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In God's mind, true faith
or living faith is virtually synonymous with obedience and works. Faith and
obedience are interchangeable, even though they are not specifically the same
thing. This is just like the Bible's usage of mind, heart, and
spirit—they are not specifically the same thing, yet they are so
interconnected that they really cannot be separated.
This verse is a quotation of Genesis 15:6. There is a parallel quotation in Romans 4:1-3:
What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the
flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,
but not before God.
For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness."
This verse in essence says that Abraham was justified
because he believed. He was legally righteous before God because of his faith.
This becomes the basis for Paul's teaching that justification is by faith and
not by works. What Paul does not mention here is that Abraham's justification
( Genesis 15:6) occurred 14 years before Abraham was
circumcised. Paul's conclusion is that, based on Genesis 15:6, Abraham was justified by faith. The "work"
of circumcision did not come for another 14 years! The circumcision did not
justify him—the faith did. See the notes at Galatians 2:16.
And being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to
perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now it was
not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It
shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the
dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of
our justification.
Paul shows that we are also justified (cleared of guilt, have our sins wiped
away) by belief in the blood of Jesus Christ. What God did for Abraham,
He will also do for us. Paul's conclusion then is that justification is by
faith.
But like Galatians 2:16, this seemingly sets up a paradox,
because faith does not stand alone:
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 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. (James 2:20-24)
Paul also points out that there is more to the equation of justification than
just faith in Romans 2:13: "For not the hearers of the law are just before
God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."
These last two scriptures show that living faith cannot be separated
from obedience—from works. Faith and works go together; where there is living
faith, there will always be good works. If no works are produced, there
is no living faith. What we truly and deeply believe will determine the actions
we take in our lives. If we truly believe something, our "works"—what we do in
our lives—will always point to that. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he"
(Proverbs 23:7)—a man lives and acts according to what his
core is.
As discussed previously (Galatians 2:16), these verses are in fact
complementary, not contradictory. Each of these passages has a different context
and purpose, and so we do not get the whole answer from any one of them
individually. James' purpose is to show that there are two kinds of faith—living
and dead, genuine and professing.
James says that a person's faith is perfected or completed by the
kind of works that the faith produces. He shows that it is the kind of
faith that Abraham had that made the real difference and brought about
justification. Justification is entirely an act on God's part, but the kind of
faith that brings about justification is the same kind that also brings about
good works. It is not our works that save us, but only those who are "working"
in the right way will be saved because their works will be indicative of what
they truly believe in. Living faith, which James talks about, cannot be
separated from works.
Paul backs this up in his second letter to the Corinthian church:
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we
are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident,
yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the
Lord. Therefore we make it our aim [work; labor], whether present or absent,
to be well pleasing to Him [our acceptance by Him after being justified
is dependent on what we do!]. For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:6-10)
Paul lived by faith, but he worked (labored) so that he would be acceptable
to God. If he did not work, he would not have been acceptable to God even though
he professed God, said he believed in Christ, had faith that He could
save, etc. His works were an indicator to God of what he had faith
in—what he believed.
Paul's faith was the same faith that James was talking about—a living, active
faith which produces good things—good works. Dead faith is inactive (toward the
things of God). It does not produce anything profitable. It is the particular
kind and quality of works that separates the Christian from the
world, giving evidence of what a person believes.
— David C. Grabbe
Related Topics:
Doers of the Law
Faith
Faith and Obedience
Faith and Works
Faith as Work
Faith with Works
Faith Without Works
Faith, Dead
Faith, Living
Hearers and Doers
Hearers of the Law
Justification
Justification by Faith
Justification by Works
Obedience
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