Conclusions to a Proper Balance on the Faith and Works Issue

Dear Reader:

This exercise is to juxtapose Paul's view of Abraham's work in offering up Isaac compared to James' view, and then with Ellen White's view in order to see if she agrees with or contradicts Scripture. Our objective here is to solve the "apparent contradiction" paradox involved with Paul saying that man is not justified by works of the law, and James' saying that man is justified by faith and works. Read carefully to find that the only resolution to this paradox without making the Bible contradict itself, is to conclude that Paul means that no man is justified by works that are not motivated by proper faith and that when man chooses to employ proper faith as a motivation for his works, such works are imputed (counted) unto him for righteousness and count toward his justification or salvation.

Paul's View of Abraham's Work of Offering up His Son Isaac

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

20 http://www.bju.edu/bible/strongs.php?lang=g&id=1161He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification

James View of Abraham's work of Offering up his Son Isaac

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Ellen White view of Imputed Power for Overcoming Sin

"His imputed grace and power He gives to all who receive Him by faith. The obedience of Christ to His Father was the same obedience that is required of man." E.G. White, Ms. 1, 1892.

Some are teaching that power is only imparted--not imputed, and that our works have nothing to do with our justification, but are only fruits (results) of being saved. The above examples clearly demonstrate that if we exercise proper faith, the works accompanying that faith are imputed (counted) as righteousness and that we are justified saved by such works of faith.

Conclusion

When Paul says that a man is not justified by works of the law, he has to mean works that are not done out of a proper faith in and love for Christ motive. By the end of this study, it should be abundantly clear to all that a man is justified by his works of love and faith tried in the fire of obedience and not by faith alone without works, which is dead faith. Dead faith does not get anyone justified. We are not saved by works of the law done without proper faith. But we are justified by proper works related to the commandments of God if they are done out of a motive of proper faith and love tried in the fire of the crucible of the fiery law of God. This is what gold (faith and love) tried in the fire (the Laodicean Message) means.

Was This Process of Imputed Grace and Power Applied in the Old Testament Sanctuary Service Under the Old Covenant?

The answer is found in Leviticus 17:4:

Lev 17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Jam 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.

Jam 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Jam 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way?

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Jam 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Strong's Definition of Imputed

middle voice from 3056

If my conclusions are not correct, then Paul contradicts himself in the following verses:

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

All Paul is really saying is that works done without the faith of Jesus Christ do not accrue to our being justified or saved. When we do works out of a motive of love and faith, such works are imputed to us (counted unto us) as righteousness. But since faith in Christ engenders the imputation of grace power to do the works, who can boast?

Rom 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only , or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Perform what? The WORK of offering up his son Isaac.

Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

This was not an isolated case. The same process applies to us.

Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Now one should better understand what God means when He says if ye love me keep my commandments. When we look at the law we see ourselves as sinners. The Holy Spirit and the law convert the soul and woo the soul to repent. When we properly repent by faith in Christ, He sends (imputes) grace and power that we may obey His commandments, but He imputes (counts) any obedience to receiving and exercising this power as righteousness unto us. We thus have a co-operative part to play in working out our salvation with fear and trembling, as Paul says, and of course this would be just another self-contradiction of his if we had no part in co-operating with Christ.

God bless,

Ron Bless