September 30
“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also,” James 2:21-26.
To further demonstrate that there is a distinction between genuine, saving faith and a dead faith – a faith only of the head and mouth – the apostle James was moved to give two Old Testament examples. Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. He proceeded to do as God told him. Abraham believed the promise of God that the Messiah and Savior of all nations would be a descendant of Isaac. If he killed Isaac, as God commanded, he believed that Isaac would be raised from the dead.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews testifies to this. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead,” Hebrews 11:17-19. In order for Isaac to have descendants, he had to live and get married. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrated that his faith was saving faith. It was not a dead faith. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” Works testify that a faith is genuine.
Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone! “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” Acts 16:31. Good works are not necessary for our salvation, but they are necessary to show that saving faith exists in the heart of a person. If you really believe that Jesus is God’s Son and your Savior, you will show it by how you live, what you say, and what you do. Abraham’s works demonstrated that his faith was true and genuine.
The apostle James also uses a second example from the Old Testament, that of Rahab the harlot, which also demonstrates that faith alone saves but saving faith is never alone. Genuine faith is never without works. “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Consider one New Testament example – the penitent thief on the cross. He expressed his faith in the words, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom,” Luke 23:42. Did he demonstrate his faith with any works? Indeed, he did; he rebuked the other criminal and testified to Jesus’ innocence: “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong,’” Luke 23:39-41.
Like that criminal, let us profess our saving faith and let us demonstrate it by being witnesses to others, inviting them to believe in Jesus as the Savior, who suffered, died, and rose again to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
“There still is time! The Master’s voice still rings, and all His heralds plead:
Oh, hide beneath the covert of His wings against the time of need!
The gracious call is still extended: The day of grace is not yet ended.
There still is time! There still is time!” Amen.