Faith--in what sense is it alone? (part one)

This weekend I have been priviledged to meet with other believers at the ACT3 Forum in Carol Stream, IL. From Thursday thru Saturday we have been listening to and discussing Norman Shepherd's teaching on Justification. In the first few blogs I want to discuss this faith that justifies. I am learning some new things about faith and want to spend some time working some of these thoughts out. I am going to begin in media res (in the middle of things) assuming some basics about faith because I don't feel a prolegomena is really necessary to begin the dialogue.

Faith Alone

There is an ongoing debate within protestantism as to the nature of faith. Martin Luther stated that we are justified by faith alone. But is faith meant to be absolutely alone? A careful answer either coming from Paul or James would have to be no--properly defined.

To understand "faith alone" we need to begin with those who used it--the Reformers. In the Westminister Confession, the Divines say that "faith is the alone instrument of our justification" (WCF). By this, I believe they were clairifying that faith and not faith plus participation in the sacrament was the only instrument of justification. (The word instrument is rather scholastic, but we'll pass by that for now.) Suffice it to say, the burden of the Reformers was that we are saved by faith and not faith coupled with the sacraments. To quote them:

WCF 11-2 Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;(1) yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.(2)
(1)John 1:12; Rom. 3:28; Rom. 5:1.
(2)James 2:17,22,26; Gal. 5:6.

Notice, how part two of that statement includes, "yet is it not alone in the person justified." That is why we say, "faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone." Faith that is true faith works it self out in love. (Gal. 5:6) and according to James must have work otherwise it is a dead faith, useless and not saving faith.

That is why James says,
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (James 2:24 ESV)

Really, a person is justified by works? How can that be? More on this next time...