To highlight the importance of faith and deeds existing side by side in a believer’s life James points us to Abraham and then to Rahab.

If Abraham had not obeyed God by placing Isaac on the altar (v20-22) could he have truly said that he trusted God? In Abraham’s life faith and actions had to exist side by side. If deeds were not present then it was not real faith.

In saying Abraham was justified through faith (v23-24) James is not saying people are saved through their deeds. The Bible is very clear that people are saved through faith in Christ and not by works (Rom. 3 v22-25, Eph. 2 v8-9).

What James is teaching is that people are declared or shown to be righteous through the deeds of a changed life which accompanies saving faith. Do the deeds of your life give the evidence of true saving faith in Christ existing within you?

The prostitute Rahab is the second example of how true faith produces right actions (v25). It was her faith in the true God that caused her to protect his people the spies who had come to her. We can’t say we have faith and then sit back and do nothing. True faith is like a power within that must bring change and produce God honouring actions in our lives (v26).