Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) both teach that a person is saved by their faith plus their works. I want to look at this and dissect it in such a manner that is easy to understand, usable in witnessing, and simply memorable for everyone. I think the most helpful way to tackle this is to look at the James passage, because rarely does anyone have an objection that Paul is talking about faith, since in Ephesians 2:9 he specifically says, “not by works, lest anyone could boast.” But now to James 2:14-26:
14 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So 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 apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
James is talking from a person’s perspective to people. He is using human reason to show that this is what will help other people believe that one has genuine faith. Arguably, this is a method of witnessing. I have argued in the past that Paul’s method of witnessing is found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22. James here, however, is simply saying that a Christian will not convince anyone of the truth merely by speaking. Think about the following questions… Do you need to prove your faith before God? What if you are bedridden? Paralyzed? Does not God, in His infinite knowledge, just simply know that you are saved by faith? This is the perspective that James is not discussing. His concern is a person's perspective.
On the other hand, let’s look at the Ephesians 2:8-10 passage:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Paul, in the above passage is talking from God’s perspective to people. He is using human reason to show that this is what people need to believe in order to be saved from sin. This is what is necessary for salvation.
So then, this all means that works are not required for salvation, and that Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons and all others that teach that works are required for salvation from sin and death are wrong. Simply because this would otherwise be contradictory, and in a contradiction, only one option can be correct according to the Three Fundamental Laws of Logic.
James is saying our faith produces works, not the other way around
I once had a conversation with a JW, and he pointed our conversation to this passage in James in his defense. He was arguing that it took works to reach salvation, but I told him that it didn’t mean works the way he was thinking, I said that the word works here means “professing faith” and it stopped him in his tracks. The conversation just stopped there, because he was staring into space. After he got his composure back, he changed the subject, as JWs are quick to do. It is their version of the eject button. The idea of professing faith can help a JW stumble in the right manner. I was less experienced in my conversations at the time of this conversation, and looking back, what I should have done was hold him to the current discussion and not allow him to change the subject. I cannot emphasize enough that this is a popular tactic of a JW, and when in conversation with them, we need to be ready for such a tactic.
When a Mormon or JW reminds you that “Faith without works is dead,” they are committing a categorical error. This is to say that they are comparing apples to oranges. They mean that you must also earn your way to salvation partially through works. The categorical error is them using this passage to mean justification before God, when it is talking about being justified before other people. A person will often not even give you the time of day unless they get some benefit from it. James knew this about people. He was the bishop over Jerusalem. He knew people. He knew that people needed persuasion. Human beings often need an anchor to hold to other than the subject, because they often have a hard time making commitments. It is a survival tactic in people in general. We like to hold on to things that are familiar. It is comfortable. So, naturally, persuasion can be beneficial and helpful.
Some might argue at this point that 2 Nephi 25:23 is a categorical error to compare this to Ephesians 2:8-10. The Nephi verse is one of the major texts in Mormonism that contradicts the Bible. It reads, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Compare the underlined here with the underlined in the above passage in Ephesians. It is not merely a categorical error, in fact, it is much worse, because it is in direct opposition with the Bible. Mormons will often tell you that there is no contradiction, because they will say that it is like comparing apples to oranges. But because the same verbiage is used in both texts, one can clearly see that they are discussing the same thing but are in opposition.
The big question to memorize to make this easier for everyone then is, “Are you showing someone that your faith is justified, or are you showing God that your faith is justified?” If you are showing someone, then works are required. If you are showing God that you are justified, then He doesn’t need to see proof. He knows your heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 21:2; Psalm 44:21; Matthew 6:21; 15:19; Luke 6:45; et al.).
In other words, people should have proof that you are a Christian, and you should prove that you are a Christian. Most of the New Testament is written directing the church on how to behave and act. The reason there is a proper way to behave is because the body of Christ is to be an environment of peace and order. This is what the rest of the world only pretends to offer. When someone in the world goes roaming around looking for peace, and they finally come to a gathering of Christians, if they see that they are just as chaotic as the rest of the world, how will they tell it apart from the rest of the world? This is why the New Testament is so filled with how the church should behave in the world. This is why James is telling believers to do good things, because we are Christians, this is what our faith produces, and this is what we should strive to do for the sake of others.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ~Matthew 22:37-40.
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