3) Faith Again: Finding James

It is necessary to note that people do not simply have faith out of thin air; their faith is always in something, whether that be Jesus, or the Buddha, or that one piece of obscure but powerful advice your kindergarten teacher gave you ever so long ago.  The question therefore becomes: when James talks about faith, what is he assuming as the object of that faith?  Historical context strongly suggests that this object is Jesus Christ; the historians tell us that James was busily working to expand the Christian church at the time this letter was written.  This strong indication is affirmed as a certainty by another verse in the letter:

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism (James 2:1 NIV, emphasis added).

Consider also James’ own language.  Every instance of the word “faith” as it is found in James 2:14-26 is derived from the Greek word pistis, which can be translated to specifically indicate “reliance upon Christ for salvation” (Strong #G4102).  This certainly changes things.  Not only can we derive the object of “faith” as the word is used by James but also the reason for it.  James advocates faith in Christ for salvation.  And this, as we can clearly see, clashes vehemently with a works-based soteriology.

Allow me to demonstrate the point a little more clearly.  A works-based soteriology does not, in fact, result in a complete absence of “faith” in the broad sense, as the name – and its opposition to a faith-based soteriology – seems to imply.  A works-based soteriology has merely shifted the object of one’s faith.  One who operates on a works-based soteriology has faith in his works for salvation instead of Christ.  But we have already seen – through inferences based on the historical context of, the language in, and the remainder of this epistle – that James has written what he has written on the assumption that his readers already rely on Christ for their salvation.  And, of course, you cannot rely both on your own works and Christ for salvation simultaneously.  Christ’s words echo, “No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24 and Luke 16:13).  We must choose one or the other: either we embrace a faith-based soteriology as advocated by Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and, yes, even poor, misunderstood James, or we embrace a works-based soteriology for God knows why.