Q: In Romans 4:1-5 Paul says that Abraham was declared righteous due to his faith and not because of any works, while James writes (2:21-23) that Abraham was declared righteous on account of his faith along with his works, because “faith without works is dead”. How are we to understand this discrepancy?
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A: Although it may appear that Paul and James are expressing opposing views on the matter of faith and works, they are simply addressing two different issues and are pointing to Abraham to make their argument, both of which are valid and of equal importance. Paul explains that our righteousness is due only because of God’s underserved kindness, as it is his free gift and cannot be earned by works; while James on the other hand addresses a problem that existed in some congregations that Jesus himself later mentioned in his letter to the congregation in Ephesus. (Rom. 3:24; James 2:1, 14-17; Rev. 2:4)

The apostle Paul found it necessary to constantly defend the fact that people of the nations who became believers were not required to get circumcised, contrary to the claims of many of their Jewish counterparts—including some prominent disciples in Jerusalem. In fact he wrote to the Galatians: “I, Paul, am telling you that if you become circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.” (Gal. 5:2) The Jews were no longer under the Mosaic law, Jesus having taken it out of the way upon his death. (Acts 13:48; 15:1,2, 5, 22-29; Rom. 3:28,29; Col. 2:13,14) Contrary to their belief, the Jews could not earn righteousness by observing the law, because the law actually made sin manifest and condemned them. Some Christian Jews though held on to some features of the law, such as circumcision, and that is why Paul argued with them extensively showing that since they were unable to be declared righteous due to works of law, how could they impose it on the Gentile believers? (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:14-16; 3:7-9, 19)

Paul pointed to the righteous man Abraham to argue his case. Abraham was not under law (which came into existence over 400 years after him), and yet God declared him righteous. How? Paul answers: “If, for instance, Abraham were declared righteous as a result of works, he would have ground for boasting; but not with God. For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham exercised faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’” (Rom. 4:2,3, 11,12; Gen. 15:5,6) Abraham was declared righteous due to his faith and not on account of any works, and that before he was given circumcision as a sign.

But please note that Paul at no time says that Abraham did not have works along with his faith. Was Abraham not declared righteous after he had acted on his faith, when he had obediently followed God’s direction and moved with his family to the country that he was told to go to, although he was seventy-five years old at the time? Yes, Abraham had already proven his faith by his obedience. (Gen. 12:1-4) Some years later Abraham again combined works and faith when God instructed him to go on a three day journey to the land of Moriah and there offer up his son Isaac in sacrifice. Abraham did just as God told him! Both, Paul and James note that Abraham as good as offered up Isaac, because Abraham "reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.” (Gen. 22:1-4, 9-18; James 2:21-23; Heb. 11:17-19)

We see that Paul is not ignoring Abraham's works, but he is explaining that Abraham could not earn the promises that God made to him because of his works, as if God was indebted to Abraham and owed him the promises as wages earned. The same is true in our case! Paul is telling us that, as in the case of Abraham, righteousness is not something anyone can earn as a reward for something done by us. Our reconciliation with God, and the everlasting life that he has promised, is due entirely to his undeserved kindness, his free gift by means of his Son Christ Jesus, in whom we must exercise faith. (John 3:16-18; Rom. 5:8-10) It is just as the Psalmist wrote: “We can never redeem ourselves; we cannot pay God the price for our lives, because the payment for a human life is too great. What we could pay would never be enough to keep us from the grave, to let us live forever.” (Psalms 49:7-9; GNT; Rom. 10:1-4, 11,12)

Since it is clear that we cannot earn righteousness with God by our works, why does James write that “faith without works is dead”? (James 2:26) It should be noted that his words have been appealed to by most religions for the purpose of motivating their members to support their Establishment. That has also been true of the Watchtower Society from its beginning. For example, C. T. [Pastor] Russell taught that there is “no salvation without consecration,” or as it is more popularly phrased today, “we must live up to our dedication.” Accordingly, we must earn God’s righteousness by our works, our "sacred service," without which there can be no salvation. (Rom. 12:1) Although acknowledging that the first century Christians did not include dedication in their message, the study article in the Watchtower back in 1952 (when the terminology "dedication" was adopted, replacing “consecration”), said this:

"Where, then, is the dedication of self to God through Jesus? It is included in such belief or exercise of faith. James 2:17, 24 (NW) tells us: 'Faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone.' Dedication to God through Christ is one’s putting life into his faith, activating it, making it a producer of works, and leading to the practice of righteousness. As we note from the record above quoted, those who exercised faith or became believers performed works. They submitted to water baptism so as to give a symbolic testimony to their faith, and thus they imitated Jesus. They turned away from the world and turned to him as Jehovah’s Anointed One or Messiah, whom Jehovah had made their heavenly Lord. They joined themselves to Jehovah’s visible organization and kept together as a united congregation. They confessed and reported their past practices openly and showed they had repented or changed their minds about such things and that they had converted or turned around and were now going in God’s way in the footsteps of Jesus. This was how they showed that they were 'rightly disposed for everlasting life” in the new world.'"—The Watchtower, May 15, 1952, page 315, "Dedication for Life in the New World" (Bold mine)
 
Is James teaching that our "righteousness" revolves around our "dedication to God through Christ" by "putting life into our faith, activating it, making it a producer of works"? Is our baptism about dedication? (Acts 2:37,38; 22:16) Indeed, is our dedication the means to salvation? Over the years many study articles have appeared in The Watchtower magazines discussing the subject on what it involves to "live up to our dedication." And since the Scriptures do not teach such a thing, they are free to include in our "dedication" whatever "works" they want from us. One Watchtower article, entitled "Are You Fulfilling Your Whole Obligation to God?"—under the subheading Dedication and Our Obligation to God—emphasized that "some baptized Christians need to pray earnestly because they are not living up to the ministerial obligations they assumed when they made a dedication to God," and that "regularly assembling with fellow believers is part of a dedicated Christian’s obligation to God." (w99 11/15 p. 19 par. 6,7) Not surprisingly, this has become a heavy burden for many, who have come to view themselves as unworthy of God's undeserved kindness since they cannot fulfill their "dedicated Christian obligation to God"; especially in view of such comments as expressed in another Watchtower: "May we therefore fulfill our dedication to Jehovah and not 'shrink back to destruction.'” (w98 7/15 19 Have You Entered Into God's Rest?)

But is this REALLY what James had in mind when he wrote that "faith without works is dead," pointing to Abraham and Rahab, and even the demons, as examples? (James 2:18-26) We know something is good or bad by its fruitage. (Matt. 7:15-18; Gal. 5:19-23) Consider the bad fruitage that comes from misapplying the words of James! How a person is viewed and treated within his congregation depends to a great extent on how zealous he is in "living up to his ministerial obligations that he assumed when he made a dedication to God." The result often is that a person lacking in such works is looked down upon by his brothers, who judge him as "spiritually weak" and therefore avoid personal association with him. They have become guilty of favoritism and having class distinction! Yet, don't they realize that this is the very thing that James is condemning in his letter? Listen to what he says:

“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?