Saved by works? John MacArthur explains James 2:17

A lot of cults and even other orthodox religions hold firm to this belief of Salvation = Faith + Works and usually quote these verses from the book of James. Find out what James meant as Dr. John MacArthur explains.

This QA was is from the "Bible Questions and Answers, Part 67" from the Grace To You channel.

Take note that the answer is in a short time constraint and may have explained it further for better understanding. Go to the "Grace to You" YouTube channel and check out more from Dr. John MacArthur and "Grace to You" ministry; Subscribe to their channel!

[thomasmartinscott]

If I BELIEVE (have faith) that my house is on fire, I will not sit there and finish my movie.
That "belief"... WILL ... CAUSE Action. If we truly believe what God's Word says, we will
NOT continue to live as we did before. As James said, "Show me your faith without your works,
and I will show you my faith by my works. They are a RESULT of true faith.

[edwill]

It is a simple concept that many take the word works and "THINK" that means performing a a "TASK" can NOT save anyone NOR can it HELP Anyone in the long run
Many here have used the scriptures using the word "Works" and imply you must perform an ACT/ or TASK to be saved
Jesus saves ( NOTHING OR NO ONE ELSE CAN ) and HE gave ALL of us the correct definition of the word "WORKS" in scripture by simply saying, 'THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD, THAT YE BELIEVE ON HIM WHOM HE HATH SENT "
(John 6 )

there is the definition of "WORKs"

When we BELIEVE on Him, then we do the things of God whom Jesus is.

thus feeding the needy, helping the widow, and orphans, etc etc

You say but even unbelievers do that....well do they really ? Yes they do perform a task/act

Consider what He said also in His Word, "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." ( Matt 5 )
SO what is the difference then?...BELIEF on HIM who HE hath sent

Jesus saves, Works CAN NOT save anyone...the question is posed also in His Word in the Book of James 2 that asks, " Can faith save Him?" answer is YES....yet you say that same scripture states concerning feeding someone and goes on to say, " Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone"
You then suggest BY handing someone food it saves you and it saves them...that is NOT what the scripture is saying, again by Jesus' own words of what WORKS is, OUR WORK is to BELIEVE on HIM who HE hath sent...what does HE whom HE sent proclaim in His Word concerning us, the needy, etc ?
Then read Luke 12 it tells you exactly this very thing
"24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things."
AND HE DOES SUPPLY THEM ....

SO then is your works feeding or clothing or helping another or is that WORK what Jesus proclaimed in His Word, " to BELIEVE in HIM ( who is Him? Jesus the LIVING WORD ) whom HE ( GOD whom He is ) hath sent ( to us )
So is indeed Faith without works ( belief )dead being alone ? ABSOLUTELY for IF you claim to have FAITH and DO NOT BELIEVE in HIM ( Jesus )
What is FAITH ...it is simply this 'FAITH is the substance of things Hoped for the EVIDENCE of things NOT seen " ( Hebrews 11 ) is then FAITH without BELIEF in whom you have faith then dead ? Absolutely NOT....BELIEF ( Works ) brings Faith, Faith when Believed produces provision and Provision is ONLY supplied by God Alone .

What is His first words to you, DO YE BELIEVE...? and IF you BELIEVE then YOU have FAITH in HIM, Faith can not come without the WORK which is BELIEF....
One must FIRST BELIEVE He is...or else as described also in Hebrew 11 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must BELIEVE that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

SO can FAITH save him/you as scripture asks ? ABSOLUTELY, Why because REAL FAITH is BELIEF as REAL BELIEF is FAITH and without it we can NOT please God

NOR will you be able to do the REAL WORK ( belief ) you try and make a "task" to be !!!

SO even Unbelievers feed and house and help the needy...so then are they also "Saved" because they perform those "tasks"? answer is simply
Now do you understand what "WORKS" really is ?

Jesus said, "This is the "WORK" of God, That ye "BELIEVE" on HIM who HE hath sent"

it is Not any more plain than that fact

[qxezwcs]

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to DO GOOD WORKS, which God prepared in advance for us to DO.

[TheRootedWord]

He cannot even say what the Bible says. He has to add "alone" and he first tries to make himself say "faith alone", but doesn't even change it to what the Bible says. He still keeps alone, though there are 2 items now and neither can be alone then. Also, he adds faith, where the text says grace. Grace is only initiator, not the agent. And if we are judged by works alone, then works are necessary for our salvation, though we are not saved by works? That is gibberish.. It doesn't make sense in English. There is grace, faith, and actions (aka works) that all are necessary for our ultimate salvation. However, our salvation out of the world (the whole collection of individuals) is by grace, through faith. But even then in Romans 10 Paul lists many actions required by us and others for us to be saved out of the world. There is just one way to parse this dilemma that makes any sense at all. That requires stopping the truncating of Ephesians 2.8-9. YOU MUST HAVE VERSE 10!!! There are two kinds of works here, just as in James there are two kinds of faith. There are works apart from faith - "not by works LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST!" Well, those cannot be referring to works God wants you to do to please him (Matthew 7). Those are what you've come up with as your own plan."Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding." But the works in verse 10 are the result of faith, day by day, and God prepared us (custom fitted us) for good works from God. Notice it distinguishes these works as "good", setting them apart from the works of verse 9. You must do good works from God by the faith in Jesus Christ in order to be ready for the judgment, proving your faith is genuine. Aside from his opening blunder in trying to be "Protestant" in his "orthodoxy", almost all of the rest of it I agree with. However, people get confused over which "salvation" stage a Scripture is referring to. Most Christians think there is only one thing we are saved from. John tells us in 1 John there are three. #1 from the world and our past sins #2 saved from sinful behavior and falling down out of flight #3 saved into Eternal Life.

[AndrewLane-pmro]

Wrong. For starters, nowhere does the bible say we are saved by faith alone.
James 2:24 clearly says we're saved by faith and works.

Paul also preached salvation thru and works - he warns believers in Gal 5:19-21 and 1Cor 6:9-11 that their sinful works can result in them not inheriting the kingdom of God.

So if a believer can be eternally condemned by his (evil) works, a believer can be eternally saved by his (good) works.

In other words, good works (aka obeying God's commandments) are essential for salvation.
Paul preached that salvation begins with faith, not salvation thru faith alone.

Salvation thru faith alone is a false, unbiblical doctrine.

[StringPlunker]

MacArthur is a complete fool. At Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul is talking about being saved from your old walk of life to walk a new life (your conversion event). No works required. James is talking about what that person must do to be saved on judgment day. Works required - the works Paul describes at Ephesians 2:10 - doing the works of God which HE prepares so that no one may boast before Him.

[JuanGonzalez-kbgm]

John so it’s ok if you say it, but if Catholics say it and Billy Graham says it they are wrong?

Regardless this is sound doctrine. Faith and works.
Saved by faith and grace past tense, but your moved by faith that process good works hence know them by their fruits.



Easiest way to put it my friend is a vegetarian but he eats meat, or he can show you he is a vegetarian by?


Show me you are a Christian without telling me you are a Christian?

They will know you are my disciples by the love you show one another.

[albertcabrera]

FORGIVING is " works " ...
Imparting MERCY is " works " ...
DOING JUSTLY is " works " ....
GIVING IS " works " ...
SOWING IS " works " ....
REAPING IS " works " ....
in the RELATIONSHIP between Husband and Wife ... what are you SOWING ???

whatsoever you sow, so shall you reap ...
Do you reap fruits of the Spirit ?
or do you reap fruits of the flesh ?

Who are you serving ? The DESIRES OF THE SPIRIT ? or the desires of the flesh ?

Ye cannot say that ye Love the Lord Jesus and ye are overcome by wine all day ...

Ye cannot say that ye SERVE the Lord and ye satisfy the desires of the flesh all day ...

Faith without works is dead.
Show me your faith without works ...
And I will show you MY FAITH ... BY MY WORKS ... saith the apostle ...

Ye cannot say I serve God and you spend all your day in the casino ...

A tree is known by its fruits ...
So what is coming out of thee declares your faith ... does forgiveness come out of thee ? does long suffering and kindness come out of thee ?

or is it haughty eyes, busy lips, envyings, gossiping, ( you name it...) coming out of thee?

[jvdavlim]

Hahaha typical protestant interpretation. The bottom line is… faith & works. 😎

[eiddearevir]

Not quite clear explanation, andy woods explain better.

[Sthousand]

Isnt it simply a matter of to whom its written. James clearly targets "the 12 tribes of Israel" Romans is to the gentile church. And yes i understand "were all one in christ Jesus" but ill say, james 2, and Paul in Romans is completely contradictory. Unless you "rightly divide" Maybe James is addressing the jews in Daniel's 70th week.

[vonMohl]

Faith is measured by works. There is no such such thing as love there are only acts of love.

[boxingfan]

WHAT LEVEL OF IMPERFECTION IS OK ? i almost got my question answered however as we can't attain perfection we still sin to a greater or lesser extent, though logically surely it must be a lesser level in each individual than the level in each before they were saved, but we still sin ? ? ?

[jimreganpaul]

Faith is also kind of work.. you are believing in something

[buckiemohawk]

The first work is to love God and the second is to love thy neighbor as thy love thyself

[delicheres]

Our position in heaven depends of our works, once saved !

[matthewbroderick]

Even if one has ALL FAITH, but does not LOVE, it is useless! ( Corinthians 13:2). We are saved by God's grace, but not by FAITH ALONE! God shall render to everyone according to one's works or lack of works, ( Romans 2:6-8, Matthew 25;35-42, John 5:29). Peace always in Jesus Christ our Great and Kind God and Savior, He whose Flesh is true food and Blood true drink

[vileanduselessdeadworks]

If you wanna find the “worketh not” part it’s found here..

Romans 4:1-8

4 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

“Also” if you wanna find that you can’t mixed “works” and “grace” it’s found here..

Romans 11:6


“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”


Isaiah 64:6

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

[srich]

If you are looking for “ALONE” go to vs 24 - “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

[leecurt]

Why is what Jesus said not brought up. When they asked him; "How may we do the works of God? He said "believe on him who he has sent."