Justification By Works (postscript 1)

This will be a follow up to my recent article on justification by works. (here) I will be commenting upon what James meant when he said that it is by works that faith is "made perfect" and in the next follow up I will comment on what he meant when he said that it was by Abraham's obedience to God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac that the divine declaration of justification and imputed righteousness by believing was "fulfilled." What is meant by "fulfilled"? First, let us give the words of the text we are examining.

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2: 21-24 nkjv)

The Greek word for "perfect" is teleios and denotes the end design of something, the completion of something that was designed to be accomplished by some action. James gives some examples of faith being made perfect. He says it is made perfect when someone not only expresses a desire for a hungry brother to be fed but actually feeds him. Faith is perfected when it acts, when it is more than words. Just as the ear is for the purpose of hearing and the eye for seeing, so the ear serves its purpose when it actually hears and the eye serves its end design when it sees. Legs are for the purpose of walking. When people walk the legs are "made perfect," doing what they were designed to do. Likewise, faith is for the purpose of producing good actions. Paul says believers are "created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works." (Eph. 2:10) By "unto" the apostle means "for the purpose of." 

Other gifts and abilities are likewise to have their intended ends. What is said of faith is likewise said about patience. So we read of patience by the same apostle: "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4 kjv) What is said of faith and patience is also said of love. So the apostle John wrote about perfecting love:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (I John 4: 17-18 kjv)

None of these verses are to be interpreted to mean that faith, love, or patience do not save a person until these are perfected. Every act of faith, every act of love, every act of patience, is a further step towards perfection in those graces. So we pray to be perfected in faith, love, patience, etc. So did Paul:

"For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?" (I Thess. 3: 9-10 kjv)

Also, divine power in a believer is also to be perfected. The apostle Paul wrote of the strength of Christ being perfected in him, writing about what Christ said to him in these words:

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (II Cor. 12: 9 nkjv)

God is working in believers to perfect their patience, faith, and their love (and believers are to have the same goal). He is also working to perfect their moral and spiritual strength, their endurance. This was what James taught in his opening remarks of his letter.

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1: 22-25 kjv)

A Christian whose faith is only in words is compared to a person who hears the word but does not do what the word says. Being blessed in doing the things the word of God commands includes being perfected in holiness. So wrote the apostle Paul:

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (II Cor. 7:1 kjv)

Notice that holiness is perfected (Grk. epiteleō), reaches its intended end, or fulfills its purpose, through godly living, through regularly "cleansing ourselves from all filthiness," all moral impurity. So, not only is faith, love, patience, and strength being perfected, so too is holiness or being sanctified. 

God Is Working To Perfect

The inspired author of Hebrews wrote:

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13: 20-21 kjv)

God is working in his children to make them perfect, which involves making them perfect in faith, love, patience, strength, and holiness. This making perfect is "in every good work." This harmonizes with what James taught when he said faith is made perfect in good works done by faith. Faith is exercised through good works, just as godliness is said to be. "Exercise yourself toward godliness," wrote the apostle Paul, for, said he, "bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." (I Tim. 4: 7b-8 nkjv) 

Muscles that are not used by bedridden patients rapidly undergo what is called "disuse atrophy," which is a condition where muscle tissue shrinks, loses mass, and grows weak from lack of physical activity. Likewise, a believer who is not exercising his faith and love in good works will find his spiritual health decline. The apostle Peter also spoke of the work of God in perfecting Christians and their virtues of love, faith, patience, holiness, and strength, writing:

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (I Peter 5: 10 kjv)

God has several tools in his toolbox to use in making his people perfect in their love, faith, holiness, etc. Trials and sufferings are some of his instruments. Jesus prayed in his great intercessory prayer:

“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17: 23 nkjv)

So, a Christian may well say "Lord, you have worked all our works in us." (Isa. 26: 12) So, when we read of the "work of faith" or the "work of love" (I Thess. 1:3), and we have already seen where James spoke of the work of patience, we should say God is behind our doing these works. Though these things are the work of God, yet we see where people are exhorted to do this work themselves. This is not a contradiction. That is because both God and the believer are causes, though God and his grace are the chief causes. Our working is a result of his working and so he gets the credit and the praise and there is no room for us to boast. 

So, when James says faith is made perfect by good works, he does not mean that good works are a requirement for being initially saved or justified. They are means, however, of perfecting faith and other graces in the Christian.