This passage in James is one of the most discussed passages in scripture.  These conversations begin with, “What comes first, faith or works?”  That always hits me like “What came first, the chicken or the egg?”  We know that our faith is placed in Jesus Christ and His finished work upon the cross and at the empty tomb.  In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul nails the fact that our works do NOT save us.  If works saved us, the cross was unnecessary!  We have nothing to boast about!  We simply place our faith in Jesus, knowing that He has done everything that needs to be done to make possible our salvation.  We did not save ourselves, Jesus did. 

At this point in our commitment, we come to understand that since our faith is placed in The Savior, our lives now move into to the realm of works that prove our faith as genuine to those who do not know Jesus.  We begin to search for ways to wash feet!!! 

The ongoing debate of “Faith versus Works” fails even in the middle word of its title.  The two were never to have been reckoned as enemies. They are to be joined together, not pitted against each other.   Scholars argue about this even today.  Some have said that because of these verses in chapter two, the book of James shouldn’t even be in the Bible at all.  James is said to be contradicting the writings of Paul.  Paul was NOT saying that works are NOT important.  James was NOT saying that works come BEFORE salvation. 

I believe Paul was saying this:  "Saved by Faith.” 

I believe James was saying this:  “True Faith Works!” 

Every time I teach the book of James, I bring that three word phrase as my title for the book.  Verses 21 and 22 are my anchor for this title.  “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  You see that faith was working with his works and as a result of the works, faith was PERFECTED.”

Our works complete or perfect our faith. This is the same word Jesus said on the cross:  “tetelestai” which means it is finished!  Maybe a better word would be prove our faith.  True Faith Works OUT what Jesus has worked INTO us through our salvation.  God had already made (cut) covenant with Abraham in chapters fifteen and seventeen of Genesis.  The scene on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22 happens AFTER God had declared Abraham to be a righteous man.  His WILLINGNESS to offer Isaac as a sacrifice in obedience to God was all God needed.  Approximately two thousand years later, at that same location, God would offer HIS only begotten Son on that same Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.  What a picture of grace!

My final thoughts on this lesson will come from Hebrews 11 which has long been known as the “Roll Call of the Faithful.”  I call it “The Hall of Faith-ers!”  The chapter begins with God’s definition of faith in the first two verses.  The rest of the chapter is filled with the names of people who lived out their faith, displaying evidence of their devotion to the Lord by works that followed.

Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses.  Joshua’s name is unmentioned but he led the march on Jericho and the conquest and division of the land of Israel. Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets.

The author of Hebrews (unknown, but I believe it to be Paul) took us on a cruise straight through the Old Testament with these names.  Faith comes first.  Faith brings us TO God.  Out of that faith placement flows works.  Works come second.  Works send us out from God to be a blessing to others and draw them toward faith in God. 

Every person named in Hebrews 11 lived BEFORE the cross. 

We live AFTER the cross.

The same God loves us. 

The same Jesus died for us. 

The same faith saves us. 

The same works MUST flow from us to reach others. 

GET TO WORK!