In Genesis 22:1-18, Abraham obeyed God and offered his son Isaac as a burnt offering. What caused Abraham to obey God? Was it Abraham's "works" (offering up his son Isaac), or was it Abraham's faith in God's promise that He would provide Himself a lamb for that sacrifice (Genesis 22:8-14)?
Abraham was saved by faith without works, but his salvation and his faith were EVIDENCED and DEMONSTRATED by his obedience. That is the meaning of the passage in James 2:21-24.
If you read that passage in context you'll find that Abraham received the promise based on obedience.
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11[/SUP] And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here
am I.
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12[/SUP] And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son from me.
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13[/SUP] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
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14[/SUP] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said
to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. {Jehovahjireh: that is, The Lord will see, or, provide}
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15[/SUP]
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
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16[/SUP] And said,
By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for
because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son:
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17[/SUP] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which
is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; {shore: Heb. lip}
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18[/SUP] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.
(Gen 22:11-18 KJV)