Earlier this year, I shared Kevin DeYoung’s article Faith and Works: Does James Contradict Paul? on my blog. A reader wrote us with this question in response. My thanks to Stephanie Anderson, EPM staff, for her excellent response.

Thank you for your question. Though I don’t know any part of your story behind the question, I sense a deep longing in you for the answer to be, “Yes, of course there is hope!”

This is one of those topics that we have to hold loosely in both hands because it involves paradox. In God’s mind, two things can be true at once even though to us they appear to be at odds. Scripture puts several such concepts before us.

You want to be good, and you realize that you’re not. That kind of honesty is something Jesus loved. Read His parable in Luke 18:10-14 and you’ll see what I mean. 

My friend Greg Stier, from Dare to Share, posted this yesterday on X. It has nothing to do with politics. It’s a sober reminder for all of us, every day, to be prepared to stand before the God who says, “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NLT).

The battle for human souls pivots on the issue of Christ’s identity. He’s the watershed, the dividing line between Hell and Heaven. Jesus made that clear when He asked His disciples about His divinity: “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ ” (Matthew 16:15).

If you exchange your sin and brokenness, your independence and propensity for trying to control your circumstances, and even your good works—what Scripture calls filthy rags—for the robes of righteousness which Jesus offers freely, you will enter eternity with Jesus. 

Thank you for your honesty about your quest to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus. I see a couple of comments that may hold the key to freedom for you.

First, we need to profess what is right and true, and second, we need to live consistently with what we profess.