Works as Response, not Compliance

Scripture: Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? ... In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? James 2:21,25

Observation: As James discusses the idea of being justified by "works and not by faith alone" (v24), he gives these two examples of 'works'. One is how Abraham responded to the idea of sacrificing his only son ... despite it making no sense, he proceeded with the instructions. The second is a bit more evocative. Rahab, a non-Jewish prostitute in Jerico, had heard of the coming invasion of Israel and believed that their God Yahweh was great and powerful, and that they would win. She therefore helped the spies who came to the city as they were being searched for, giving them hiding, and then aiding their escape.

Neither of these 'works' involve legal compliance. There was no law when Abraham was around, and later on the law itself is opposed to murder and God declares he never asks for child sacrifice. Rahab did not know the Jewish law, and her actions of hiding and aiding spies has not context within the law. Rahab did not even really 'hear' any instructions from God.

Instead, both of these involve a basic idea of responding to a belief in the Lord. Abraham had deep faith and great faith, so acted when God told him to. Rahab had just a general understanding that Israel had a true God, and she believed in the authority of that God, and thus acted in alignment with the belief that God would destroy her city and she wanted to survive.

In other words, James is defining 'works' as any action that has, as its motivation, faith and belief that the Lord is acting within a situation, and our actions should align to that understanding. It is this kind of work - action taken because we believe in what God is doing - that justifies us before God.

Application: I fail to comply with the Lord's instructions in my life every day, often badly. These are the sins that sacrifices were intended to cover over, and that my faith in Jesus now covers. It is by that faith I am purified, blameless before the Lord despite my terrible thoughts and actions.

However, how am I doing at 'works' ... the idea that I would do normal, everyday things, simply because I am guided to the idea that they advance the kingdom of heaven. If time permits, I will go to church today to set up tables and chairs for Alpha. I have worked at two of the three lights setup Saturdays and will likely serve at a half-dozen nights during December.

I should do more. I see how God works, both within my church but also in other places. I see his gentle and loving hand even in community settings that are in no way Christian, and in fact are definitively non-Christian. The word James gives for acting within such scenarios is "work", and explicitly a kind of work that justifies us before God, beyond just faith.

Yes, I need to comply with the Lord's laws and precepts. Yes, I need to continue my faith and belief in Jesus Christ as my redeemer. But yes, I also need to respond to the Lord with work.

Prayer: Lord, I do ask for your forgiveness of my sins, for they are an affront to you. May I be washed clean again today by faith in Jesus. And from that faith, may I serve you with my hands, doing practical work for your kingdom. Amen.