Many readers of the New Testament misinterpret both Paul and James, thus concluding that their statements about faith and works contradict each other. That is simply not true! There are differences in emphasis, but not contradictions in teaching, if one understands both properly.

Paul and James agree that both "faith" and "works" are essential parts of Christian life, although they have different roles. Paul and James also agree that salvation ultimately comes from God and from Jesus Christ, not from us or anything that we do.

However, since Paul and James are writing to different audiences in different situations about different problems, their letters have different presuppostions and different emphases. To combat the opinion of some people that circumcision and other "works of the law" were necessary for Gentile converts to early Christianity, Paul stresses that the foundation of our salvation is the death of Jesus, not the laws of Moses. To combat the opinion of other people that professing faith in God is enough for salvation, James stresses that Christians must put their faith into concrete action.

The common but incorrect interpretation, leading to an apparent contradiction between Paul and James:

• Paul supposedly said:  Justification not by our good works, but by our faith in Jesus alone  (see Gal 2:15—3:14 & Rom 3:21—4:25)
• James supposedly said:  Justification by our good works, not by our faith in God alone  (see James 2:14-26)

Errors with these interpretations:

1. Paul is not talking about "good works" in the sense of "charitable acts"; rather, he says "works of the Law" (Gal 2:16; 3:2-12; Rom 3:28), which refers to the Jewish/Mosaic laws on circumcision, sacrifices, dietary restrictions, etc.
        For James, "works" are acts of charity = care for widows, orphans & the poor, love for neighbors, etc. (James 1:27; 2:8; 2:15-16)
2. Paul is not opposed to "good works" or "charitable actions"; he sees them as necessary consequences (but not the foundation) of authentic Christian liivng (see Gal 5–6; Rom 12–15).
        Conversely, James is not opposed to faith; he presupposes it, and then stresses that authentic faith must be put into action (James 2:14-26).
3. Paul is not talking primarily about our "faith in Jesus," but rather the "faith of Jesus" in God (i.e., Jesus' own trusting in God; see Gal 2:16, 20; Rom 3:22, 26); based on this foundation, our faith in God/Jesus is a necessary (but secondary) response.
        In contrast, James does mean people’s faith, primarily believing in God (2:23) but also believing in Jesus (2:1).
4. Paul does not presuppose the same definition of "faith" as James does; for Paul, "faith" = "trusting" God; "entrusting oneself" to God's plans.
        For James, "faith" is more of an intellectual assent to theological truths, e.g., "believing that God is one" (2:19).
5. Paul did not write the word "alone" in Rom 3:28; Martin Luther was the one who added the word "allein" in his German Bible translation.
        James does not write "by works alone" but stresses "not by faith alone"; he maintains that both have to go together.

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