Originally Posted by Tom
In light of James 2:18 and its context, do I understand your above statement to be saying that true justifying faith always shows itself in sanctifying faith? So it’s basically talking about both justification and sanctification. Faith justification shows itself in works sanctification.

yep I can accept that way of putting it. The faith that justifies will exhibit itself in a sanctified (progressive sanctification) life, (2:22, 26). When James says, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works,..." (v. 21), the word "justified" as used here means "evidenced". In other words, Abraham's obedience in offering up Isaac evidenced or proved that he was already righteous, i.e., "justified". Should someone argue that this is a misunderstanding of the word "justified", a little word study in Scripture will show that this meaning (evidenced) is in fact common. For example, look at: Jer 3:11; Ezk 16;51,52; Matt 11:19; Lk 16:15, and Rom 3:4. grin

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simul iustus et peccator

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