James and justification

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." - James 2:20-24 (NIV)

James does not say that works (ie. deeds, not works of the law) evince that we have been justified in the past. James says that works ensure that we will be justified in the future.

the gospel is the good news that Jesus is Lord! we are justified by faith the moment we 'confess with [our] mouth[s], "Jesus is Lord," and believe in [our] heart[s] that God raised him from the dead' (Romans 10:9, NIV).

from the moment we are justified by faith, 'we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand' (Romans 5:1-2, NIV).

from the moment we are justified by faith, 'therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set [us] free from the law of sin and death' (Romans 8:1-2, NIV).

from the moment we are justified by faith, 'neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:38-39, NIV).

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." - Ephesians 4:30 (NIV)

from the moment Abraham believed God, it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend. as children of Abraham, from the moment we are justified by faith, we are sealed by the promised Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." - Romans 8:12-17 (NIV)

having been sealed by the promised Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, we begin to build for the kingdom on the crucified and risen Messiah, the Church's one foundation, Jesus Christ her Lord.

to this end, justification is by faith in the present and by works in the future. as N.T. Wright puts it, 'justification [by faith] in the present is based on God's past accomplishment in Christ, and anticipates the future verdict [of justification by works]'.