What does it mean to be “justified?"
James 2:21-25 (ESV)
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
The word “Justify” has 39 references laced all throughout the Old and New Testament. In the book of James the author is showing that a person is justified by placing their faith in Christ (James 2:14). By placing your faith in Christ, you become excused or justified in God’s court of law according to the promises of God Himself. (Genesis 15:6, Romans 3:28, 6:14, Galatians 2:16, 3:11, 3:25, Ephesians 2:8-9)
According to Philip Scaff’s A Dictionary of the Bible the definition of justify according to the evangelical use is to “denote that act of God’s sovereign grace by which he accepts and receives those who believe in Christ as just and righteous.”
In his book James references Genesis 22:12 to explain that because of that brave act of Abraham (the willingness to sacrifice his one and only son of the promise: Isaac), God credited Abraham as righteous (James 2:23, Genesis 15:6). This is not “cheap grace” as Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, but grace that Abraham took hold of and did something about. God rewards and appreciates those who not only obey Him, but trust in Him to be their Redeemer. (Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 37:3-5, Deuteronomy 7:9)
ON PREDETERMINISM
“The whole book of James is trying to communicate how to move our faith from theory to practice.”
What James is saying by “justify" does not mean that he is excluding God’s sovereign will of election, but his focus was to make his audience more aware of obeying God’s will for their lives (James 4:12-15). What James intends to write about in this short book is what faith lived out and demonstrated looks like (James 2:14-20, 24).
James brought up Abraham in verse 2:22 as having faith “completed” by works. Completed means Abraham had faith, but it was not proven genuine faith until it was tested, and some form of faith action resulted. Though God has chosen us from the beginning of time to belong to Him, He still prepared for us “good works” to do until that blessed day when we get to be with Him forever in His kingdom. (Ephesians 2:10, Revelation 4:11, 21:4, 22:12)
ON WORKS
James clarifies to his audience that faith alone does not save them, but faith must spark actions taken in love and trust in God (2:14, 17-18, 26).
“that we cannot do any good works unless we first come to God in faith and trust that He will and has saved us”
The obvious counterpoint is that we cannot do any good works unless we first come to God in faith and trust that He will and has saved us. (1 John 1:9, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9, John 3:16) James says that when we believe in our mind and hearts that Jesus is Lord, we will come to the Lord in faith and live out our faith in good works as is consistent with the entirety of the Bible.
James further delves into Rahab as a beacon of faith lived out because she assisted Israelite spies in gathering intelligence against her home country of Jericho. At great personal cost to herself and her family, she aided and abetted her enemy. She helped the Israelites because she feared the God of Israel more than the gods of her own people (2:26). Rahab feared God and her reverence of God quickened her to seek protection and assimilate into the culture of the sons of Israel and apart from her own. (Joshua 2:8-11) Her new culture worshiped God and since “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” her family was saved and justified before God. (Proverbs 9:10) Justification happens the moment we first believe, works are the means we use to practice and live out our faith in Christ.
Jake is a new intern here at Redeemer. He currently serves God and country while attending seminary at Dallas Theological. He lives in Fate with his wife Leanne, two children, pug and cat. He enjoys lots of caffeine, learning interesting things and people. You can contact Jake HERE!