Justification and the epistle of James 2:24, "man is justified by works, and not by faith only"

Invictus · May 2, 2021

Tiffy said: ↑

I must be, as you say, misunderstanding. I can't see why it is important to anyone that they should be seen by men to be justified, 'proven', or 'vindicated' or that men should find it important to be able to 'vindicate' or 'have proven' anyone's vindication.

Since it is not men that should be sitting in judgment on sinners but God, surely it only matters whether we are justified, 'vindicated' or 'proven' by God, not men.

I take the point though that this statement of James has been and still is, profoundly misunderstood by many devout believers.

Strongs Definition
[δικαιόω dikaioō; from 1342; to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent:
— free, justify(-ier), be righteous.
AV (40) - justify 37, be freed 1, be righteous 1, justifier 1;
To render righteous or such he ought to be. To show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered. To declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be.]

It is certainly true that we all ought to be righteous but are not as we ought to be, except in God eyes when we are in Christ.
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I would surmise that the reason this is important -being vindicated before men - is that this is what occasions new faith in others (i.e., on the part of other people, to be clear).

Tiffy · May 3, 2021

Invictus said: ↑

I would surmise that the reason this is important -being vindicated before men - is that this is what occasions new faith in others (i.e., on the part of other people, to be clear).
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Agreed! Also in the negative sense, when our behaviour as 'believers' is hipocrtitical it can provide an excuse for unbelievers when they observe it, to excuse their own sinful deeds and thus deny their own need of salvation. However it is extremely difficult for any believer to be completely righteous. It is probably sufficient for us, in God's scheme of things salvational, to be completely forgiving and impartial. Matt.5:43-48, Matt.7:2.
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Rexlion · May 3, 2021

Tiffy said: ↑

... it is extremely difficult for any believer to be completely righteous...
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It is impossible for a man to be completely righteous. Yet, because "with God all things are possible," believers are accounted as completely righteous by the gift of God's own righteousness, when they receive it through faith in Christ.

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Justification and the epistle of James 2:24, "man is justified by works, and not by faith only"

Invictus Well-Known Member

Tiffy Well-Known Member

Rexlion Well-Known Member