“Was not Abraham our father justified by works, having offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that his faith was working with his works, and by his works, his faith was perfected. And the Scripture was fulfilled, saying, “And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.” James 2:21-24
James speaks of faith and works and gives Abraham as an example in whom faith and works were working. And he uses the sacrifice of Isaac to be an example. Hebrews says Abraham offered up his only son, believing that God was able to raise him up from the dead. The evidence of his faith in believing the promise of God, “in Isaac your seed shall be called,” was exhibited in his obedience to God.
“By faith Abraham, being tested, has offered up Isaac. Even the one having received the promises was offering up his only begotten son, as to whom it was said, “In Isaac your offspring will be reckoned,” having reasoned that God was able even to raise him out from the dead, from where he received him also in a simile.” Hebrews 11:17-19
This is what James seems to be referring to, if you believe the promise of God, of eternal life and the inheritance to come, how are you conducting yourself [now]? The evidence of your faith ought to be manifested in your works and without works its evident that you do not truly believe the promise of God. No one in the right mind would substitute the eternal riches for what is passing away. Hebrews states, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 That is we ourselves are the substance and are the evidence of our faith. Paul commending the Thessalonians writes, “Your faith toward God has gone abroad, so as for us to have no need to say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised out from the dead—Jesus, the one delivering us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
Paul in Galatians writes, “Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.” Galatians 4:28 And as Isaac was laid on the alter as a living sacrifice before God by the same concept Paul also writes, “I exhort you, brothers, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy to God, well-pleasing, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 As proof of that you believe the promises of God. Note, [Abraham] Concluding that God was able to raise him, even from the dead. The confidence of Abraham the father of our faith, in offering Isaac as a sacrifice was the hope of resurrection, to which we ourselves also ope to attain to. Then the proof of our hope is the manner of life we live, in the testing of our faith.
The writer of Hebrews, after making the declaration “the just shall live by faith” goes on to give an exposition what that entails, for which the whole of Hebrews 11 seems to be an example of, and gives the conclusion of the matter and says,
“Therefore we also, having such a great cloud of witnesses encompassing us, having laid aside every weight and the sin easily entangling, should run with endurance the race lying before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who in view of the joy lying before Him endured the cross, having despised its shame, and sat down at right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
And if we also live with the same view as Christ did, for the joy that is set before us, we will endeavour to endure, approving those things which are pleasing to God. [Note]: “Having laid aside every weight and sin easily entangling.” Sin is not a concept to be pondered on, [it is not a present day reality, it is of the past] a life of righteousness does not give account of it. It is laid aside, it is put behind us, it is forgotten: we do not make allowance for it. “not even be named among you, as also is proper to saints,” Ephesians 5:3 But we go forward looking at Jesus and the promise of the inheritance. “Set your minds on the things above, not the things on the earth.For you have died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:2-3
Abraham the father of faith, whose seed we are had these accounted to him: Righteousness of faith: “He believed the Lord and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Circumcision of faith: in obedience to God he cast of the flesh. Giving in faith: made a free will offering when he met Melchizedek and he gave a 10th of what he gained. Sacrifice in faith: He offered the son of the promise [Isaac] as a sacrifice on the alter in believing the promises of God, even in the resurrection.
We are also are made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ, and are baptised in water to cast off the body of sin. We make a free will offering of our increase to our High Priest, Jesus Christ who is a King and Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. And we as children of the promise of the Spirit offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God [our reasonable service], because we also have the same hope of the resurrection. This is not to say, we are saved by works, but by the virtue of being righteous through faith, we will produce works of righteousness. “By their fruits you will recognise them. Are grapes gathered from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? So every good tree bears good fruits, but the rotten tree bears bad fruits. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruits, nor a bad tree to bear good fruits.” Matthew 7:16-18
We do not justify ourselves through our works, that is we do not do the works as to seek to obtain justification. But we do the works as response to the nature of God working us.
Bread Bait. 
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