Continuing on the theme for the week, I have had a strange confluence of events that have pointed me to a better understanding of the Paul/James discussion. If you read my words, you will know that last week was a real low point in the blogosphere for me. The Pirate Christian Radio interview that I tagged last post did cause some waves. At seemingly an opportune moment, Bible study came to the end of 2 Corinthians 5 today. My wife is studying James, and so I’ve read James within the last week as well. And so this mix came together this morning in a loud *figuratively* crash.
To begin this discussion, let’s look at the basic pattern of a Pauline Epistle: Gospel, gospel, law, gospel, doctrine, doctrine…THEREFORE…practical stuff that is based on Gospel, gospel, law and doctrine. Certainly, Romans follows this pattern, defines this pattern if you like. But 2 Corinthians has a different structure upon closer review. In this epistle, Paul uses a number of metaphors to illustrate how we are to live both in this age and in the age to come through our faith, by dying with Christ in Baptism, being arisen with Christ as a new creation, truly born again, and being indwelled by the Holy Spirit whose seal guarantees the covenant. He builds up to his doctrinal statement at the end of chapter 5. You can see parallels in the arguments to the types of arguments made by James concerning imperatives about Christian living. The concept of Ambassador not only connotes Evangelism, but a standard of behavior consistent with the message.
The charge of antinomianism that often rises from the doctrine of Paul is refuted by the Apostle himself in Romans 6. The paradox of the two kingdoms is illustrated in Romans 7 where Paul describes the Christian life in terms of his own struggles with the flesh of this age. But the idea of Christian living, although rooted heavily in doctrine, is clearly defended in terms of obedience to the Law. This language is more rooted in discussion of the Holy Spirit in others of Paul’s letters, particularly those to the churches in Corinth and Ephesus. This discussion leads to the fruit of the spirit metaphor. In addition, there is the language of being alive in faith or dead to sin. This idea is further developed by James.
James talks about faith that is dead is a faith without fruit. He assumes the doctrine and Gospel, something that Paul never does, and gets right to the imperatives. But it is clear that James and Paul are talking about the same thing, living in true faith in the resurrected Jesus. Both of them make charges against the idea of living without fruit of the Spirit. Following this logic through, any true faith will necessarily manifest itself in good works and obedience to the law. Antinomianism is not even a category for these guys, as this behavior is inconsistent with true faith. Therefore, the antinomian charge is by category the same charge as heretic. James goes farther making the point that civic righteousness is not the same as righteousness based in true faith in Christ. The former convicts us while the latter is evidence of our salvation.
And so we come to the issue of Christian living. If a careful reading of Paul reveals an imperative that is akin to James, and James does not deny the indicatives of Paul, we must address the logical conclusion of Christian Liberty. One of the issues of a works based righteousness is that even the good civic works of man are tainted by sin and earn us nothing in righteous capital. Works through faith by virtue of the Holy Spirit are freed from the bondage of sin. This means that the normal paralysis of analysis that is the natural state of man, being in sin, is null and void in transformed believers. Being free from the bondage of sin, we are free to act righteously, with no regard to our salvation as that issue is already assured through Christ. This freedom to obey allows us to obey the Law and love our neighbor without regard to the implications to our own righteousness. This is only because our righteousness is assured external to ourselves and our efforts and works. Therefore, Christian Liberty is much greater than enjoying a beer with dinner. Christian Liberty is freedom from sin so that our works can be done in a pure motive of good through the power of the Holy Spirit, who receives all of the credit as it is He who provides us with the seal of our election, per Ephesians 1 and 2 Corinthians 3.
Therefore, the Reformed are properly rebuked if their actions are not worthy of both Paul and James, both of whom anchor righteous works in the faith of the elect in Jesus Christ. The issue of the application of the Gospel to our individual lives then does come full circle to a study of the Law. The difference is the motive behind the obedience and the freedom to actually pull it off.
--Ogre--
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