James 2:21-26 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? (22) You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; (23) and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”–and he was called a friend of God. (24) You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (25) And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James uses two examples from the past of works producing justifying faith. Abraham and Rahab couldn’t be more different examples of active faith. But James, inspired by the Holy Spirit, chooses these examples for a specific reason. One was the father of the Jews and the other was a gentile prostitute.

Abraham, as written in the book of Genesis, offered up his own son as a sacrifice on the altar. He believed the Lord and it was counted to him as righteousness. However, Abraham had more than a belief in God, he had a faith that brought him to obedience and action. When his faith was tested, it produced obedience to whatever the Lord asked of him. It proved genuine when what was asked seemed impossible but Abraham did it anyway. He was tested and his works proved the authenticity of his faith.

Rahab the prostitute was not chosen because she was a woman of virtue. She is used in this example because she was willing to put herself and her family at risk by receiving the spies and giving them a way of escape. When she heard the message from the spies she believed in the one true God. But knowledge of God was not the final indication of her faith. The fact that she gave them a place of safety, was hospitable, and sent them away without report or harm proved her faith. She believed in the one true God and because of her action, her entire household was saved from destruction.

It was not the good works that saved Abraham and Rahab. The works were not good in and of themselves. Attempting to sacrifice your son and harboring spies was not then and is not today considered good works. It was the reason behind the works that made them an act of obedience and faith.

What is the Lord calling you to sacrifice today? Are you in the middle of a test of faith or are you simply running on the hope that since you have knowledge of God all is good? Abraham and Rahab took the knowledge they had of God and through faith acted out of obedience. Neither knew the outcome before hand, and both were justified in the end because they did what was asked because of the faith that was in them.

Prayer

Lord, help me to not simply have a head knowledge of who you are, but to act on the faith that you have given me to serve you and others with my good works. I know that the works I do will not save me but are a response to the faith that you put in my heart. Thank you for saving me and giving me the Holy Spirit to guide me along the way. Amen.