LESSON #6

Dynamic Faith

James 2:21-26

This study is actually a continuation of the last lesson. The subject is still the relationship between faith and works. In the previous passage, James described the characteristics of a dead faith that does not and cannot save. "Faith without works is dead being alone." The text for this lesson gives the contrast of a dynamic faith that can and does save. This faith is dynamic in that it is alive and fruit-producing. It is not dead intellectual faith (v. 19a), nor demonic emotional faith (v. 19b) but dynamic obedient faith. Salvation involves the whole man. With our intellect we understand and accept the facts of the gospel, what Jesus did and what it means. With our emotions we feel the need to be saved. With our will, we repent, we obey, we act upon God's word.

James describes and illustrates this dynamic faith with two Old Testament characters: Abraham and Rahab. You couldn't find two more different persons! A man and a woman. Abraham was a Jew. Rahab was a Gentile. Abraham was a godly man. Rahab was a sinful woman (a harlot). Abraham was the friend of God. Rahab belonged to the enemies of God. What did they have in common? Both exercised saving faith in God.

The Dynamic Faith Of Abraham, 2:21-24.

Jewish people commonly referred to Abraham as their "father" (see Joshua 24:3; Luke 1:73; 16:24,30; John 8:53,56; Acts 7:2; Romans 4:12 - "father Abraham"). Abraham has the father and progenitor of the Jewish people and James has addressed his letter specifically to Jews (1:1). But the fatherhood of Abraham is more than racial. In a sense, he is "the father of all them that believe" (Romans 4:11), whether Jew or Gentile. Gal. 3:7 "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Abraham is the classical biblical illustration of saving faith.

It is important to point out here that Old Testament people were saved the same way as New Testament people are saved: by faith. Those who lived under the law were not saved by keeping the law but by faith. Gal. 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Rom. 3:28 "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Old Testament saints look forward to the coming of Christ in faith while New Testament believers look backward to the cross of Christ in faith. In Romans 4, Paul dedicated an entire chapter to explaining Abraham's salvation by faith. Paul wants us to recognize that Abraham was saved in the very same way that we are saved - by grace, through faith, not of works. Rom. 4:2-3 "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." It sounds like a contradiction to read in James that "Abraham our father was justified by works when he had offered Issac his son upon the altar" (v. 21). But there is no contradiction here. Paul is speaking about how Abraham was justified "before God" (Romans 4:2). James is revealing how Abraham is "justified" before men. Before God, Abraham was justified (meaning, "considered to be right with God") strictly by faith. But faith itself is invisible to the human eye, it is an abstract concept that cannot be seen or held. We cannot see faith but we can see the effect of faith just as we cannot see gravity or the wind only the effect of both forces. The effect of faith is seen in works, see v. 22. We show our faith by our works, James 2:18. When Abraham offered Issac upon the altar he was demonstrating, putting on display his faith in God. According to James 2:23, Genesis 15:6 was fulfilled in Genesis 22:9-12.

The principle, which is being put forth throughout this passage, is the same. We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone. It is always accompanied by works which justify us before men, James 2:24. Abraham is not only a classic example of saving faith, he is an example of faith that works. His faith was not dead, it was dynamic.

The Dynamic Faith Of Rahab, 2:25.

The story of Rahab is told in the Old Testament Book of Joshua chapters 2 and 6. Let's take a moment to review that story. Israel was about to invade their Promised Land and take the city of Jericho. Joshua sent spies into the city to get the lay of the land. There they met Rahab, a harlot, who protected them and affirmed that she believed in what God had said and what God was going to do. When the men departed, they promised to save her and her family when the city was taken; and this they did.

It is an exciting story. But it is also one of the Bible's greatest examples of saving faith. Heb. 11:31 "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." Rahab heard the word. She believed the word. She acted upon the word. She shared the word with her family. Her true faith was made manifest when she sheltered the Israelite spies. She proved her faith by her works. Abraham risked the life of his own son to demonstrate his faith. Rahab risked her own life to demonstrate her faith. Matthew 1:5 indicates that she married into Israel and become of the ancestors of our Lord. What grace!

James concludes this section on faith and works with another illustration, that of a corpse, v. 26. Faith without works is as useless as a body without life. Both are dead.

What kind of faith do you have? Dead or dynamic. One is deceiving and eternally fatal. The other is genuine and gives eternal life. You cannot afford to make a mistake on this issue. It is not enough just to say that you are saved, that you believe in Christ. Saving faith, true salvation is demonstrated by good works. It is quite possible, perhaps even probable that there are people in our Sunday School classes, members of our church, people who have walked an aisle, professed faith in Christ, been baptized, lead in public prayer, even hold an office, who have only a profession of faith and no real demonstration of faith in their lives. These last two lessons are a call for every person to "examine yourself whether ye be in the faith" (II Cor. 13:5) and "make your calling and election sure" (II Peter 1:10) for "not every that saith to (Jesus) Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).