Faith and Works: A Tangled Tale of Salvation

by Bible Burrow | Mar 23, 2025 | Standalone

Faith and Works can both be important to Christians

Last Updated on March 23, 2025

Salvation. That elusive prize. Is it handed over freely, like a gift at a birthday party? Or must one toil and sweat, earning it through deeds and actions? The debate between faith and works has been the church’s favorite tug-of-war for centuries. Let’s unravel this knot.

The Biblical Banter: Faith vs. Works

The Good Book isn’t exactly a model of clarity on this topic. On one hand, you’ve got Paul, the tent-making apostle, laying it out in his letter to the Ephesians:

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)

Paul’s basically saying, “You can’t earn this, folks. It’s a gift. Stop bragging.” But then, enter James, who seems to throw a wrench in Paul’s grace machine:

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

James 2:17 (NASB)

James isn’t mincing words. Faith without action? It’s as good as a screen door on a submarine.

Denominational Dance: Who Believes What?

Different Christian tribes have their own takes on this faith-works tango:

Roman Catholics: They see salvation as a team effort. God’s grace gets the ball rolling, but human cooperation and good deeds keep it moving. It’s like a divine three-legged race.
Protestants: Especially the Lutherans and Reformed folks, they champion “sola fide” – faith alone. Good works? They’re just the evidence of genuine faith, not the ticket to salvation.
Methodists: These folks believe in justification by faith but emphasize that faith should lead to holy living. It’s not just about believing; it’s about becoming better.
Anabaptists: They reject the “faith alone” mantra, insisting that true faith manifests in actions. For them, faith and works are two sides of the same salvation coin.

Scholarly Squabbles: The Theologians Weigh In

Theologians haven’t exactly been wallflowers in this debate. The battle lines between faith and works have been drawn and redrawn over centuries, with some scholars flipping the table entirely. Here are a few of the major players:

Martin Luther (1483–1546): The poster boy for “faith alone,” Luther was ready to die on this hill. He was so committed to the idea of justification by faith that he famously disliked the Epistle of James, calling it an “epistle of straw” because it emphasized works too much for his liking. Luther argued that humans are saved by faith alone, but this faith should result in good works—not as a requirement for salvation, but as its inevitable consequence. In his view, works were like smoke from a fire: proof that something real was burning, but not what started it.
John Calvin (1509–1564): The systematic thinker of the Reformation, Calvin agreed with Luther that salvation comes by faith alone. But he took a slightly different angle: he argued that true faith inevitably produces good works. His famous line, “It is therefore faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone,” sums up his position. No fruit? Maybe no root. If a Christian’s life lacks good works, it suggests they never really had faith in the first place.
James D.G. Dunn (1939–2020): A heavyweight in modern biblical studies, Dunn was a key figure in the “New Perspective on Paul,” which reexamined what Paul really meant by “works of the law.” He argued that Paul wasn’t rejecting all works in general, just those associated with Jewish identity markers like circumcision and dietary laws. Dunn suggested that Paul was pushing back against a legalistic interpretation of the Jewish law, not against the idea of doing good deeds altogether. This perspective challenges the classic Protestant view, suggesting Paul and James might not be as opposed as they seem.
N.T. Wright (1948–present): Another major voice in the New Perspective on Paul, Wright argues that Paul’s writings have been misunderstood for centuries. He claims that justification isn’t just about personal salvation but also about being declared part of God’s covenant family. According to Wright, faith in Jesus is the entry ticket, but works demonstrate that a person truly belongs in the covenant community. He criticizes the Protestant overemphasis on individual salvation and argues that Paul’s teachings are more about transforming believers into people who naturally do good works.
Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274): The medieval intellectual powerhouse, Aquinas took a more nuanced stance. He argued that faith is necessary for salvation but that works, infused with God’s grace, are also part of the process. He saw faith and works as partners in a divine dance—faith initiates salvation but works help complete it. For Aquinas, it’s not just about believing in God but allowing that belief to transform how you live.
Augustine of Hippo (354–430): The early Church’s theological juggernaut, Augustine laid much of the groundwork for the later debate. He emphasized that salvation is entirely an act of God’s grace, but he also taught that grace empowers believers to do good works. His position foreshadowed both Catholic and Protestant thought: Catholics leaned into his idea that works are part of salvation, while Protestants emphasized his belief that grace initiates everything.

So, who’s right? Depends on who you ask. The debate isn’t just about technical theology—it’s about how we live out our faith. And as history shows, that question isn’t going away anytime soon.

Scriptural Showdown: Key Passages

The Bible offers a buffet of verses on this topic, and depending on what you’re looking for, you can find a passage to support almost any stance. The tension between faith and works isn’t a contradiction—it’s a conversation. And like most theological arguments, both sides have their scriptural ammo.

Paul’s Case for Faith Alone

Paul, the apostle of grace, spent a lot of time hammering home that salvation isn’t something you earn. Here are some of his most quoted verses:

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Romans 3:28 (NASB)

Paul is drawing a line in the sand here. His argument? The Jewish law—circumcision, dietary restrictions, temple rituals—doesn’t save anyone. Justification (being made right with God) comes only through faith in Jesus, not through rule-following.

…a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 2:16 (NASB)

Paul doubles down. He’s addressing a controversy in the early church—some Jewish Christians insisted that Gentile converts needed to obey the Mosaic Law (circumcision, kosher rules, etc.) to be fully accepted. Paul isn’t having it. His message? Faith over ritual.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)

This is one of the most quoted passages in Protestant theology. Paul says salvation is a divine gift, not a paycheck for good behavior. If you could earn it, you could brag about it—and God isn’t interested in rewarding spiritual résumé-building.

James Pushes Back: Faith Needs Legs

Then along comes James, who doesn’t seem to be reading from the same script:

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 2:24 (NASB)

If Paul sounds like he’s handing out free passes, James sounds like he’s cracking the whip. He’s all about action. Faith that doesn’t result in works? That’s no faith at all. He continues:

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

James 2:17 (NASB)

For James, faith without works is like a car without an engine—looks nice, but isn’t going anywhere. His examples? Abraham offering Isaac and Rahab helping the Israelite spies—both acts of obedience that demonstrated real faith.

Can Paul and James Get Along?

At first glance, Paul and James seem like theological adversaries, but a closer look suggests they might be talking about different things:

Paul: Fighting against the idea that obeying the Jewish law (circumcision, food laws, sacrifices) is required for salvation.
James: Pushing back against a lazy, inactive faith that doesn’t produce any change in behavior.

Paul focuses on how salvation starts (by grace through faith). James focuses on what real faith looks like (a life transformed). When you put them together, they’re two sides of the same coin. Faith is the root; works are the fruit.

The debate rages on, but one thing is clear: neither apostle was interested in an armchair faith. Whether you lean Paul or James, the takeaway is the same—belief in Christ isn’t just an intellectual exercise. It’s supposed to change how you live.

Faith and Works – Frenemies?

So, where does that leave us? Perhaps faith and works aren’t adversaries but partners in the dance of salvation. Faith plants the seed, and works help it grow. Or maybe, as some wits might say, faith without works is like a car without gas – it ain’t going anywhere.

Additional Resources

Books:

These are Amazon affiliate links for these books. We use affiliate links to offset our operating costs. Using them helps us stay online. You don’t have to use these though; you can just search for the book. Happy reading!

Faith and Works: This book by Derek Prince delves into the relationship between faith and actions, emphasizing the importance of dependence on God over self-reliance.
Faith And Works (Sermons And Articles By Ellen G. White): A collection of sermons and articles by Ellen G. White discussing the interplay between faith and deeds in the Christian journey.
Grace, Faith, And Works: What Must I Do To Be Saved?: This book examines the roles of grace, faith, and works in salvation, providing a comprehensive look at their interconnectedness.

Web Resources:

Faith and Works – The Gospel Coalition: An essay discussing the Reformed Protestant perspective on the relationship between faith and works, emphasizing that salvation comes by faith in Christ alone, with good works as evidence of that faith.
What Catholics Believe About Faith and Works: An article explaining the Catholic viewpoint on the necessity of both faith and works in the process of salvation.
Sola fide – Wikipedia: A comprehensive overview of the doctrine of justification by faith alone, exploring its historical development and theological implications.

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