Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.--James 2:21-26
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
Abraham was declared righteous when he simply believed God would do what He said He would do when He told Abraham He would make his descendants more numerable than the sand on the seashore. He believed God and it was accounted or imputed to Him as righteousness. Paul points out in Romans 4:3 that Abraham was justified by faith apart from works. James is not disagreeing with Paul here...I like how Jon Courson explains it.
"It is not faith and works that saves a man. It is not faith or works. It is faith that works. All Abraham was doing on Mount Moriah was showing the reality of what had taken place in his life years earlier when he simply believed God."
Abraham's faith was real and it showed itself in works. Abraham believed and because He believed..he obeyed. Our actions will follow what our heart believes. True belief produces obedience and what a picture Abraham's obedience gave us of Calvary when God would offer up His only Son to die for our sins on that very same mountain 2000 years later.
James uses Rahab as an example, also. Rahab was a prostitute that lived on the city wall of Jericho. Scripture tells us that she received the Hebrew spies in peace and sent them out another way. Why did she not turn them in? By not doing so, she was in effect committing treason. Rahab had heard the stories of the great God of the Hebrews...from these stories Rahab concluded that this was the one and true God. She identified herself with Him despite the danger. In this her belief proved itself genuine. Rahab is listed in Hebrews Chapter 11 as a heroine in the Hall of Faith.
Again, our actions will follow what our hearts believe. God will separate his obedient followers from pretenders and unbelievers. Our belief will be evidenced in our lives. Do we treat all those God places in our lives as if we were serving Jesus Himself? Just as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also. It is empty...vacuous. Lifeless. It has no meaning. It will not save. James is a book of tests...test yourself to see if you are in the faith. James uses Rahab and Abraham here as examples...Abraham was called to give to God that which was most precious to him. Rahab risked her own life and that of her family's for her belief in the God of the Hebrews. Obedience by faith despite the costs...Jesus tells us to count the costs. I will end with a passage from Luke 14.
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."--Luke 14:28-33
Love
Mom
