Journal: Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal
Volume: DBSJ 28:1 (NA 2023)
Article: The Nature Of Saving Faith In James
Author: Kevin W. McFadden

DBSJ 28 (2023) p. 43

The Nature Of Saving Faith In James

Kevin W. McFadden1

The goal of this brief article is to articulate the nature of saving faith in the theology of James. Andrew Chester argues that “James does not independently choose to introduce faith, and he does not set out any real theology of it either. He has to take it up [because of his polemical context], and he deliberately devalues it…. Faith, even in its positive sense of absolute trust, remains inferior to works for James.”2 I disagree. The letter of James both opens and closes with a non-polemical discussion of faith. And the words πίστις (16x) and πιστεύω (3x) play an important role in 1:2–8; 2:1–7; 2:14–26; and 5:13–20. Even the polemical statement “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24)3 does not reject justification by faith but rather qualifies it.4 James does set out a theology of faith, although it must be granted that his most important contribution to the nature of saving faith in New Testament theology is the argument of his polemical section (2:14–26): Genuine saving faith is accompanied by works.

God And Saving Faith

Saving faith in God and in Christ is a foundational assumption in the theology of James. James assumes that his readers possess faith in God (“your faith,” 1:3) and specifically faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

DBSJ 28 (2023) p. 44

(2:1). He also assumes that they have been born anew by the gospel: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (1:18).5 This assumption of regeneration by the word implicitly assumes faith in that word and thus salvation by faith in the gospel of God and Christ.

For James, the immutable, gift-giving God is the origin of all saving faith. God is the one who “gives generously to all without reproach” (1:5).You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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