James: More GraceSample

It doesn’t matter who you are, this challenge applies to you!

James has been warning his complacent and disobedient readers. It is possible to claim to believe and yet not be saved (2:14–17). Real faith always shows itself in obedient action. Look at the example of Abraham, that great father of the Jewish nation!

Now James points to another Old Testament believer, Rahab. Unlike Abraham, Rahab wasn’t Jewish or respectable. She was working as a prostitute when she heard about the one true God.

• Why was Rahab ‘considered righteous’ (v. 25)?

Abraham had personal encounters with God but Rahab only heard second- hand reports about him (Josh. 2:8–13). Yet Rahab clearly came to believe in God. How do we know? Her faith was revealed in what she did.

Joshua sent spies to survey the promised land and Rahab helped these representatives of God’s people. Doing so was risky and dangerous; she put her life on the line for God. The Old Testament account doesn’t mention Rahab’s faith specifically, but her outward behaviour showed what was going on in her heart. Abraham and Rahab were different in many ways but they both put their trust in God into action; you could see what they believed in what they did.

James’ message to his disobedient readers is clear. Whoever you are, whatever your background, real saving faith always shows itself in obedient action. That was true long ago and it is still true today. James’ readers must not think they can wriggle out of this challenge, and nor must we!

James takes his readers to the graphic image of a dead body to drive his point home one last time. Think of a physical body. Without living breath, without a spirit, all you have before you is a useless corpse.

• In James’ illustration, is it faith or deeds which is like a body (v. 26)?

This is unexpected. After all, deeds, like a physical body, can be seen and heard, whereas inner faith, like a spirit, cannot.

James surprises us here. He says that it is ‘faith’ that is like a physical body, for, like a physical body, his readers’ loud claims to faith are easy to spot. But if a body has the spirit of life in it, you will see it moving. If it is completely motionless, you can be sure it is dead. In the same way, a faith that is ‘alive’ will ‘move’; it will take action to obey God.

James’ point is this: just as a body without a spirit is dead, in the same way ‘faith’ which is not accompanied by obedient actions is dead too.

Pray

Pray you would heed James' warning and that your own faith would be visible in waht you do.