The great example of faith being joined to works is Abraham (Hebrews 11:8-19). When God called him, he believed God and went out “not knowing where he was going.” When tested with offering Isaac, he believed God could raise his son from the dead, so he was prepared to act. Abraham is a great example of works completing faith. He was justified (“set right”) with God on the basis of works joined with faith; by this it was counted to him as righteousness (the result of being “set right”. In the Greek justify, justification, and righteousness come from the same word). Righteousness is a word about relationship. If we have faith, as trust in God, and we express it by appropriate deeds in our life, we are thus rightly related to God and our neighbor and thus counted righteous.
“Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”. (James 2:20–24 ESV)
