James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is shown to be righteous.
Playing games with words and philosophy of meanings, is not believing and teaching the plain words of Scripture.
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
There is no justification without works, because justification is by works.
James is discussing the evidence of faith
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The evidence of the faith is the works of faith. God's faith is faith and works together. There is not one without the other. there is no substance to faith, without the evidence of works. Faith alone without works is without substances of God to save any man
(says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God.
Hearing only and faith alone by hearing is not an act. The only ones accounted as righteous are doing the word of righteousness.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Once again, no man is righteous by faith alone. Only them doing righteousness are called the righteous of God.
Faith alone righteousness is imaginary doctrinal righteousness of man without doing righteousness.
Doctrinal righteousness by faith alone, is as real as faith alone: it doesn't exist.
(Romans 4:2-3) Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
The imaginary gospel of saved and justified by faith alone and not by works, does not exist.
We do not save and justify ourselves by our own doctrine of our own faith. We can dote about words with great swollen meanings, so as to make for ourselves one really swell gospel by faith alone. But it doesn't make it real, nor does it save us.
Doctrine alone saves no man.
Man is saved through faith and not by works (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is (evidenced) by works. (James 2:14-24).
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
The false faith of works, is faith based upon works we do without Christ. We do our own works, that we then begin to believe and trust in.
It's better than dead faith alone without works, but it does not justify us with Christ.
Man owns the works, by his own faith alone. Christ owns the works, by doing them with the faith of Jesus.
Man owns the doctrine by his own faith alone. Christ owns the doctrine by doing His word.
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
The doctrine of one's own faith alone, speaks of himself, not of Christ.
*Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works.*
Alone is added to the word of God. The only time alone appears with faith in Scripture, is to condemn it as dead.
It is through faith "in Christ alone"
And this is not at all what is being taught for salvation and justification by faith alone without works.
Having faith in Christ alone, is not having faith alone. OSAS does not teach having faith in Christ alone, but having salvation by faith alone.
(and not based on the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ
Our works have no merit. Doing God's works by His faith, by which we are justified, is His merit in us working with us to do His word and will, and not be faith alone hearers only.
(Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies does not remain alone (unfruitful, barren)
And so now you say there is unfruitful and barren faith. You call faith alone that saves, barren and unfruitful faith: dead.
There is no faith alone at all, ever. Unfruitful and unbarren seed and faith is dead. There is no saving faith without roots:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Adding the things of virtue and godliness to our faith completes the faith that saves and justifies us with Christ. Until then that faith is incomplete, barren, and unfruitful, and saves no man at all.
The work of faith to add these things to our faith, is the roots of living faith, that is not dead and alone.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Only those living the faith of God, are justified by Christ. Faith alone 'before' living the faith is dead and has no root at all.
if it is genuine. (James 2:14-24) *Perfect Harmony*
Until that harmony of faith and works is completed, there is no genuine salvation of faith alone.
The consummation of our marriage to Christ, to be flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone, is only by doing the word of faith, and not by faith alone and hearing only.
Faith apart from works does not exist, except in the minds of vain imagination.
