James 2:24 — "Justified by Works"

Kimbanguist theology affirms that James 2:24 teaches that justification is not by faith alone, but involves both faith and works. This reading is consistent with the Kimbanguist emphasis on lived righteousness, community ethics, and the practical fruits of faith. The movement emphasizes moral transformation and ethical conduct as essential to spiritual life, not merely as consequences of justification but as integral to the believer's salvation journey.

The Kimbanguist understanding of James 2:24 reflects an African Christian emphasis on the holistic nature of salvation and the inseparability of belief and conduct. Works of mercy, community solidarity, and moral integrity are not external additions to faith but expressions of a faith that is genuinely alive. This interpretation is grounded in the teaching of James that 'faith without works is dead' (James 2:26).