James 2:21-22 is a interesting passage where we read: WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, WHEN HE HAD OFFERED ISAAC HIS SON ON THE ALTER? SEEST THOU HOW FAITH WROUGHT WITH HIS WORKS, AND BY WORKS WAS MADE PERFECT? Lets first begin by stating that Abraham wasnt justified by the works he did. That isnt possible because the Bible is clear that the soul that sins shall die! as we read in Eze.18:4. Romans 6:23 declares FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD You see the wages of sin is death, so any work we do cannot satisfy the law. Because the law says we must die. But notice it says that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord In other words it is by Christs works by which we are justified. We read in Rom.4:25 of the work of Christ in our justification. WHO WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES, AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION We see here that the works that Christ did was to die and rise from the dead. Hebrews 4:3 states that Christ accomplished his works before the foundation of the world. FOR WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST, AS HE SAID, AS I HAVE AWORN IN MY WRATH, IF THEY SHALL ENYER INTO MY REST: ALTHOUGH THE WORKS WERE FINISHED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD You see the works through which Abraham was justified by were already available for him when God called him. Thats why James 2:21 asks the rhetorical question: WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED BY WORKS? Also, Jesus Christ alone is our rest, he is our sabbath. We are not doing works to become justified. So we can see properly that Abraham was not and could not be justified by any work he did. The works that God is talking about in James 2:22 are the works of Christ. Christ had faith in the Father, and Christ laid down his life to justify the elect. By doing this, faith was made perfect! Christ put his faith into action, and our faith too should reflect that as well. Notice what Ephesians 2:10 says FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE PREPARED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM This verse explains what James 2:21-22 is saying. When we read that we are a new creation, it is referring to regeneration. Regeneration is another way of saying, to be born from above Please notice that the new birth comes out from the death of Christ. To be a NEW CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS, is speaking of that fact that he died. In other words the new birth is dependent upon justification. It then says UNTO GOOD WORKS In other words the good works we are to do follow after the new birth. As you can see, these good works are dependent upon HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED! Now notice something really cool here, it then says WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE PREPARED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM Remember what we just read in Hebrews 4:3 that the WORKS WERE FINISHED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD That is, Christ had died before the foundation of the world to justify us, to justify Abraham. By the way the same word for before-prepared is also found in Romans 9:23 Where we read of the vessels of mercy having been AFORE PREPARED UNTO GLORY So We can see from all this that Abraham believed and did the works he did because he had the righteousness of Christ given to him, having been justified by Christ before the foundation of the world. And because he was saved by God, The good works of faith followed, having come out of the faith of Christ, that was made perfect by works. This is why 1 John 2:4-5 says of works HE THAT SAITH, I KNOW HIM, AND KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM. BUT WHOSOEVER KEEPETH HIS WORD, IN HIM VERILY IS THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED: HEREBY KNOW WE ARE IN HIM And you know its interesting how God says in Jeremiah 24:7 that God must give us a heart to know him. Jer.24:7 is saying that we must be born from above to know him and to come to him with our whole heart.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 17:45:03 +0000
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