ExJamesM10: True Faith Always Works

Introduction

Exordium. Imagine two friends sitting in a restaurant. One of them is trying to share something important, but the other keeps glancing over his shoulder because the game is on behind him. He nods along, “Yeah! Wow! Totally!” pretending to track with the conversation. But eventually his friend asks, “So… what do you think?” “Ugh! Not sure.” He freezes, because he hasn’t actually been listening.

We all know that genuine hearing always leads to some kind of genuine response. And when this kind of distracted listening becomes normal, people eventually start to wonder whether we’re really hearing them at all, because our responses reveal whether we’re truly paying attention.

Similarly, James proposes to us in chapter two that an ongoing lack of obedience in the life of a believer suggests the likelihood that the person has never really possessed true faith.

Context. We come now to a challenging point in James’ letter. I’ll admit there are three challenging statements in the second half of chapter two which give me serious pause.

if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? (Jas 2:14).

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? (Jas 2:21).

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (Jas 2:24).

In making these statements, he offers proof for these statements by offering two Old Testament examples of faithful people: Abraham and Rahab. So then, for us to best wrestle with these challenging statements in the next week or so, let’s look today at the life of Abraham.

Simple outline. To better understand James’ intent in chapter two, let’s wrestle through a quick summary of 12 chapters of Abraham’s walk of faith from Genesis 12-22. Then, drawn from those 11 chapters, we will consider three theological implications from the story, concluding with …

Purpose statement. God’s choice always results in a true faith that works.

Abraham’s Walk of Faith

[⬆️ increasing faith  ⬇️ lacking faith  ➡️neutral faith 〰️ up and down faith]

Genesis 12 (⬆️ ⬇️). God calls Abram (at 75 years old) and makes several promises to him: (1) I’ll give you this land (12:1b), (2) I’ll make you a great nation (12:2a), (3) I’ll make your name great (12:2c), (4) I will bless those who bless you and curse those who dishonor you (12:3a), and (5) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you (12:3b)

Abram goes exhibiting great faith (12:4).  

Due to famine in the land, Abram goes to Egypt, lies about Sarah, and brings affliction on Pharoah (12:10-20). Consistent with God’s promises, Pharoah suffers from his dishonoring of Abram, and yet Abram leaves with abundance. God cursed Pharoah and blessed Abram.

Genesis 13 (⬆️). Abram and Lot separate when conflict arises between their servants over the land. Abram honorably gives Lot the first choice, while Lot ignorantly chooses the region that appears most prosperous. The chapter highlights Abram’s honorable character and reveals Lot’s longing for the possessions and comforts of the world.

Genesis 14 (⬆️). Lot becomes entangled in a regional conflict when four kings wage war against Sodom and Gomorrah, resulting in Lot and his family being taken captive. Abram pursues the invaders with a small band of his servants, defeats them, and recovers Lot, his family, and all their possessions. After the victory, Melchizedek blesses Abram—who gives him a tenth of the spoils—once again displaying that those who honor Abram are blessed and those who oppose him are cursed.

Genesis 15 (➡️). God formalizes the unconditional covenant with Abram, establishing the covenant while Abram is in a deep sleep. God reiterates the promises first given in chapter 12, confirming that he alone will bring them to fulfillment. The emphasis of this chapter falls not on Abram’s character but on God’s sovereign and covenant-making faithfulness.

Genesis 16 (⬇️). Abram is now 86 years old. Sarai gives her Egyptian slave Hagar to Abram in an attempt to obtain a child, and Abram agrees, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. Sarai becomes jealous and harsh toward Hagar, eventually driving her into the wilderness where God meets her and provides for her. The chapter highlights the faltering faith of both Abram and Sarai as they struggle to trust God’s timing and promises.

Genesis 17 (〰️). Abram is now 99 years old. God reiterates His covenant with Abram, gives him the sign of the covenant (circumcision), and changes his name from Abram to Abraham. Abraham responds in obedience, and all the males in his household and among his servants are circumcised. God also announces that Sarah will bear a son, and although Abraham laughs at this promise, he still walks in obedience to God’s commands.

Genesis 18 (⬆️ ⬇️). The Lord appears to Abraham, and Abraham responds with generous hospitality, serving them with a lavish meal. During this encounter, the Lord announces that Sarah will bear a son within the next year, leading Sarah to laugh in disbelief and then deny it out of fear when confronted.

The second half of the chapter shifts as the Lord reveals His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their great wickedness. Abraham stands before the Lord and intercedes earnestly, pleading for the cities and especially for Lot. The chapter contrasts Sarah’s ongoing struggle of faith with Abraham’s growing faith and noble character as he intercedes with boldness and compassion.

Genesis 19 (⬆️). Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed under God’s judgment. Lot is portrayed as a righteous yet internally conflicted man who chose to live among the wicked, a decision that ultimately corrupted his entire family—evident in his disgraceful offer of his daughters to the mob, his wife’s longing for Sodom, and his daughters’ later immoral actions. Though the chapter centers on Lot and the ruin of his household, Moses concludes by saying that “God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow,” showing that God’s blessings toward Abraham extended to Lot’s deliverance. Throughout the chapter, Lot’s worldliness stands in sharp contrast to Abraham’s growing faith and righteousness.

Genesis 20 (⬇️). Abraham’s growing faith makes it all the more surprising when he once again puts Sarah at risk by telling others she is his sister in order to protect himself. As he journeys through the land of Gerar, King Abimelech takes Sarah into his household, unaware of the truth, until God warns him in a dream. Abimelech promptly returns Sarah, yet he and his household suffer loss because of their treatment of Abraham, while Abraham leaves with additional possessions. The chapter highlights that even the “Father of Faith” still struggles at times to trust fully, revealing both God’s protection and Abraham’s ongoing weakness.

Genesis 21 (〰️). Sarah becomes pregnant and gives birth to Isaac, the long-promised son. During the celebration of Isaac’s weaning, Sarah sees Hagar’s son laughing and assumes mockery, prompting her to demand that Abraham “cast out the slave woman and her son.” God instructs Abraham to listen to Sarah, both because His covenant promises will continue through Isaac and because He Himself will provide for Hagar and Ishmael in a different way. Hagar and Ishmael return to the wilderness, where God once again meets them, provides for them, and promises to make Ishmael into a great nation.

Genesis 22 (⬆️). Abraham is likely around 110-115 years old. God tests Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac, the very son through whom all of God’s promises were to be fulfilled. Abraham responds with his greatest act of faith, demonstrating complete trust in God even when the command seems to contradict the promises. At the moment Abraham is about to offer Isaac, God stops him and provides a ram as a substitute sacrifice. God then reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, declaring His blessing once again in light of Abraham’s obedient faith.

Theological Reflection

Therefore … I would like to draw three theological implications from the story of Abraham, which will as well assist us in better understanding James intent in James chapter 2. To do so, let me draw your attention to Genesis 18:18-19.

seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” (Ge 18:18–19).

In these two verses, we find a helpful paradigm. (1) God has received a great blessing (18). (2) What is the basis for this blessing? God declares “For I have chosen him” (19a). The foundation or the cause for Abraham’s blessings are God’s divine choice. (3) But God continues. What did God choose Abraham to do. We see the answer in the next statement, so that he and his family will keep the way of the Lord (i.e. obey God). (4) Therefore, as a result of this obedience, God grants what he promised Abraham.

Similar to James, the blessings seem to rest in Abraham’s obedience. And let’s be clear, in some very real sense they do rest in Abraham’s obedience. However, Abraham’s obedience and resulting blessings ultimately rest in the fact that God chose to bless Abraham.

Let’s connect this as well to Paul’s declaration in the first chapter of Ephesians.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Eph 1:3–6).

We are blessed by the Father in Christ. What is this blessing based on? We are blessed because God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (1:4a). To what purpose did he choose us? He chose us so “that we should be holy and blameless” (1:4b). He chose us to be obedient. And this chose, leading to obedience, leads to or results in God’s praise and our blessing.

So then, let’s consider three theological implications:

1. True faith always works. As James points out in a somewhat uncomfortable manner, faith that is not accompanied by works is worthless. Whereas, genuine faith is always accompanied by obedience and increasing faith.

2. True faith is modeled in Abraham, a righteous yet broken man. Additionally, be encouraged by the fact that the model for our faith (according to Hebrews 11) was a man who struggled in his growth in faith and obedience. Yes, Abraham struggled throughout his faith journey. However, his walk showed a consistent trajectory towards heightened faith and increasing obedience.

3. True faith is grounded in God’s eternal choice. Find hope that your faith is not rooted in or held by your own works, but God’s choice. And he has promised, “he who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesu Christ” (Phil 1:6).

Points of Application

So then …

Purpose statement. God’s choice always results in a true faith that works.

First, assess your life for the presence of increasing faith and heightened obedience. Since true faith alwaysworks, assess the presence of faith and obedience. Let me encourage you to feel the full weight of conviction if necessary. If you assess your life and find no evidence of faith or properly motivated obedience, please consider the possibility that you do not possess true faith. If you come to such a conclusion, realize the solution lies not in adding a form of obedience (or good works) to your life but rather embracing true faith—a faith that will work.

Second, have you noticed greater stability in your emotions? Are the things that once stirred anxiety beginning to lose their power as you trust more deeply in God’s sovereignty, providence, and care? Is the bitterness you once carried toward those who wronged you slowly diminishing as your understanding and experience of God’s forgiveness grows?

Third, have you noticed change in your actionstowards others? Was it once normal for you to react with anger, harsh words, or passive-aggressive messages whenever you felt disrespected, misunderstood, or unfairly treated? Yet now, as your awareness of your own sin and your appreciation for God’s forgiveness grow, is that anger beginning to fade? Are you learning to remember that every person ultimately stands accountable to God for their actions? Are you seeking to remove the log from your own eye before addressing the speck in someone else’s? Are your words becoming more gracious—aimed at building up, not tearing down?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, our many sins often stir up your righteous anger against us, and we feel the painful consequences of our disobedience. Yet we ask you to remember your great goodness and the gracious promises we have received by faith. Do not hand us over to anything that would destroy our souls or diminish your glory. Many forces in this world seek only to tear down your good work and to undermine the salvation you purchased for us with such mercy. Let every one of their plans fail. Their schemes aim to make your glorious name despised, but you are worthy of all honor. Remember, Lord, the good work you have already begun in us, and do not stop bringing it to completion. Rise up, O gracious God, and help all who sincerely call upon you. With your swift and saving hand, frustrate the foolish plans of the ungodly, so that nothing succeeds against your great glory or our salvation. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (a modernized version of Peter Vermigli’s prayer drawn from Psalm 74)