James 2:21-26: Faith and Wisdom – Part III
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: Abraham Receiving the Angels
Certainly none of us set out to become a corpse in this life; yet James challenges us with two examples of how one man and one woman fuse together works and faith to discover disciple wisdom.
Abraham, our first patriarch who responded to God’s call to move himself and all he possessed to a new, unknown location. In faith Abraham responded to God’s call. Click here to follow the link to learn more about Abraham as we reflect on how we might likewise use works to accompany our faith.
Anthony Van Dyck: Abraham and Isaac
Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?
James Tissot: The Harlot of Jericho and the Two Spies
Rahab is an interesting woman and as a member of Jesus’ family tree she may hold particular interest for us. When we explore her life we give ourselves the opportunity to discover who and what she was, but who and what we are as well. Explore her story here or by clicking on the images.
Rahab the Harlot, Artist Unknown
The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.
James tells us today about wisdom engendered by a fusion of faith and works. Tomorrow we take a look at taming the tongue.
For more about Women in the Bible, visit: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/rahab-bible. Read her story in Joshua 2.
Images from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_and_the_Three_Angels and https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anthony_van_Dyck_-_Abraham_and_Isaac_-_WGA07427.jpg and http://www.wikiart.org/en/james-tissot/the-harlot-of-jericho-and-the-two-spies#supersized-artistPaintings-242837 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_and_the_Three_Angels
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