EXEGETING JAMES 2:14-26 IN CONTEXT:
SPENDING EXTRA TIME ON A DIFFICULT PASSAGE
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. What has been learned in the letter of James in regards to his audience so far:
Putting James 2:14-26 in context.
A. He refers to them as Christian brothers (James 1:2,9,16,19; 2:1).
B. He refers to them as the Father’s children (James 1:17,27).
C. He refers to them as people who pray because they already have true faith (James 1:3,5-8).
D. He refers to them as having received and able to receive the word of truth (James 1:18,21).
E. He refers to them as believers who can be rewarded at Christ’s judgment seat for loving Christ by obeying Him.
1. We will receive the crown of life for handling trials well (James 1:12).
2. We will receive mercy and favor by our obedience to His word and by doing His righteousness. James calls this being a works-doer (James 1:21,22; 2:13).
Conclusion: James is writing to Christian believers who have already placed their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.
II. What James, the other apostles, and Jesus understood about eternal salvation and being declared righteous (justified) before God.
A. James was a main leader in the Jerusalem church and had a firm grasp of being justified by faith (Acts 15:4-29).
B. Paul taught justification by faith (Rom. 4:1-12; Gal. 2:15,16; Eph. 2:8-10).
C. John taught justification by faith (John 1:12; 20:21), Jesus taught justification by faith (John 3:16), and Peter taught justification by faith (I Pet. 1:3-5).
Conclusion: The message of the New Testament is very consistent regarding justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone as accomplishing a believers standing before God.
III. A believer who has been justified by faith before God needs to learn to do works of faith in order to manifest Christ’s righteousness before men (James 2:14-26).
A. We are in the section of James, which is the main body of the letter, where he is explaining that being “quick to hear” means being obedient to Christ’s words and doing them (James 1:21 - 2:26).
B. James has already given several examples of being a work-doer or working out God’s righteousness in James 1:21 - 2:13. A works-doer includes obeying Christ’s word by controlling ones tongue, providing for those unable to care for themselves, keeping oneself from the false thinking and the lusts of this world, and treating others without bias and partiality.
C. James starts out his argument by pondering the profitability or the benefit of a believer who chooses to live his life out without being this previously described works-doer of James 1:21 - 2:13 (vs 14a).
D. Given the context of the letter, James reiterates the idea that God’s word heard, obeyed, and done is the process of saving (sanctifying) the believers life from the power of sin (James 1:21). A believer who does not live this way will not receive the benefit of the word in this way and will not be a blessing to others (vs 14b-17).
E. Faith without the kind of works coming from obedience to God’s word makes a believer’s mortal life dead, empty, and fruitless concerning his/her walk and witness (vs 17-20).
F. A believer operating with Christ’s Spirit and word should produce life, productivity, and fruitfulness rather than the demonic belief (that does not save) that produces trembling before Christ (vs 17-20).
G. James knew that the Scriptures said that Abraham was justified by faith (Gen. 15:6) just as Paul, Peter, John, and Jesus also knew this (Rom. 4:1-12; I Pet. 2:7; John 1:12; John 3:16).
H. James shows that justification by works is something that can happen after justification by faith through the examples of Abraham and Rahab (vs 21-26).
1. Justification by faith is being declared righteous before God. Justification by works is showing God’s righteousness to other people.
2. His doctrine of justification by works is the same as “working the righteousness of God (James 1:21),” “receiving with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your lives (souls)(James 1:21),” “being a word-doer (James 1:22),’ and “being blessed in your work (James 1:25).”
3. Abraham and Rahab were already justified before God at the time of their belief before they were justified before other people at the time of their works of righteousness (Gen. 15:6; 22:1-12; Josh. 2:11-16; Heb. 11:31).
4. By justification by faith, we become children of God (Rom. 4:1-12). By James’ phrase of justification by works, we can become friends of God (James 2:23; 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) by understanding and doing what God desires in us (John 15:13-17).
