul, this conclusion incited me: “They [James and Paul] are not antagonists facing each other with crossed swords; they stand back to back, confronting different foes of the Gospel.”

Paul is combating those who would try to add to the finished work of Christ on the cross for our salvation. James is fighting those who have been lulled into a false security through a non-existent, dead faith.

3. The Author’s Concept

What does James believe about the relationship between faith and works? Martin Luther said, in essence: Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone.

There is no doubt that he believes that faith alone saves. 

But James also believes that saving faith is never alone. That is, true faith will always be accompanied by some indication of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Full Passage: James 2:14-26