Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

[spockrates]

Perhaps THE greatest difference between protestant and Catholic:

Catholics accept the position "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Many protestants believe salvation comes from faith alone. Plus Calvinists teach predestination,which Catholics reject.


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James 2 14-26

New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Hi, Padraic. I think most Protestants accept the words of James as true--they just interpret them differently than Catholics do. For example, when I was Evangelical, I understood these words,

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

(James 2:26)

to mean good works ( good thoughts, words and deeds) are an effect of living (or real) faith. Hence, one is saved from hell by a faith that causes salvation, and salvation then causes good works. Salvation and good works are then the effects of faith. For we are saved through faith alone. In other words,

Faith -> salvation + works

where -> = causes

Catholics tell me the passage means faith alone does not save anyone from hell. One needs both faith and good works. For good works are not an effect of salvation, they are instead a cause of salvation. Moreover one's faith must be not in Christ alone, but also in the sacraments (e.g., baptism). In other words,

Faith + sacraments + works -> salvation

where -> = causes

Protestants might respond by saying Catholics are confusing correlation with causation. Catholics might then reply that Protestants mistakenly assume the correlation is not a case of causation.

I'd say this is another instance of a lack of clarity in a biblical text resulting in contrary interpretations of the text. Would you say the same?