Belief:

Introduction

James 2:20–26 ESV

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 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.

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? - James ramps up the defense of his position.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? -

You see that faith was active along with his works -

And faith was completed by his works - A person’s trust in God is made mature or brought to a finish by their deeds.

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 -

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. -

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? -

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works in dead. - James closes his argument with comparison. A faith without works is like a body without the spirit. It is dead.