1. He was the Old Testament patriarch of the nation.

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1 Faith that Passes the Test James 2:21-26 Last time we learned how our salvation even our faith is a gracious gift of God through his son Jesus Christ; but it is possible to have a faith that is only apparent, and is unfruitful. James drew contrasts between: Living faith and dead faith Saving faith and non-saving faith Productive faith and unproductive faith Godly faith and a head knowledge exercised even by demons In this passage, James continues his argument by citing two illustrations of living faith: Abraham and Rahab, both of whom put their faith into action and were justified not by their words, worship, or any other religious activity. Read James 2:21-26 Verse 21 James offers Abraham as the model of saving faith for both Jew and Gentile. Even Gentile believers are sons of Abraham, as we have been grafted in to the promise. Who was Abraham? 1. He was the Old Testament patriarch of the nation. 2. God told him to take his son Isaac and sacrifice him. Read Genesis 22: Remembering God s original promise, Abraham was perplexed by God s command. Why? 3. God stopped Abraham before the act could be completed. Thus, it was really Abraham s that God honored. Verse 22 Now James interprets the previous verse: Faith and works were working together. What does it mean that by works faith was made perfect?

2 Verses In verse 23 James quotes from Genesis 15:6. Read Genesis 15:1-6. In the Genesis passage, it is unmistakable that Abraham was justified by his, not his works. Is there a contradiction in scripture? Let s pause to study this word justified. The Greek word is dikaioo (dē-kī-o'-ō). This word has two general meanings: 1. The first pertains to acquittal declaring and treating a person as righteous. This is how scripture uses the word in relation to. It is the sense in which Paul almost always uses the word and the sense with which we are probably most familiar. Romans 3:20. By the works of the law no human being will be justified. 2. The second pertains to vindication a proof or showing of righteousness. a) This is the meaning in view in James 2. In the New Testament, the word is used in this sense in relation to men, but also in relation to wisdom, e.g. Matthew 12: Your will either demonstrate your faith, or demonstrate your lack of saving faith. Luke 18:9-14. The tax collector, by showing the fruit of, was justified. Matthew 11:19. Wisdom is shown to be true, Godly wisdom, or false, earthly wisdom by her. b) Even in the Old Testament, the word is used in both senses: Psalm 51:4. Here the word is used to describe God himself. Clearly God is in no need of acquittal, but he will be vindicated before men because of his deeds. Isaiah 45:25. In the Lord all Israel shall be justified. 3. What are other ways by which we know that James cannot mean that Abraham was considered righteous before God because of his own good works? a) James has already set forth the truth that salvation is a gift (James 1:17-18).

3 b) Right in the middle of the very passage we re studying, James quoted Genesis 15:6. James is surely not directly contradicting himself within a few sentences. c) The work the James said justified Abraham was his offering up of Isaac, an event that occurred about years after Genesis 15:6 when he first exercised his faith and was declared righteous before God. 4. Conclusions: a) Abraham was justified by faith it was counted to him (or imputed to him) as righteousness. b) Abraham s offering of Isaac demonstrated the genuineness of his faith and the reality of his justification before God. c) Our works provide a vindication or demonstration before others of our claim to salvation. d) Justification by faith pertains to our standing before God. Justification by works as described in James 2 pertains to our standing before other men, and before ourselves. John Darby: James, remark, never says that works justify us before God; for God can see the faith without its works. He knows that life is there. It is in exercise with regard to Him, towards Him, by trust in His word, in Himself, by receiving His testimony in spite of everything within and without. This God sees and knows. But when our fellow-creatures are in question, when it must be said show me, then faith, life, shows itself in works. Verse 25 Read the account of Rahab in Joshua 2:1-24. Was Rahab justified by faith before God? Was Rahab justified by her works? Verse 26 A body without a spirit or soul is just a lump of flesh dead and lifeless.

4 John Gill: This simile is made use of to illustrate what the apostle had asserted in ( James 2:17 James 2:20 ) that as a body, when the spirit or soul is departed from it, or the breath is gone out of it, is dead, and without motion, and useless. So faith without works is dead also: a vain thing, useless and unprofitable, can neither justify, nor save, nor prove that a man is justified, or will be saved. Hooray! Tomorrow is Election Day! Daniel 2:21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

5 Abraham perplexed: It meant cutting off his son s life. It mean cutting off the avenue through which God had promised to fulfill the covenant that Abraham would be the father of a great nation. Perfect: made complete or brought to fulfillment A fruit tree may be planted, but it does not reach it s objective it is not made perfect until it does what it was made to do, bear fruit. Likewise, faith has not reached its objective until it is demonstrated. Salvation is a gracious gift Isaac: 30 years after promise