Vindicating Faith

OK, you do not like the idea of metonym in dealing with James 2:21. A metonym is a figure of speech using the name of one thing in the place of another. The news media often use metonyms. "The White House announced the capture of Sadam Hussein." In actuality, the White House cannot announce anything. We use White House in the place of the president.

Similarly, in James 2:21, the metonym of cause and effect puts works, the evidence, in the place of faith. "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?" The question therefore means, "Was not Abraham our father justified by faith when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?" If this seems too much like playing with words, let's address the issue from a different perspective.

We use the idea of parallel passages; Scripture interprets Scripture. The parallel is Matthew 11:19. The Authorized version reads, "Wisdom is justified of her children." Literally the verse says, "Wisdom is justified by her works." Wisdom is not justified in the sense of achieving right standing with God. The New American Standard Version says, "Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." This is an appropriate translation. The word justify can mean vindicate. We may translate James 2:21 this way, "Was not Abraham our father vindicated by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?" That is, the offering up of Isaac on the altar vindicated Abraham's faith. This action proved Abraham's faith to be real and vital. Abraham showed his faith to be justifying faith. This is basically the same understanding we derive from using the idea of metonym.

We can handle James 2:24 in the same way. "You see that a man is vindicated by works and not by faith alone." We are never able do enough to justify ourselves before God. Only Jesus Christ meets the standard of righteousness necessary to achieve right standing with God. We trust in Jesus Christ and His righteousness as the only way to heaven. God receives us on the basis of what Christ has done not on the basis of what we do. On the other hand, we are able, by God's grace, to perform actions in this world that vindicate our faith. That is, we can live patient faithful lives in the midst of various adversities, lives that actually display the fact we are children of God. This is quite hopeful.

This is the emphasis. We are justified by Christ, by His good works. Any so-called good works we perform are based upon and follow our justification. Our standing as members of God's family depends upon Christ alone and what He has done for us. Our works do not add to Christ's work nor do they subtract from it. We follow God's Commandments because He saved us. We show our love for Him by keeping His commandments.

This is the application. A proper understanding of the grace of God does far more in motivating justified persons than brute application of the Law. Since good works follow and vindicate justification, teaching and learning about the grace of God in justification is the best motivation for living rightly before God. We use the carrot rather than the stick. This does not obviate our need to learn our duty as outlined in the Ten Commandments. However, we must not blur the distinction between motive and action, cause and effect, grace and duty. When we do, we turn from the true gospel, blunt the effectiveness of our ministry, and dampen our joy.