Faith that Works: Day 3

It's the middle of the week and it's the the third day of the Faith that Works series! :) Today's verses are verses 20-22 which read:

20You fool! Do you not want to be shown that faith without works is useless? 
21How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son isaac on the altar.
22Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.

In yesterdays post I went over verses 18 and 19 which focused on how a faith that is not accompanied by good works is not a true and authentic faith. The faith that James is talking about is a God given faith that naturally produces good fruit. In today's verses, James brings up Abraham. A man who, in such a powerful way, demonstrated what a true faith looks like. We see this story in the book of Genesis. Abraham's wife Sarah gives birth to their only son Isaac at an old age and God promises Abraham that through Isaac  he would make him a great Nation. However, despite His promise, God asks Abraham to offer up his only son as a sacrifice. How difficult would that be!!??  Nevertheless, we see that Abraham is obedient and that he was willing to sacrifice his only son.

Abraham had faith. True, authentic, and real, God given faith. He knew that God never backed down on His promises. If God had promised that through Isaac he would make him a great nation, He was going to do just that. His faith in God's promises assured him that even if his son died at the moment of the sacrifice God would raise him from the death. And for those of us who know the story, we know that an angel of the Lord stopped Abraham's hand form sacrificing Isaac. Abraham's faith was put into action.

Faith allows us to fully put our trust in the Lord. It enables us to be obedient to whatever God commands us to do, regardless if don't understand why.

Questions to be asking ourselves:
* Do I fully trust in God's promises?
* Does my faith produce in me obedience?

Just two more posts ya'll! Stay tuned for tomorrow! :)