In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” – James 2:17-18 (NASB)
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, And from your relatives, And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you into a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” So Abram went away as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. – Genesis 12:1-4 (NASB)
Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness. – Genesis 15:6 (NASB)
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. – Hebrews 11:8 (NASB)
The Bible doesn’t allow us to reduce faith to a mental agreement, just some idea, or a one-time confession or statement of beliefs. Faith is alive! And like anything living, it grows, moves, and produces fruit. James reminds us that faith is proven, not just by what we claim to believe, but by the way we live.
In Genesis 12:1-4, Abram, later named “Abraham” and often called the “father of faith”, demonstrates this faith through radical obedience: “So Abram went away as the Lord had spoken to him…” He left his homeland, his family, his security, all because God said “go.” That’s the power of true faith! It acts. It moves. Faith changes our priorities, shifts our direction, and transforms how we live.
Then in Genesis 15:6 it says, “Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Abram’s belief was genuine – it was counted as righteousness not because of what he did (when God told him he would have not only the heir Abram wanted, but descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky) but because Abram trusted God at His word. Here’s what we need to note though: Abram’s faith didn’t sit still.
Faith is not a passive thing. It’s not only believing God exists or agreeing with certain doctrines. Faith is trusting God so deeply that we reorder our lives around His voice. Abram didn’t know where he was going, but he knew Who was calling… and that was enough.
James’ message and Abraham’s example challenge us to examine our own lives:
- Does our faith show up in how we speak, serve, love, and obey?
- Are we trusting God enough to follow, even when we don’t see the full path?
This doesn’t mean we earn God’s favor by doing good works, but it does mean that authentic faith can’t help but respond. Where faith is real, obedience follows. Faith moves us to surrender, to trust, to act – just as Abraham did. His journey wasn’t just about geography. It was about a heart anchored in God’s promises and a willingness to follow wherever God led. Abraham was far from perfect though and he’s in the lineage of Jesus! (Come to hear Pastor Dan’s sermon this Sunday, October 19th to hear more on that.)
Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going.”
Faith and obedience (or faith and action) are inseparable. The more we trust God, the more we move with Him. In that movement, we discover that faith is not just a belief… it’s a way of life.