信心和行为的关系到底是什么？雅各书和保罗矛盾吗？
What is the relationship between faith and works? Do James and Paul contradict?
简答 Short Answer
不矛盾。保罗说我们因信称义（不靠行为赚取救恩），雅各说真信心必然结出行为的果子（没有行为的信心是死的）。一个讲的是称义的根据，一个讲的是称义的证据。
No contradiction. Paul says we are justified by faith (not earning salvation by works). James says true faith necessarily produces works (faith without works is dead). One addresses the basis of justification, the other its evidence.
详细解答 Detailed Answer
这可能是圣经中被误解最多的「矛盾」之一。保罗说「人称义是因着信，不在乎遵行律法」（罗3:28），雅各说「人称义是因着行为，不是单因着信」（雅2:24）。看起来完全矛盾，但仔细看就会发现他们针对的是不同的问题。
保罗针对的是靠行律法称义的错误——有人以为做够了好事就能在上帝面前站立得住。保罗说不行，因为没有人能完美地遵行律法，所以称义只能靠信心接受基督的义。
雅各针对的是口头信仰的空洞——有人说「我信了」，但生活毫无改变。雅各说这种「信心」根本不是真信心，就像「你说你有信心，却没有行为，你的信心就是死的」（雅2:17）。
一个比喻可以说明：保罗说的是树根（信心是称义的根基），雅各说的是果子（行为是信心的证据）。一棵苹果树不是因为结了苹果才成为苹果树，它因为是苹果树所以结苹果。同样，基督徒不是因为行善才得救，而是因为得救了所以行善。
加尔文说得精辟：「唯独信心称义，但称义的信心绝不是孤独的。」信心带来称义，称义必然结出好行为的果子。这不是矛盾，这是完美的一致。
This may be the most misunderstood supposed contradiction in Scripture. Paul says man is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Rom 3:28); James says a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24). They seem contradictory but address different issues.
Paul targets the error of earning justification through law-keeping. No one can perfectly keep the law, so justification comes only through faith receiving Christ's righteousness.
James targets empty verbal faith. Someone claims faith but shows no change. James says such faith is dead (James 2:17).
An analogy: Paul speaks of the root (faith is justification's foundation); James speaks of fruit (works are faith's evidence). An apple tree doesn't become an apple tree by producing apples; it produces apples because it IS an apple tree. Christians don't earn salvation by good works but do good works because they are saved.
Calvin put it brilliantly: Faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is never alone. Faith brings justification; justification necessarily bears fruit in good works. Not contradiction but perfect harmony.
📖 经文引用 Bible Verses
📚 推荐阅读 Related Readings
- •加尔文，《基督教要义》卷三；Calvin, Institutes III📖
- •马丁·路德，《加拉太书注释》；Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians