The faith without works is dead statement made by James and the statement of Paul that we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works are being battered around recently on the internet. Some are saying James is speaking of being justified in the eyes of men and not of God. This is pure conjecture and not biblical.
The word of God says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, Galatians 3:6; Genesis 15:6. This was before Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice. James says this Scripture was fulfilled when Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice.
Galatians 2:20-24,
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
Had Abraham not believed God he would not have been reckoned as righteous and would not have offered his son to God. But because he believed God it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and, because of that righteousness, he obeyed God and offered up his son. He was justified by works because faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.
The works of Abraham were works of faith, not works of his own doing. He offered Isaac because he believed God and reckoned God was able God to raise Isaac from the dead and fulfill His promise to Abraham to make Isaac his heir. So Abraham was not reckoned righteous by a work of any law or any work of his own doing, but by a work of faith.
So it is with Christians. We are saved by grace through faith and not of works of the Law or works of our own doing . And because we are reckoned as righteous in Jesus we obey the Lord our God and Father through our faith. This is called discipline in Hebrews. And if we are not disciplined we are regarded as illegitimate children, because without discipline there are no works of faith, and without works, faith is dead and absolutely useless.
To be a legitimate child of God, one must endure the discipline of our Father and learn obedience from the things which we suffer. This will produce works of faith in and through us, as it did with Abraham.
So yes, we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works. The acceptance of grace through faith places us in the family of God the Father. From that point, He begins disciplining us that we might bear fruit and walk in the works He has prepared beforehand that we should do. These are works of faith and without them faith is dead and therefore useless.
Abraham walked in the works God prepared beforehand for him to do, and his faith was perfected in those works. Works spring forth from faith; without works, there is no faith.
Galatians 2:26,
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Again, Galatians 2:20-24,
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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