21-24 Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that weave of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?

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22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together,(A) and his faith was made complete by what he did.(B) 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[a](C) and he was called God’s friend.(D) 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

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Footnotes

  1. James 2:23 Gen. 15:6