James 2:21 Cross References

James 2:21

21: Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was declared right with God because of what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

"This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son, I swear by my own self that
I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies,
and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed--all because you have obeyed me."

When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood.
And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the LORD.
At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!Yes," he answered. "I'm listening."
"Lay down the knife," the angel said. "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me."

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

This was Stephen's reply: "Brothers and honorable fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he moved to Haran.

Don't just say, 'We're safe--we're the descendants of Abraham.' That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into children of Abraham.

"The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.'

But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.

So that's why faith is the key! God's promise is given to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we follow Jewish customs, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

"The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.'

Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Are you greater than the prophets, who died? Who do you think you are?"

The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."

And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith?

"Our father is Abraham," they declared. "No," Jesus replied, "for if you were children of Abraham, you would follow his good example.

For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it.

Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." I say, "I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds."

Yes, think about your ancestors Abraham and Sarah, from whom you came. Abraham was alone when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation."

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