Let JAMES the JUST, blood brother of Jesus and leader of the followers after the Crucifixion - for about 30 years - killed in 62AD - explain it to YOU - :
KJV James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
KJV James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
How do you reconcile the scripture in Romans and Ephesians with the scripture you posted???
Okay, let's listen to King David, the "man after God's own heart", when he said, "There is no God.". It doesn't say that, you reply? If we look at the CONTEXT of what David said and read the words and verses around that snippet, we would see the Psalmist say, "A fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 53:1).
You bring up a single verse, divorced from it's context, ignoring all the OTHER verses that contradict what you claim this verse states and then what are we to do, toss out the doctrine of justification by faith APART from works that so many other verses say all because you find a sentence that says otherwise? Let me ask you this, would God contradict Himself? IF we really are "justified" by our faith AND our works, then what do we do with verses like:
yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)
because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Romans 3:28)
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:38,39)
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5)
Finally, let me ask you this simple question, was the sacrifice of Christ on the cross sufficient to satisfy the debt of our sins? If you say, yes, then how can your works improve on that perfect sacrifice when God says only by the shedding of blood is there atonement for sins? If, no, then why wasn't Christ's blood enough, why did he suffer so much if we had to ADD our own righteousness to the mix in order to be justified before God?
People look at the outward appearance and they see we are believers by our actions - they cannot see our hearts. God, on the other hand, sees our hearts and knows if our faith is real, He isn't fooled by outwards acts of righteousness. We are justified BEFORE GOD by faith and not by our works, because by works will NO ONE be justified. It is ALL by His grace.