Romans and James are the two books that opposing religions have pitted against each other. In Romans, Paul shows that salvation depends on faith, not works.
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28).
And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Romans 4:5).
Paul brings forward his star witness, Abraham. According to Genesis 15:6, Abraham became righteous by his faith, and this was before circumcision and before the law of Moses (Romans 4:1-24). Case closed! Paul could not be more emphatic: “Works” have no place in salvation!
James, on the other hand, seems to emphasize works. He is also discussing how God “saves” and “justifies” people. James uses exactly the same plural noun, “works.” He even uses the identical quote from Genesis 15:6: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (James 2:23). But this time the works are essential for receiving justification!
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…. You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works (James 2:17, 24).
Is James contradicting Paul? Some reach that conclusion and choose the side they like. Legalists choose James. They hope to slip their rules in wherever he uses the word “works.” Libertines choose Paul as their champion of (their idea of) freedom. Others, somewhere between the two extremes, are certain that Paul teaches salvation by “faith only.” They feel that they must explain James away.
As disciples, our part is not to explain anything away. Our part is to understand all sides of Scripture properly, and to learn how they fit together to give us the whole truth of the subject.