Living Out Our Faith Openly [v.21]
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We are back to our study of James 2 tonight. We are working through the second paragraph of this great book of the Bible. Last week, we considered verse 20 and, this evening, we are in verse 21.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Before we go any further, let’s do our Grammatical Analysis of this verse and then we get into practical application.
Grammatical Study
Grammatical Study
VERBS
VERBS
· Was…justified – to be justified; to be or become judicially vindicated as having complied with the requirements of the law (of God).
· When he had offered – to offer; to present as an act of worship; often in the form of a sacrifice.
NOUNS
NOUNS
· Abraham
· Father – ancestor; someone from whom a person is descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent) conceived of as a father.
· Works – duty; a work that a person is obliged to perform for moral or legal reason.
· Isaac
· Son – a male human offspring.
· Altar – a raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made; often made of stone.
ADVERBS
ADVERBS
ADJECTIVES
ADJECTIVES
CONJUNCTIONS
CONJUNCTIONS
Spiritual Application
Spiritual Application
So let’s get right into the spiritual application by asking ourselves the question...
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
We know from our continued study of this paragraph that the subject at hand is the relationship of faith and works.
What is the Holy Spirit saying about the relationship of faith and work in verse 21?
What is the Holy Spirit saying about the relationship of faith and work in verse 21?
In verse 21, the Holy Spirit turns our attention to the great example of Abraham, a man of tremendous faith. In particular, our attention is drawn to the pinnacle moment of Abraham’s faith when God required that he sacrifice his son, Isaac. The question posed to us is this - “Was not Abraham our father justified by works?”
Now, remember, we can take a question and we can turn that question into a statement. The Holy Spirit often uses questions to emphasize His intended statement. So, in verse 21, we can state that “Abraham our father was justified by works.” The premise being that Abraham’s faith was demonstrated by the outward actions he took based on his faith. Thus, he acted upon his complete trust in God by doing exactly what God asked and, in doing so, he was justified before God. The word “justified” simply means “declared righteous.”
Now, let’s think and dwell further on what this verse is teaching us by first doing a review of the word “faith.” Faith is more than just simply believing something. You may recall from last week’s study that “faith” involves three important aspect.
Faith begins with a FIRM CONVICTION.
Faith continues with PERSONAL SURRENDER.
Faith is demonstrated by OUTWARD CONDUCT.
Our example is Abraham and God’s demand that he sacrifice his son, Isaac. So, let’s go back to the Old Testament and do a review of what took place. However, before we got there, let me give you other passage to consider and then we will go to Genesis.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
The reason that I start here is to underline the fact that Abraham was a man who was firmly convinced of God and His promises. Note that Romans 4:20 states “he staggered not a the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith…being fully persuaded” Remember Biblical faith begins with FIRM CONVICTION.
In Genesis, we read...
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
What did he believe?
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Now, remember that Abraham’s faith in the the promise began with God’s call to him in Genesis 12. Even then, Abraham began showing signs of his faith in God. You may recall that in Genesis 12 was when God told Abraham...
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
The very next verse tells us...
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Over Hebrew 11, we learn...
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Thus, we see all three aspect of faith in what Abraham did. He had a firm conviction based on God’s word to him - “Gee thee out…unto a land I will shew thee…I will make thee a great nations, and I will bless thee.” (Genesis 12:1-3) He personally surrendered evidenced by him leaving all that he knew and trust behind in Haran. (Genesis 12:4) From that moment on, Abraham outwardly demonstrated by many, many different actions his firm conviction and his personal surrender to Gods’ will for his life.
Throughout, Abraham’s life, God allowed many tests and, at times, Abraham gave into his on temptations. However, each of those were situations where Abraham’s faith in God was tested and Abraham responded admirably. And, in each case, Abraham’s faith was strengthened. All of which culminated in the greatest test of his faith with his son, Isaac.
Turn to Genesis 22.
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Note that God “did tempt” Abraham.
SIDE NOTE: The words “did tempt” here have not the meaning to tempting or soliciting one to sin. Remember our study of James 1 where it said...
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Instead, the word “did tempt” has the idea of testing Abraham. What was God testing or proving in Abraham? He was testing Abraham’s faith. God was seeing if Abraham in this particular situation would maintain his firm conviction in God’s word through personal surrender and outward conduct.
We already know what happened. Abraham did maintain his faith in God. Without hesitation, Genesis 20:3 tells us that Abraham got up early the next morning with his son, Isaac, and his servants, made the necessary preparations for the sacrifice, and journeyed to Moriah. Making a long story short, after three days, he saw the place of sacrifice, left his servants behind, and went on alone with Isaac. Arriving at the place of sacrifice, he prepared the altar before God, placed his son Isaac who he had bound upon the altar, took a knife in his hand, and was prepared to slay his son.
Hebrews 11 once again gives us some valuable insight into the mind of Abraham at that moment as the Holy Spirit testifies...
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham held a firm conviction that even if he slew Isaac that God would raise him up from the dead. What an incredible test of Abraham’s faith and what an amazing testimony of how firmly Abraham was convinced of God’s power and promises! The rest of the story is that the angle of the Lord intervened by calling out to him as noted in...
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
It is important to note that Abraham responded with “Here am I.” It is statement of complete surrender. Here am I, Lord, your humble servant! It is the same statement of surrender that Isaiah offered after seeing the Lord high and lifted up in Isaiah 6.
Again, I remind you that Abraham was a man of faith. He maintained a firm conviction about God, His Word, and His promises. He live a life a complete surrender to God’s will. And, he demonstrated this by his outward conduct. In this instance with Isaac, he was quite prepared to go through with slaying his own son.
Go back now to our verse.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Would agree that Abraham was a man of faith and works? Now note again that Abraham was “justified” by works. Look back at Genesis 22. Note verse 12 with me.
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
In that moment, as Abraham maintained his faith in God and was committed to taking the necessary actions based on that faith, God was pleased. The word “justified” in its strictest sense means to be judicially vindicated as having complied with the requirements given by God. Abraham was vindicated because he complied to all that God asked of him. In others words, his actions were completely congruent with his faith. The sacrifice of Isaac is a perfect example of the relationship between faith and works.
Our works do not save us. In fact, our faith does not save us. Our salvation comes only by God’s grace.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Faith is simply the instrument by which we are able to enjoy the saving grace of God. However, those who are truly people of faith will be those who demonstrate that faith by their conduct.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
People of true faith in God will be people who live out that faith everyday.