James 2:21-24

FAITH-ONLY DOES NOT JUSTIFY
(EXAMPLE NO. 2)

Text 2:21-24

James 2:21.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

22.

Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

23.

and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

24.

Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

Queries

158.

What is meant when it is said that Abraham was justified?

159.

Why does the title father applied to Abraham have particular application to the argument?

160.

How can it be said that Abraham completed the work, when God stopped him before he completed the sacrifice?

161.

What is the similarity between this illustration and the one used in Romans 4:1 ff.?

162.

Why did James choose this particular obedience of Abraham to prove his working faith?

163.

Just what was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousness?

164.

How many similarities can you find between James 2:14-26 and Hebrews 11?

165.

How would you put by works faith made perfect in your own words?

166.

Does and he was called the friend of God add anything to the argument? What?

167.

Harmonize James 2:24 a with Galatians 2:16.

168.

Is James eliminating the importance of faith in James 2:24?

169.

If Abraham's faith was reckoned unto him for righteousness, how can James conclude that we see clearly that the man was justified by works?

Paraphrases

A. James 2:21

Recall how the father of the faithful, Abraham, was counted as if he were righteous when he obeyed in offering the life of his son upon the altar.

22.

It is clearly evident that faith was built along with his works of obedience and not separate from them, and by these same works was his faith completed.

23.

The Scripture spoke accurately of that which happened when it said. And Abraham believed God, and this obedient conviction was counted in God's sight as if he were righteous, being called the friend of God.

24.

And so it is, you see, that a man is counted as if he were righteous in God's sight by what he does as well as what he believes.

B.*James 2:21

Don-'t you remember that even father Abraham was declared good because of what he did, when he was willing to obey God, even if it meant offering his son Isaac to die on the altar?

22.

You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to; his faith was made complete by what he did, by his actions, his good deeds.

23.

And so it happened just as the Scriptures say, that Abraham trusted God, and the Lord declared him good in God's sight, and he was even called The Friend of God.

24.

So you see, a man is saved by what he does, as well as by what he believes.

Summary

The example of Abraham agrees with the Old Testament teaching in showing that the obedience of a man is important in his justification, even as his belief is important. When we separate faith from obedience, we destroy salvation.

Comment

I believe I should, and someday I shall. If this had been Abraham's response to God's instruction about sacrificing his son, the story would have read quite differently. And yet today so many will declare that the moment a man accepts the proposition of God in his heart, that moment the man is saved. Obedience is today looked upon by many as an after-work, a result of salvation, that which comes after faith rather than that which builds faith. Many would rewrite this section of James to say: The moment a man really believes, before he ever begins to obey, that moment God justifies him. Such a statement completely redefines the faith of the New Testamentan obedient faith in Jesus. Jesus asked the question as to which man is the better of the twothe man who believes but in the end refuses to obey, or the man who begins by denying but in the end he does obey. The chief priests and Jesus both affirmed that the man who began by denying, but ended by doing, was far better than the one who started with belief. All scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments affirm this in many ways.

The Holy Spirit, perhaps in anticipation that the book of Romans would be used as a proof text for a faith-only salvation theory, so inspired the writer that the book both begins and ends with the proposition that the obedience of faith among all the nations is the purpose of the apostolic revelation within the text. In the first chapter (Romans 1:6) Paul begins the argument with Through whom (Jesus Christ) ye received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake. In the last chapter (Romans 16:26), Paul concludes the entire epistle with the statement that the revelation of Jesus is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith.

The book of Galatians is often used as a proof text for the faith-only doctrine. Yet all through the text Paul again affirms the important thing is the end product of doing, walking, working, living the faith in Jesus (as contrasted with the meritorious works of the law. Galatians 2:16). Paul says that the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith. Thus, righteousness is not through the earning power of the deeds of the law, but through the grace of Christ which is ours when we live in faith (Galatians 2:20-21).

In the Galatian text Paul also affirms that as many as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ: (Galatians 3:27) that faith working through love is what avails rather than the earning deeds of the law. (Galatians 5:6); that the Galatians were hindered because they did not obey the truth (Galatians 5:7); and that they should walk by the spirit... that they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof (Galatians 5:23); and let each man prove his own work (Galatians 6:4) and Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7); so he concludes So then, as we have opportunities, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10).

Abraham was justified, i.e., he was pronounced righteous. The word does not imply that Abraham was always just in the sight of God, without sin; but rather that at one time he stood in need of being justified; that once he was unjust and then became just in God's sight. Was justified implies that he passed from the state of non-justification to the state of justification. The word is also quite clear (this being the main point of the book of Galatians), that once a man becomes unjustified, he cannot justify himself; once having sinned, the wage is death and must be paid. A man cannot justify himself by earning justification with good works. The justification must be by the grace of God with Jesus paying the penalty. So Abraham was justified by the grace of God through Jesus Christ! yet when did this justification apply? During Abraham's life, you may reply; but when during his life? Did not God require of Abraham both belief and obedience? Does not the Scripture clearly affirm that he was justified when he obeyed? So it is, that to affirm I believe, I am justified because I believe and someday I shall obey, is to completely warp and twist the very teaching of God's revelation.

Note how the hypothetical case of James 2:16 proves the same point as the historical case of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac in James 2:22. James is not contrasting faith and works, but rather showing how works complete faith, and how faith without the works is so incomplete as to be ineffectual.

The perfecting of faith by works (James 2:22) again emphasizes the beautiful relationship between them. The culmination of faith is obedient works. Faith without works is much like parents without children, unsatisfied, fruitless, void of its function. Faith leads us on, but we travel the journey only by works. To have faith without works would be like being led, yet not going anywhere. The wise men saw the star in the east and believed in its purpose. This may be likened unto faith. The wise men were led by the star and actually travelled to see King Jesus. This travelling may be likened unto works. Faith without works would not have taken them to King Jesus. Both were necessary!

Note how both Romans 4:1 ff. and James 2:21 affirm that Abraham was justified, or saved. Both are using the same illustration, but answering a different problem. Paul, in Romans 4, is arguing against the Jew who depends upon his obedience of the law to earn him heaven. James is arguing against the careless Christian who is depending upon a faith in Jesus that is not working. Neither one is justified. The Jew (of Romans) is not justified because he is not under the blood of Christ, and no man can earn salvation. The Christian (?) is not justified because his faith is incomplete, and does not take him to Christ. The Christian who is justified will go where He sends and do what He commands. His faith is a going and doing faith. It is a working faith. This is the only faith that will take a person to Jesus.

Another New Testament location of Abraham, Isaac and Rahab illustrations of faith is found in Hebrews 11. Here Paul argues that the fruit of faith is works, and that only faith can produce these works. This is similar to the argument in James 2:14-26 where James shows that works complete faith. The obedience of Abraham in sacrificing his son appears to be a supreme example of the obedient faith, being a shadow of the obedience of Christ in sacrificing His life for us. (Romans 5:19).

The point is clear that it is not Abraham's conviction that was reckoned unto him for righteousness (counted as if he were righteous), but rather his active faithhis obedience in faith, or his righteous acts that was a result of his faith. (see Psalms 106:30-31; Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 24:13; Deuteronomy 6:25; Proverbs 27:14). Furthermore, the use of the expression reckoned unto him makes it clear that this obedient action did not merit his righteousness. Rather his action demonstrated a faith that God counted as if he were righteous. Even as all men have sinned, so did Abraham; and the scripture is bold to record his sin. Abraham, fearing for his life, instructed his wife to lie regarding her marital relationship to Abraham. For this Abraham was expelled from the country, being forced to take gifts from the heathen Pharaoh as he went. (Genesis 12:11-20). On another occasion Abraham repeated the same sin before Abimelech, king of Gerar (Genesis 20), and the father's example led the son into the same sin (Genesis 26:7 ff.).

Yet, in spite of his sin, Abraham's willingness to obey God out of faith in His promises was counted as if Abraham were righteous: Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws (Genesis 26:7 ff; James 2:23.) This substitution of an obedient faith for absolute righteousness becomes possible through the wage of sin being paid by the blood of Christ, and was applied in Abraham's case through the promise given unto him of the Messiah to come.

The verb reckoned has the force of crediting something to one's account which does not actually belong to him (Psalms 31:2). The verb may also provide manner of expressing the same, counted as if it were equivalent to, thus having the same force and weight as something mentioned. Thus, God counts the faithful obedient life as a whole as approved as if the individual acts themselves were all righteous. (See p. 22, Ropes, on James).

How grateful we should be to God that we, who are so unworthy, could be counted as if we were righteous. That, even as Abraham, our obedient faith may be reckoned unto us as if we were righteous. Not receiving that which we really merit: hell itself, we receive that which we do not, and now cannot, merit: heaven. Such a love for us is pure grace, for we can in no way earn nor merit it. That we through a disobedient life should reject such an undeserving gift is unthinkable. Yet men do just that, perhaps in ignorance, or through self-deception arising out of a desire to continue in sin. God help us to speak with all persuasion and conviction as we attempt to lead others to accept the free gift of God's salvation, and become friends of God.

The grand conclusion in James 2:24 seems amply proved. There seems to be no need for further examples. He does not now say, But wilt thou know.. (James 2:20), but now Ye see.. The evidence has been overwhelming. Works complete faith, and faith without its completion in works is dead, bringing no salvation, no results, fulfilling no purpose. A man is justified not only by faith, clearly meaning here the faith without works he has been discussing so repeatedly.

Faith only is a bone of contention among religious groups. Anticipating such a dangerous religious philosophy (that a man is saved by what he believes without the necessary obedient action) the Holy Spirit has here revealed the will of God so clearly that it may be said, Ye see.. Yet a man's desire not to see, or not to believe, can still blind him, and being self-deceived, he cannot (or will not) see the truth. Seeing, they see not. A desire not to obey the Lord creates a desire not to believe the Lord's teaching regarding obedience in faith. And the desire not to believe can blind a man as effectively as if he had no possibility of spiritual sight. Tragedy of tragedies that the point is made so clear that all men can see, yet men choose not to see!