Genesis 15 · a question people ask
Paul says Abraham was counted righteous by faith. James says he was justified by works. Don't they contradict each other?
Both quote Genesis 15:6. Paul says Abraham was not "justified by works" (Romans 4:2-5) and points out that righteousness was credited to him before he was circumcised (Romans 4:9-10). James points to the day Abraham offered Isaac, years later, and says "the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God'", adding "faith worked with his works" (James 2:21-23). Protestants commonly read the two together in two ways, often combined.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
Two different questions
Paul is answering how a person is counted righteous before God: not by works earned like wages (Romans 4:4-5; 3:28). James is answering what real faith looks like: "faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself" (James 2:17), and "faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26).
Romans 3:28 · Romans 4:4-5 · James 2:14-17 · James 2:26
Justified as shown to be righteous
James uses "justified" of faith being shown and completed: "I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18) and "by works faith was perfected" (James 2:22). Abraham's offering of Isaac showed the faith that was credited to him in Genesis 15:6.
James 2:18 · James 2:21-23 · Genesis 15:6
The verses
“He believed in the LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.”
“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed. But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”
“Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.”
“Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.”