7 QT's on St. Paul and St. James

Did St. Paul and St. James, agree on justification?

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I believe that St. James and St. Paul agreed. But I don’t think they did so intentionally. I think they wound up agreeing because their Teaching was protected by the Holy Spirit. Just like the infallible Catholic Church is protected from error by the Holy Spirit today. (You can read more about that drama, here)

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In the meantime, did St. Paul and St. James, agree on justification?

Yes. These two verses show that both St. Paul and St. James agreed in the idea of justification by works.

Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

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But those aren’t the verses which we normally compare. We normally compare these two:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

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Sooo, what’s the problem here? Is St. Paul contradicting St. James? Let’s compare these two statements.

Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

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St. Paul contradicting St. James is the least of our worries. Does St. Paul contradict himself?!

Thanks be to God that a long time ago, I learned that the key to understanding Scripture is to FIRST understand the Doctrines of the Catholic Church. You see, the Doctrines of the Catholic Church are based upon the Traditions of Jesus Christ. And it is upon these Traditions that the Apostles based their writings.

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In Romans 2:13, St. Paul is speaking about the final justification when we stand before the Just Judge. Scripture says:
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

In Romans 3:28, St. Paul is speaking about the justification which occurs in the Sacraments. Scripture says:
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

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St. Paul wasn’t contradicting himself. And St. Paul didn’t contradict St. James. Although that is precisely what I think St. James was thinking. That’s why he made him shave his head. You’ll have to read the bible to find out more about that.

Anyway, this is a really interesting topic. And  I think it also explains why Martin Luther got confused.

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