The Faith of Abraham, Part IV

2016-01-17

In the fourth and final part of this series, we will look at James 2:23, and its reference to Genesis 15:6.

Context

This letter from James was written to Jewish Christians (James 1:1) who were facing severe persecution (James 1:2). He also discussed the plight of widows and orphans (James 1:27), the poor (James 2:6), and generally those of low esteem. As we enter James 2:14-26, we should expect that the overall context dictate the meaning of this section.

A Dead Faith is a Useless Faith

In James 2:14, the question “can faith save him” has been misinterpreted by many well-meaning people. People often infer from this that people need more than faith to be saved from sin, Satan, and hell. The context is not talking about salvation at all here, but rather Christian service to those people in need. The “him” is not the person who has faith, but the downtrodden that need the help from the person of faith! In context, we read:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:14-17)

If we who have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ do not help someone who obviously needs help, our faith is utterly useless in this life. The needy need more than lip service, but rather need tangible help such as food and clothing (or whatever they may need).

Faith is More Than Salvation

We need faith in our Lord to be saved, but we also need faith to do the works God wants us to do. As we know from Ephesians 2:10, we are saved to do good works!

When Abraham was “justified” by works, we must remember from the previous studies that he was not justified before God by works of the law or circumcision. Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15:6 preceded both the law and circumcision! In Romans 4:2, we read, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” If Abraham was justified by works, then he was not justified before God, but rather he was justified before the world, and those whom he helped!

Here is an example to explain. In 2 Peter 2:7-8, Lot is referred to as both “just” and “righteous.” Looking at his life in Genesis 13 and Genesis 19, we do not see anything righteous in his life. It is only in this passage in 2 Peter that we see him called “righteous.” He was justified before God, and therefore a saved person, but he was not justified in the eyes of the world. We only see him as someone who hung out with the wicked, who had low esteem for his daughters, a drunk, and someone wanted the best in this life. We would have never known he was righteous apart from what Peter tells us!

The analogy James uses helps us a great deal: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). A body without a spirit is still a body, but it is a decaying, smelly useless lump of nothing. It is the same with a faith without works before God: it is worthless and useless in this life, and is rather disgusting.

We see the works of Abraham, and he was justified in the eyes of the world because of his steadfast belief in God as he sojourned in the land of Canaan.