James 2:22-26

2:22-26

Read 2:14-26

James closes out this section of examples of good works done for the glory of God, as proof or justification of their saving faith, with some further insight and explanation of Abraham’s works and also Rahab the prostitute’s deeds in Joshua 2 and 6. You may think it an odd pair to group together as examples here but James is showing that salvation is from God’s choice and any of our earthy deeds, “good” or evil, are not part of God’s determining factor, as we all have fallen short of the glory of God and are all deserving of eternal punishment in Hell.

22

Comment:

In verse 22 Abraham’s faith was already active, or Abraham had faith in God and the coming messiah before showing this work of obeying God by offering up Isaac on the alter from verse 21. The good work of obeying God completed, proved, or justified his prior faith.

Question:

23

Comment:

Verse 23 quotes back from Genesis 15:6 “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Abraham, at this time in Genesis was called Abram, believed God when he said that he would have offspring as numerous as the stars, and had faith. This is seven chapters before Abraham obeyed God and offered up Isaac, so Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness roughly 25 years before the birth of Isaac and 40-60 years before the work of obeying God.

Question:

24

Comment:

When James says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone, he using the word justified in the sense of faith is proven or made evident by what we do and not just saying that we have faith, James is not saying that our being made right with God is accomplished by works and faith. This is another verse that some may point to and say that James is preaching that works is part of what brings about righteousness, but as I mentioned last week the Greek word translated here as justified also has the meaning of proving the justification.

Question:

25

Comment:

James now uses Rahab, who in Joshua 2 hid the men sent to spy out the land of Jericho, she tells them men that she knew that God was sovereign and had given the land to the Israelites, she demonstrated her faith in God with the works of hiding them and lowering them out of the window in the wall to safety, with faith that she and her household would be spared. She was spared in the fall of Jericho Joshua 6:23 “So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel.” She also went on to marry Salmon and bore Boaz who married Ruth who bore Jesse, the father of David and from his line Christ would come.

Question:

26

Comment:

James brings the fact home that works will follow true and repentant faith with the analogy that a faith without the works that follow showing that the faith is true is useless and dead, just like our physical bodies are useless and dead removed from our eternal spirit. Good works will come from true and repentant faith as justification that the faith was real. Jesus said so himself in Matthew 7:15–20 ““Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

Question: