"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
Federal Visionists love this verse because it sounds as if God gives grace to the humble. However, this interpretation reverses the classic ordo salutis.
When a Federal Visionist says that God gives grace to the humble, he is making humility a condition of grace. Yet, the Reformed faith has always insisted that grace is unconditional. If a condition is added to grace, then grace ceases to be grace and becomes merit.
Besides, no one can humble themselves before they receive the grace of God. This is impossible. And, really, no one can humble themselves even after they receive the grace of God. “There is none who does good” (Romans 3:12).
If we bring the light of the Reformation to James, then we see that he is simply employing one of our favorite paradigms. James is giving the law (you must be humble), so that the readers will feel guilty for failing to keep the law, which will drive them to reflect upon the grace of God, which will then move them to gratitude. It’s guilt, grace, gratitude. Anything else and you are not Reformed.
You may have notice how much Federal Visionists rely on the book of James. Beware of those who quote James. This is dangerous. James is rather loose with his terms. He fails to use “justification” in the Reformed sense, contradicting sola fide.
James was one of the last books to be approved as canonical. James was barely an apostle, and some dispute this. He lacked the formal education of Paul. Luther rightly referred to James as a “strawy” epistle. While we respect some of the practical things that James says, we cannot allow his writings to influence our theology. Paul is much safer ground if you want to stay Reformed.
