There's a more explicit apparent contradiction than just that.
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. "
Here's the thing though, Timmy. James is not talking about JUSTIFICATION FROM SIN. James is using justification in terms of "showing something", which is the first definition below.
jus·ti·fy [juhs-tuh-fahy] Show IPA verb, -fied, -fy·ing.
verb (used with object)
1. to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: The end does not always justify the means.
2.to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don't try to justify his rudeness.
3.Theology . to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
4.Printing .
a.
to make (a line of type) a desired length by spacing the words and letters, especially so that full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.
b.
to level and square (a strike).
James is saying Abraham proved (showed) his faith by what he did. Thus, his action justified his faith. Justification in this sense is the act of showing something.
Consider the pharisees in the days of John the baptist:
Luke 7
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Notice, in this case, the pharisees could claim to know God all they want, but by rejecting being baptized of John, they obviously did not know God. How do we know the pharisees rejected the counsel of God? (we can't see their heart) By refusing to be baptized of John, they were rejecting God.
God sees the faith in your heart. You (as a person) see your faith by your works. Your work proves your faith, that's all James was saying.
So today, if you claim you know Jesus Christ, but you do NOT keep his commandment, then obviously, your works prove that you do NOT have faith in Jesus. Simple. So what is his commandment?
I John 3
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
On the other hand, Paul (using Justification) is saying that your faith in Jesus is what puts you in right standing before God. The use of Justification in this sense is the third definition given above.
Now, how do you prove that faith? By repenting towards God and being baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. Simple
Another mistake people make is that they cannot differentiate the meaning of "WORKS" when Paul uses and "WORKS" when James using it.
James uses WORKS as a fruit of something (Like Jesus said, by their fruit, ye shall know them). That is the sense in which James is using the word WORKS.
Paul uses it primarily as WORKS of the LAW. The Jews thought they were in right standing with God because they were DOING the WORKS of the Law. They thought the WORKS made them righteous.
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Let's not make the mistake that just because they (Paul and James) both use the words "justify" and "works", they are talking about the same thing.
To prove that Paul AGREES with James, consider this:
Rom 6
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Paul is telling us how to live after knowing Christ. In other words, now that you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, live like those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. (Sound similar to Faith without works is dead? you betcha...)
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...Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...(Acts 20:21)
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
John 7
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Notice that the living water Jesus was speaking about was actually referring to the pouring of the Spirit of God, which essentially is salvation for mankind. Having that in mind:
Isaiah 12
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
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...Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...(Acts 20:21)
The difference between the two is found in these words.... "A" and "THE." In the former the men with Paul did, indeed, hear "a" voice, but they did not hear "the" voice of God. Different, yet the same thing, actually, only the former advises that they did not distinguish "a" voice which they heard as being that voice of "the" Lord. That's the way I see it, but as others have stated, it really doesn't change the main point, which is, Paul heard "the" voice of Jesus.
The scriptures in question are Acts 9:7 which says:
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid,but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
Now which account of Paul's experience is correct?
As I'm reading these scriptures right here it looks like the writer Luke is giving his account of what happened in Acts 9:7 and then in Acts 22:9 Paul is giving his account of what happened.
__________________ Matthew 24:13-14 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid,but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
Now which account of Paul's experience is correct?
As I'm reading these scriptures right here it looks like the writer Luke is giving his account of what happened in Acts 9:7 and then in Acts 22:9 Paul is giving his account of what happened.
Consider a similar scenario:
John 12
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Of the people standing around, some heard something like a thunder while others heard said it was an angel. However, Jesus would HAVE told you it did NOT thunder, neither was it an angel, but it was the Father who spoke.
So in Paul's case, it is the same thing. The vision was meant for Paul alone. So the words Jesus spoke did not have to heard by those standing by. This shows us that God can be speaking to a person audibly and those standing by might either hear something different or not even hear anything at all.
If all accounts are exactly word for word, what would be the point of having different accounts? However, if we study the "differing" accounts, we'd see that the message of each account is still the same.
__________________
...Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...(Acts 20:21)
I understand your point, but the question still remains.
Did the MEN travelling with Paul hear a voice or not?
One portion of scripture says they did, one says they did not.
__________________ Matthew 24:13-14 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
In one account,they heard,but did not understand what was being said,they heard but they didn't hear if you get me ?
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People who are always looking for fault,can find it easily all they have to do,is look into their mirror.
There they can find plenty of fault.
I understand your point, but the question still remains.
Did the MEN travelling with Paul hear a voice or not?
One portion of scripture says they did, one says they did not.
Acts 9:7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Acts 22:9
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
They heard a voice, but they did not hear Jesus speaking. They heard a voice, but they did not hear the conversation that was going on between Paul and Jesus.
John 12
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Just like in Jesus' case, they heard a voice (thunder), but they did not hear the voice of the Father. They heard a voice, but they also did not hear the conversation that occurred between the Father and the Son.
__________________
...Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...(Acts 20:21)
Acts 9:7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Acts 22:9
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
They heard a voice, but they did not hear Jesus speaking. They heard a voice, but they did not hear the conversation that was going on between Paul and Jesus.
Is that how you understand these two scriptures? Because the scripture in Acts 9:7 clearly says they HEARD a voice but saw no man, and Paul said they HEARD NOT the voice!
There must be another explanation for why there are two different accounts of what happened with the men who were with Paul.
The scripture you quoted in John is not really a similar situation. That was one occurence and it all happened in one sentence of scripture. Some said the voice thundered, some said an angel spoke, but they ALL HEARD something!
In Paul's case we have two seperate scriptures that say something different about the men who accompanied Paul, and the testimony is recorded in different time periods.
__________________ Matthew 24:13-14 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
Thank God we have the Bible to test everyones revelations. If not we would be in a much worse mess than we are now. Most have widely testimonies about what the Lord supposedly showed them.
Yes I believe he shows things. I have experienced it many times. Yet there are some who want to control others through what they present as "thus saith the Lord".
Thank God we have the Bible to test everyones revelations. If not we would be in a much worse mess than we are now. Most have widely testimonies about what the Lord supposedly showed them.
Yes I believe he shows things. I have experienced it many times. Yet there are some who want to control others through what they present as "thus saith the Lord".
It is always possible to reconcile two scriptures that seem to be contradictory. In exactly the same way, it is always possible to reconcile an alleged revelation from God to the Bible. So, how does that help?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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