Verse 21 says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?” If James had not referred to this instance of Abraham, some might have considered that he was wrong, after reading the books of Romans and Galatians. Since Paul spoke of justification by faith, they might have assumed that just believing is enough and there is no need for any works. James meant that even though Abraham was no doubt justified by faith, he also was justified by works. James does not overthrow Abraham’s justification by faith; rather, he proves that Abraham’s faith was not without works because he offered up Isaac. Abraham’s works were the evidence of his faith. Abraham was not only justified by faith; he was also justified by works. Instead of overturning justification by faith, James actually strengthens it by using justification by works to prove what true faith is. Abraham’s offering up of Isaac on the altar was a work, and this work was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. But what kind of work was it? It was a work of faith. “By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac; indeed he who gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac shall your seed be called’; counting that God was able to raise men even from the dead, from which he also received him back in figure” (Heb. 11:17-19). In using the offering up of Isaac, James shows us that true faith must also have works. Abraham gladly received the promises of God; he believed in what God had told him: “In Isaac shall your seed be called” (v. 18). Eliezer was not the one, nor was Ishmael. Even if Sarah bore him another son, he would not have been the one either. Isaac alone was the heir of the inheritance and promises. God was testing Abraham to see how his heart was toward God and how real his faith was. God required him to offer up Isaac, the one appointed to be his heir, on the altar, even to be slain and burned. If Abraham truly loved God and was willing to offer up everything to Him and burn Isaac, how could God’s promise be fulfilled and accomplished? If he wanted to fulfill God’s promise, he could not comply with God’s request. According to man, these two are contradictory and cannot be reconciled. However, with a true and living faith these two are not contradictory; they are reconcilable. God made the promise, and God also required the offering. God can never contradict Himself. Between fulfilling the promise and offering Isaac, there is another way, the way of resurrection. “Counting that God was able to raise men even from the dead.” Abraham’s faith said, “Even though I slay Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering, I still believe Your promise, ‘In Isaac shall your seed be called,’ will be fulfilled because You will resurrect Isaac from the dead.” Thus, when he offered up Isaac, he went with a determined heart. He actually bound Isaac up, raised his knife, and was about to slay him. His heart toward God was absolute, without any reservation. His heart was firm and void of doubt in believing God. Then the angel of the Lord called to him and said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him,” and he “received him back in figure.” Abraham’s willingness to offer up his only begotten son was a work of faith. This is justification by works.

James 2:22 says, “You see that faith worked together with his works, and by these works faith was perfected.” “You see” means that this verse is a continuation of the preceding verse. Because Abraham offered up Isaac on the altar and because this constituted his being justified by works, we can see that faith runs parallel to works. In other words, faith and works operate together. Abraham’s work was produced from his faith, “and by these works faith was perfected.” A faith that has not yet passed the test is undependable. By Abraham’s offering up of Isaac, his faith was proven and perfected.

Verse 23 says, “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness’; and he was called the friend of God.” Abraham believed God, and his believing was reckoned unto him as righteousness. This is recorded in Genesis 15. What is the relationship between the events in Genesis 15 and the offering up of Isaac in Genesis 22? James says that the offering up of Isaac was justification by works. Why then does he refer to justification by faith in Genesis 15? James says, “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness.’” Justification by works fulfills justification by faith. It seems that justification by faith is a prophecy, and justification by works is the fulfillment of that prophecy. One who has faith must also have works, because works demonstrate the reality of faith. Because of Abraham’s belief in God, God reckoned him as righteous and called him His friend. Consequently, Abraham had the work of offering up Isaac. By offering up Isaac, Abraham’s work became the fulfillment of his faith in God. In other words, Abraham’s offering up of Isaac demonstrated his faith in God.

James 2:24 says, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith only.” A man is not only justified by faith but also by works because Genesis 22 is the fulfillment of Genesis 15, because works are the evidence of faith, because faith without works is dead, and because faith is made perfect by works. We need to notice that James does not say that a man is justified by works and not by faith; rather, a man is justified by works and not just by faith. James meant that after being justified by faith, we need to prove and perfect what we have by our justification by works just as Abraham was justified by faith and then by works through God’s testing.

Verse 25 says, “And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works in that she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way?” James first cited an excellent person such as Abraham, who was not only justified by faith but also by works. Then he cited a bad woman such as Rahab the harlot, who was also justified by works because she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way. What kind of work is this work? Hebrews 11:31 tells us, “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient, since she had received the spies with peace.” This work is the work of faith. Faith and works are inseparable; they are two sides of one thing. What is called faith in Hebrews is called works in James. Works are the evidence of faith, whereas faith is the source of works. If one says he has faith yet does not have the works of faith, his faith is dead. Therefore, where there is justification by faith, there must also be justification by works.

James 2:26 says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” From James 2:14 onward, the relationship between faith and works is discussed. There is a kind of faith that is without works, vain, superficial, and dead. However, there is another kind of faith that has works and is living. Works prove and perfect faith. James used the cases of Abraham and Rahab as evidence to prove this point. Finally, he used one illustration: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” A living faith must have works, because faith without works is dead just as the body without the spirit is dead.
Home | First | Prev | Next