Who's Boasting?

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

Today it seems that all I ever hear is that we are saved by faith apart from works. But does the Bible really say that?  Usually the terms that are used to express this idea is that it's, "not of works," "no one's perfect," and "you can't judge" (Rom. 3:24; 6:23; Eph. 2:9; Titus 3:5). However, as I have looked into these things, I have begun to understand why there are so many churches that are full to overflowing with "carnal Christians".

One of the main problems with using the words "deeds" or "works" in conjunction with salvation is that people automatically equate it to "saving yourself." This is the number one argument I seem to encounter when I discuss these things with different people. But what is really going on is that most people today have been misinformed and haven't looked into these things on their own and thus cannot make the distinction that Paul was speaking about the works of the Mosaic Law when he wrote, "It's not of works lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). He wasn't saying that a passive, dead, devil's faith is what saves us (James 2:19).

Paul's teaching of, "by the works of the law no flesh will be justified," was directly aimed at the individuals who were attempting to be justified by establishing their own righteousness through outward keeping of the letter of the law, and not by a faith that works through love (Rom. 9:32; 10:3; Gal. 5:6). What was the boast about anyways? Paul explains it in Romans 2:17-29:    

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? (Rom. 2:18-23)

What is the apostle Paul trying to communicate? Who is he speaking to about the "boast", and what is it regarding? Paul is rebuking the Jews who were boasting in the Mosaic Law, that is, they thought they could get to God through washing, ceremonies and rituals. He was in other words telling them the same thing that Jesus was; that they were "cleaning the outside of the cup while the inside remained defiled" (Matthew 23:26). In other words, they were pursuing the law of righteousness without faith, and therefore their hearts remained defiled! (Rom. 9:31-32). So, consequently, the Jews were seeking to get right before God by a bunch of outward ritual keeping, but weren't truly obeying God from the heart (1 Tim. 1:5). However, although keeping a bunch of outward rules can give off an appearance of godliness and even ease the conscience, the inside can never be made pure! (Col. 2:20-23).

This is why Paul asked the questions:

• You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?
• You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?
• You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery?
• You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
• You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Paul was simply pointing out what Christ has previously pointed out, that is, the Pharisees were righteous on the outside, but inside they were "full of hypocrisy and lawlessness"...

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matt. 23:25-28)

Paul is showing us that he could see the Jews had a "form of godliness" but were lacking the inward principle of love which would have purified their hearts of sin (Gal. 5:6; 2 Tim. 3:5). This is what Paul was addressing in Romans 2, that the double minded Pharisees who were preaching a bunch of rules, were at the same time breaking the same rules (simultaneously) in their hearts. In other words, they were boasting in keeping the Law, but according to Paul and Christ they were breaking the Law in their hearts! This is the reason Paul warns them:      

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.  And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Rom. 2:1-3)

Furthermore, Paul says this:

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;  but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God (Rom. 2:28-29).

Notice Paul says that circumcision is "not in the letter", but rather in the spirit. This is also known as the circumcision made "without hands":

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. (Col. 2:11)

This is the same thing Paul taught in Romans 6:4-6:

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Rom. 6:4-6)

If you look carefully you will see that through this death to sin (through the circumcision of Christ by putting off the body of sin, the death of the old man), the result is newness of life, that is, old things pass away, and ALL things become new (2 Cor. 5:17). This is where the babe in Christ is born. This is the death of the "old man" and arrival of the "new man" (Eph. 4:22-24).

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. (Galatians 6:15)

It's through this process that the heart is made "pure" by faith, that is, "you will have purified your heart by obedience to the truth" (Acts 15:9 and 1 Pet. 1:22).

This saving faith that works by love is also known as Abraham's faith:

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God.  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only (James 2:21-24).

Paul said:

For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified (Rom. 2:13).

Circumcision and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters (1 Cor. 7:19)

And James echoes:   

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).

Notice that people who don't put the word into practice will end up being self deceived (Matt. 7:24-27; Lk. 6:46-49). This is just more proof why the bible commands us to do what the word says and not just believe it (Luke 6:46).

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only"
(James 2:24)