The Book of James Week Three Lesson Two

“ Examples of the Faithful”

   “How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

   Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” James 2:20-26

James used the person in need as an example to show us the test of “true faith” versus “false faith.” “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?     Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?”

The faith action of loving our neighbors as ourselves is “true faith.” Just believing isn’t enough. Remember the demons believe in Jesus and shudder.

Read James 2:20-26. This passage sets the stage with examples of true faith. Who are the two people James writes about?

Example #1 Abraham (Genesis 22)

Take time to read the account of Abraham offering his son Isaac in sacrifice to God in Genesis 22. Focus on verse 9. What did Abraham do?

What was God’s response in verse 12?

What did God provide in verse 13?

James used a patriarch of the Jewish faith to teach the Jews. The story of Abraham and Isaac was an elemental story that all the Jewish faithful knew well. James used it to make his point of being faithful.

Example #2 Rahab (Joshua 2) 

Now read the account of Rahab and the Israeli spies found in Joshua 2. 

Who was Rahab?

Was she an Israelite?

What was her act of faith?

What did the spies as her to do? (see verses 12-13)

Read Joshua 6:25. Did Joshua hold true to the oath he made to Rahab?

God blessed Rahab because of her faithfulness to God’s people. Rahab was known to the Jews because her story was passed down through the generations. Rahab was also one of the four women listed in the genealogy of Jesus. (See Matthew 1:5) She married into the Jewish people and became one of them. She gave birth to Boaz, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David. She was King David’s Grandmother and the great, great, great,....grandmother of Jesus.

These two examples of faith in action ~ Abraham the father of the Israelites and Rahab the prostitute (turned faithful defender) ~ lays out the broad spectrum of how faith and action work in different types of people who are willing to trust God and be faithful to Him. Faith and action are not opposites, they are inseparable. You cannot be moved to action without faith and faith is not genuine unless it is accompanied by action.

Read the following verses and write what it says of God’s faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Psalm 18:25

Psalm 89:2

1 Corinthians 10:13

1 Thessalonians 5:24

Our perfect example of faithfulness is found in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are the eternally united Godhead ~ the Three in One. Mankind was created in the image of the One and Only God. When sin entered the world through the actions of the first man and woman, everything became a struggle. Faithfulness was something mankind had to struggle to do. When Christ came and followed out His faithful plan of redemption, we were given the ultimate second chance. He sent His Son to be the perfect example of faithfulness. Throughout the ages He has shown Himself to faithful in all He does. Why then do we doubt Him? His faithfulness is shown to those who call Him their Master. 

Read 1 John 1:9. How is God faithful in this verse?

What does He cleanse us from?

How can this help us in our faithfulness as we live out our lives on this earth?

What other god is like Him? There is no one like Him. Abraham and Rahab are examples of faith for us to see so we too can remain faithful to God. He blesses those who remain faithful to Him. Those who wait patiently to act will be blessed because with faith they have believed Him. Being faithful comes with the territory of each Believer. It’s an act of the will. The power placed within each of us gives us the ability to be faithful as our Master is faithful.