James has some very difficult doctrine to teach us. It would be easy try to evade the meaning or to try to avoid the application. So lest there be any misunderstanding, and to reinforce his point, the Apostle provides examples of his lesson to us. Like any good teacher, he wants you to take the principle and see how it applies to various circumstances. In this particular case, he provides you with two powerful examples of faith: the demons and Abraham. This juxtaposition is intended to be startling to us. He chooses these examples purposefully. It would be hard to find two more opposite examples. The demons are active and evil enemies of God, the Messiah, and the message of the gospel. In contrast, Abraham is the father of the faithful. As we read, "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." (Romans 4:16) The heart-felt veracity and genuineness of Abraham's faith was demonstrated by his life and actions. James would not have you fall into the error of professing a dead faith. Abraham was not saved by works, but neither was his faith stand alone. (v. 17) – Pastor Schlegel
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