. . . in the polemical context of 2.14-26,
James asserts that justification is by works. The negative point is that faith
alone cannot save, and although faith in a positive sense is obviously involved
with works, James here allows only works a positive role in justification. It
can be argued that for 2.14-26 (and especially 20-4) it makes no sense to ask
whether justification is by faith or works, since the two are inextricably
bound up together. But the fact remains that in this section James does not
have a consistently positive or developed enough view of faith to allow for any
conclusion except that works are central and indispensable for justification.
It is clearly the case that James’ understanding of faith is not that of Paul
(that is, as a shorthand for acceptance for acceptance of the salvation that
God has brought about through the death and resurrection of Christ), but
something much narrower. So also the understanding of justification can be seen
to differ; Paul sees this primary point of entry into the community, where
faith is involved as the response of God’s gracious act, whereas for James it
is a question of being accepted by God at the last judgment. Here claims to be
bound faith are vain, and only righteous deeds and acts of mercy count. (Andrew
Chester in Chester and Ralph P. Martin, The Theology of the Letters of James, Peter,
and Jude [New Testament Theology; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1994], 27-28)
. . . James provides
a positive portrayal of faith, in the sense of deep, absolute trust in, and
commitment to, God, as shown by the whole way of life (above all in works and
acts of mercy), and which is not, negatively, a mere bland assertion of belief
or credal correctness. Popkes claims that for James faith denotes the whole of
human life lived in obedience to the divine word; but Blondel is right to see
this as true of Paul but not of James. Although James does have a more positive
concept of faith than is often realised, faith must still be defined and
perfected by works, and works is the important theme throughout. Again Blondel
rightly argues that the problem of faith and works for James is not the
alternative they pose but the absurdity of their separation. (Ibid., 57)
