Understanding "Faith without works is dead."

Many of those who misinterpret and use "faith without works is dead" as an excuse for believers to go back to depending on their ability to obey the Ten Commandments in order to be godly/right with God would have condemned Abraham in the times when he slept with Hagar to produce Ishmael (according to the flesh) and when he lied about Sarah to save his own neck. But all the while, the Lord was transforming Abraham into the man of faith and works (of faith) that we know him to be today, working in Abraham both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Abraham was justified before God, but not by works. Works can never justify anyone before God. Abraham was justified by faith, because he believed God. He has nothing to boast about here. See Romans 4:

"1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”"

Whatever works Abraham did, they did not justify him (make him righteous) in God's sight. He was justified (made righteous in God's sight) because he believed God, long before he did any work. Romans 3:20 says:

"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Man cannot be justified by works in the sight of God. Now the verses that many misinterpret: James 2:

20 "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."

This justification by works that James is talking about is justification before man, not before God. The one who is made righteous by believing Jesus cannot but produce faith works that man will see and justify him by. Abraham walked with God for several years and made mistakes, but the Lord always saw him as righteous (justified) because this righteousness is a gift. He had failed so many times but God never gave up on him. God saved him and brought him out of every test and trial, even in those times when he failed; this is 1 Corinthians 10:13 in action:

"We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."

As it was with Peter who denied Jesus three times after boasting in his own strength that he would not, sometimes, God allows us to fail (failure is our default mode; the arm of flesh will fail) so that we can realise the futility of human effort at attaining righteousness/doing right/obeying the law and so trust totally in Him, even to the point of relying on Him for routine actions that we take for granted such as putting one leg in front of the other (walking!)

And we see the result of Abraham's being “Set-Right-with-God” and God's faithfulness in his life in his offering of Isaac at Mt. Moriah. These are works of faith, not works of the law. We don't do them get right with God or make it to heaven. We get to do them because "it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me." It is borne out of a revelation of God's love for us. Like Abraham, in Christ, we stand justified before God not because of our works but because we believe in Jesus Christ.

When James said "faith without works is dead," he used Abraham's offering of Isaac as an example of this "works." But Abraham was not justified (made righteous) in the sight of God because he offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He was justified because he believed God, long before the event at Mt. Moriah where he offered Isaac, "For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”" Romans 4:3.

You and I in Christ are also justified (made righteous in God's sight) not because we did works aka obeyed the law or gave up our own versions of Isaac but because by grace, like Abraham, we were called to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are made right with God through His blood:

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God." Romans 5:9.

Only this way can we do works of faith that are pleasing to the Lord, yet not us but Christ in us. These works of faith that the world can see justify us before man, not before God, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God." Romans 4:2.

Like Abraham, our right-standing with God came long before we did any work; we bear much fruit (works of faith) because we abide (believe) in Christ the True Vine. It is impossible for a branch to bear fruit by itself. The result is dead works. But many think that it is works (driven by human effort) that makes a person a member of the body of Christ. Not so.

Believers, faith without works is dead. But what works are you doing? Are they works of the law that are done by human effort to get right with God or get from Him and which lead to death (Romans 7:5) or works of faith done through the power of Christ in believers? The law is not of faith. You know the difference between works of law and works of the faith because you are unable to take credit for or boast about faith works. Christ does it all. See Ephesians 2:8-9:

"God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

Be wary of "men of God" who boast about how their law-keeping, various fasts, good works, dowdy clothes and religious tithe payment are what make God bless them/heaven-bound. These ones take credit and boast in their own effort (ability to obey the law) and not in Christ. This is not grace (undeserved, unmerited, unearned favour.) There is no Jesus saving in their equation. They are their own saviour. Believers, let's not be found here.

The law is not of faith. When you go to Christ in faith aka empty of all "menstrual rag" works of the law and good deeds done to prove your faith or get right with God, looking to Him alone for salvation from whatever bugs you, He constantly fills you up to overflowing with the abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness so much that with what is constantly spilling over, you can't help but live right and "produce a harvest of good deeds for God." (Romans 7:4) These are works of faith.

Christ does it all. His righteousness/justification is a gift to be received (Romans 5:17) through Christ and not a product of good works or law-keeping. With God's gift of righteousness, we get to live right and do faith works.

Also see Romans 3: 26"...and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

Believing Jesus is to believe that God has made you righteous forever, not because you obeyed the law but because of Christ's obedience, "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19.

Works can NEVER justify anyone before God. Only through Christ's blood are we justified (made righteous) in His sight. Faith always produces works (of faith) that the man who walks by sight can see and justify you by. Beware of "men of God" who tell you to depend on the arm of flesh that will fail to produce works and reject the power of the Holy Spirit to transform even the vilest offender who believes to do exploits. When your believing is right, works of faith that man can see and that man justifies believers by will follow, just as it was with Abraham. Our justification before God is found in Christ alone.

Right believing always produces right living