Parent: JesusWordsOnly
What About Justification By Works in the Hebrew Scriptures?
How far off is James from the Bible itself? The Bible taught long before James that obedience to the Law (not faith alone) brings justification. (Deut. 6:25) clearly states:
And it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this
commandment before Jehovah our God, as he hath commanded us. (ASV).
27.Of course, if you believe both James and Paul are inspired, you will hear attempts to reconcile the two. Stulac is an example. He contends "James is not attempting to refute Paul." (Id. at 114.) How so? Stulac concedes James viewed salvation apart from works as impossible. Faith and works are an integral unity in the salvation formula. (Id. at 110.) While most view Paul as teaching salvation by faith alone apart from any works, Stulac disagrees. He claims Paul teaches salvation cannot be by "rituals" or "acts of obedience" alone. (Id. at 111.) In other words, Stulac claims Paul teaches salvation is not by works alone. If true, then Paul and James are saying the same thing, and Stulac would be correct. However, Paul and James are diametrically apart. Stulac has ignored Paul's actual teachings. Paul makes it clear that if you are saved "by grace it is no more by works." ((Rom. 11:6).) This is even clearer in Rom 4:4-5: "(4) Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness ." This verse 5 clearly says that if you believe, and have no works , your faith alone justifies you. Hence Paul excludes the very possibility that Stulac's solution proposes to make Paul fit James. Paul teaches faith alone saves. James teaches to the contrary that faith alone without works does not save. If you believe Paul is an apostle, and inspired, you can see he would make a heretic out of James. That means the twelve apostles appointed as their leader (James) a lost righteousness is imputed to the person if we observe all God's commands. The Protestants Keil and Delitzsch in their Commentary on the Old Testament agree that this verse means precisely this:
[0]ur righteousness will consist in the observance of the law; we
shall be regarded and treated by God as righteous, if we are
diligent in the observance of the law.
Is this obedience of which Deuteronomy speaks impossible? No. God in (Deut. 30:11) then assures us obedience "is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off." (ASV.) Apostle John likewise says: "And his commandments are not burdensome." (1John 5:2-3). As Jesus too says, "my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30). It is a Pauline misconception that obedience is a task beyond our ability. ((Rom. 7:24).) God assures us we can do this.
Paul directly contradicts (Deut. 6:25) by Paul's claim that righteousness (justification) is not payment for sin. It did not make you righteous, i.e., justify you. Rather, it made justification possible in God's eyes as long as His other standards are satisfied: repentance from sin and turning from sin. Jesus taught this in (Matt. 5:23-24), although some translations make it more difficult to see His meaning. Jesus says that before you bring the "sacrifice" (often mistranslated as 'gift') to the "sacrifice place" (poorly translated as 'altar') make sure you are "reconciled to your brother" who has something against you.
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The Greek word is doron. It can mean "gift," blit its primary meaning in context is "oblation" (sacrifice) {Interlinear Scripture Analyzer.) To assess this word's meaning, we first look at the Hebrew equivalent. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is minchah (Hebrew Stg 4503). It came from an unused root meaning to apportion, i.e., bestow; a donation; euphemism tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary). As a noun, this Hebrew word meant "gift, oblation, (meat) offering, present, sacrifice." The Greek equivalent word is doron (Greek Stg 1435): "a present; specially a sacrifice: gift, offering."
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The Greek word is thusiasterion. It literally means "sacrifice place." {Interlinear Scripture Analyzer only if one has first appeased his neighbor.'' Jesus simply made this principle a daily one. Atonement could not be pled by one who had not first appeased their neighbor to forgive them of some wrong.
Psalm 32:1, 5 repeats this principle of repentance from sin for forgiveness as the first step.
(1) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered....(5) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Paulunists decry the promise in (Deut. 6:25) and 30:11. In those two verses, God promises justification based on obedience to the Law. God assures us it is not too difficult to do. Paulinism has become so entrenched that if one cites these Hebrew Scriptures as if they were valid, one supposedly not only has a wrong salvation doctrine, but also one misunderstands God. Yet the Paulunist admits this is how God taught salvation in the Law God gave Moses. If we cite this admittedly inspired teaching on salvation as possibly still
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Brad H. Young, The Parables:Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation (Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 2000) at 123.
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Quoted in id., The danger of adding to Scripture in violation of the duty in (Deut. 4:2) is that God's very promises of justification by repentance and obedience are nullified. Thereby, a new conception of God takes His rightful place.
I concur with the Paulunist that a new God appears depending on which side of this issue you end up teaching. If you are on James' side, you are looking at God Almighty Yahweh. You have (Deut. 6:25) firmly fixed in your mind. However, if you look at it from Paul's side, you have a god who barely resembles the God of Hebrew Scripture. Paul's god teaches it is far too hard to keep the Law. Paul's god says it is fruitless to try to obey the Law as a means of remaining just. Instead, as
"How do you stay saved? What do you do to stay saved? Nothing! Absolutely nothing."
Charles Stanley Saved and Sure (Audiocasette AW114.)
32.The following is a common teaching among Paulunists: " Blasphemy. The idea of earning anything from God by one's meritorious works is, strictly speaking, not simply a problem in soteriology' but in theology' proper. You are not just saying something about your works, or about sin, if the object of acquisition is salvation from the wrath to come, but you are saying something about God-or rather, about god. for you have made him finite. Thus, the best corrective to merit legalism is found in Paul's preaching to the pagans, not so much to the circumcision party in the Church." See,
Paulunist J. Vernon McGee was fond to say: "He God never to lets go. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your salvation.' Paul is the effortless way. James and Jesus provide a way that requires agonizing effort to enter. (Luke 13:24, Greek agonozai .)