James Chapter 2 — Commentary on Verse 21

    WasnotourancestorAbrahamconsideredrighteousforwhathedidwhenheofferedhissonIsaac on the altar? HereJamesputsforwardsomethingthatmightconvincethevainman,takenfromtheexample of Abraham—the believers of the Old and New Testaments being all justified the same way.

    WasnotourancestorAbraham…? James gives the example of Abraham because he was the prime example and idea of justification, and because many people were inclined to plead the example Paul puts forward in Romans 4:1-4, and because Abraham was specially revered among the Jews. James calls him ourancestor because he was so to the people James was writing to, the twelve dispersed tribes, and because he was ancestor to all the faithful, who are described as those who “walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had” (Romans 4:12). And indeed this is the solemn name and title that is given to Abraham in the Scriptures—“our father Abraham”: see John 8:53; Acts 7:2; Romans 4:1.

    Consideredrighteousforwhathedid. That is, declared to be righteous because of what he did before God and the world. But you will say, is this not contrary to Scripture? Romans 3:20 says, “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law”; and particularly it is said of Abraham that he was not justified by works (Romans 4:2). How shall we reconcile this difference?

    James speaks about some special justification that Abraham received when he offered Isaac; and you will find that from God he then received justification of his faith, though thirty years before that he had received justification of his person. When he was an idolater and ungodly (Joshua 24:2; Romans 4), God called him through his grace (Genesis 12:1-3) and justified him. “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). He was justified by imputation and absolved from guilt and sin; so it could not damn him. But now, when he offered Isaac, his faith was justified to be true and right, for that command was meant to test it. Therefore, his obedience to God did two things: it renewed the promise of Christ to him (Genesis 22:16-18), and it gave him a testimony and declaration of his sincerity (verse 12).

    It seems to me that as deeds are signs to us by which we may judge the quality of faith, so God judges according to what we have done, as is distinctly said in Revelation 22:12. God will demonstrate the faith of his saints to be right by producing their works and will reveal the ungrounded hopes of others by their works also, for great and small are all judged according to that rule. Not only hereafter but now also God judges according to works; that is, he looks upon them as testimonies and declarations of faith or of the lack of faith.

    Diodati excellently comments that justification in Paul is opposite to the condemnation of a sinner in general, and justification in James is opposite to the condemnation of a hypocrite in particular. In Paul’s sense a sinner is absolved; in James’s sense a believer is approved. And so the apostles agree, as far as I can see, without exception.

    WhenheofferedhissonIsaaconthealtar. Note that though Abraham only offered him in purpose and vow, and not actually, James says heoffered. Hebrews 11:17 also says, “By faith Abraham … offered Isaac”; he intended to do it and, if God had continued the command, would actually have done it. God counts as done what is about to be done and takes note of what is in the heart, even if it is not actually done.

    Notes on Verse 21

    Note1. Those who want Abraham’s privileges must see to it that they have Abraham’s faith. You claim to be his descendants as believers. Two things are notable in Abraham’s faith:

    (1)      He received the promises with all humility: “Abraham fell facedown” (Genesis 17:3), as mightily abashed and abased in himself to see God deal thus with him.

    (2)      By his faith he made good the promises, being upright before God and behaving in every way for his glory. There are two instances of his obedience on which the Holy Spirit has set a special note: one was leaving his father’s house (Genesis 12:1), thus denying himself his possessions; the other was sacrificing his son (Genesis 22:1-2), thus denying himself his hopes. God calls every believer more or less to deny something that is near and dear.

    Note2. Believers must see that they honor and justify their faith by deeds. Never content yourselves with empty profession. Profession of faith shows what party we belong to, but holiness shows that we belong to God. I will give you a few directions about how to reflect on your graces as evidence of your state.

    (1)      You must be loyal to Christ. Many people seek all their happiness in the gracious dispositions of their own souls and so neglect Christ. This is putting the love token before the loved person. To rectify it:

    a.      Let there be a thorough going out of yourselves. Be sure to keep the heart righteous; and do not neglect the cornerstone on which to found your hopes. Assurance is usually given after the solemn and direct exercise of faith: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal” (Ephesians 1:13). Here the apostle shows the order of the Spirit’s sealing, after believing or going to Christ, and the quality of the seal, as a Spirit of promise. He implies that when the thoughts have been freshly exercised in thinking about our own unworthiness and God’s free grace and promises, then we are most fit to receive the witness and certification of the Spirit.

    b.      In viewing and enjoying your graces, still keep your heart on Christ. See what would become of you if it were not for free grace. God could find something for which to condemn you, not only in the worst sins but in the best duties; the most regenerate person dares not entrust his soul to the heavenliest thought he ever conceived. When Nehemiah had done something zealously, he added, “Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love” (Nehemiah 13:22), intimating that God might find enough to ruin him even in this. So, in the face of the greatest evidence you should see free grace as the surest refuge. Jehoshaphat, when he had all the strength of Judah, numbered at 500,000, still went to God as if there were no other way: “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

    c.      When all is said and done, you must the more earnestly renew your addresses to Christ and exercise faith with the more advantage and cheerfulness. You have much more encouragement to agree with him when you survey his bounty to your souls and consider those emanations of grace by which you are enabled to do good deeds. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). He means that, having this assurance, they might renew the act of faith all the more cheerfully—as when Thomas felt Christ’s wounds and had all the more reason to believe (John 20:27). Estius comments that this was “by a renewed and increased faith.” So when you have felt Christ’s bounty to you and by good deeds have cleared up your interest in eternal life, you have the greatest reason to cast yourselves on Christ again by faith and confidence. The whole business of our justification before God is carried on by a continual act of faith, from one act and degree to another.

    (2)      You must go to work with a spirit suiting the Gospel. Consider and understand your evidences and graces not in a legal perfection but as sprinkled with the blood of the covenant. If you look for love, fear, faith, hope in that perfection the law requires, the heart will still be kept unsettled; your business is to look to the truth rather than the measure. The man in Mark’s Gospel could with confidence plead his faith though humbled with sad remains of unbelief: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (9:24). We must not give false testimony against other people, much less against ourselves, and must therefore acknowledge a little good, even if it is in the midst of much evil.

    (3)      You must set to work prudently, understanding the nature of signs and the time to use them; everything is beautiful in its season. There are times when graces are not visible. In darkness we can see neither black nor white. In times of great dejection and discouragement the work of a Christian is not to try but to believe. “Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God” (Isaiah 50:10). It is most seasonable to encourage the soul to acts of faith and to reflect on the absolute promises, rather than on conditional ones. The absolute promises were intended by God as encouragements to such distressed souls. To a loose, ungodly spirit, an absolute promise is like poison; to a dejected spirit, like cheering wine. When the soul lies under fear and a sense of guilt, it is unable to judge; therefore, examination only increases the trouble. But again when the heart is drowsy and careless, trial is most appropriate; and it is best to reflect on the conditional promises, that we may think about the qualifications before we take comfort. When the heart grows rusty and secure, it is good to use Nazianzen’s policy when his heart began to be corrupted with ease and pleasure: “I read the Lamentations of Jeremiah.” In all spiritual cases it is good to deal prudently, lest we put ourselves into the hands of our enemies and help Satan’s plans along.

    (4)      You must be humbly thankful, because everything comes from God. It is a vain spirit that is proud of what is borrowed or glories because he is more in debt than others: “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever we find when we search, it must not be ascribed to free will but to free grace: “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Free will establishes human merit; free grace checks it. The sun is not in debt to us because we borrow light from it, or the fountain because we draw water. Thus, lest pride taint the spirit by seeing our graces, it is good to reflect distinctly on God’s bounty and our own vileness.

    Note 3. When he offered his son Isaac. Isaac is counted as offered because that is what Abraham intended. Serious intention to obey is accepted as obedience. God has given pardon on our intent to return: “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’—and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:5). But remember, your intentions must be like Abraham’s.

    (1)      They must be serious and resolved, for he prepared himself to do what he was commanded. When people hope to do tomorrow what they should do today, these are fleeting intentions of which God takes no notice: “he knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21).

    (2)      They must be the sort that end in action unless something stops us. When is that?

    a.      When we are hindered, as Abraham was, by heaven. In his case it was by divine command; in our case it will be by providence: “Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart” (1 Kings 8:18). When providence diverts us from doing what we intended, God accepts our intention.

    b.      When we are hindered by weakness. “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:18). The apostle could not attain what he wanted to do; in such a case God looks to what is in the heart.

    So then:

    a.      This serves to comfort God’s people, who are very discouraged because they do not perform their duty as they want to. God notes your intention and judges you, as doctors do their patients—not by how much they eat, but by their appetite. Intentions and desires are works of God’s own stirring up, the free offering and motions of grace. We may be overruled in practice, but earnest intentions that make you do what you can are usually serious and genuine. The children of God, who cannot justify what they do, plead the inner desires of their hearts: “You know all things; you know that I love you” (John 21:17); “your servants who delight in revering your name” (Nehemiah 1:11).

    b.      This warns us to be careful of our intentions. Many people would be more wicked if they were not restrained. God notes what is in their hearts: “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Seneca, too, says: “Purpose makes a man guilty, even if the act is restrained.” God took note of the king of Babylon’s intentions: “his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations” (Isaiah 10:7). Inclinations should be watched over.

    c.      This shows God’s readiness to receive returning sinners. As soon as the will lays down the weapons of defiance and moves toward God, the Lord runs to embrace such a poor soul, that he may satisfy it with some early comforts. “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Acts of grace often anticipate acts of duty. As soon as you set your face toward God, he runs towards you.

    d.      This shows how we should entertain God’s intentions and promises. Look on his promises with such certainty as if they were already fulfilled: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great” (Revelation 14:8). God can read duty in the intention; we have much more cause to read fulfillment in his promise. “Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19). His will is not changeable like ours, nor is his power restricted.

    Note4. OfferedhissonIsaaconthealtar. This is his great argument of the truth of Abraham’s faith. It is not an argument for faith producing every action, unless it produces actions like Abraham’s. Actions that make you deny yourself are troublesome but right. David scorned any service that cost nothing. Actions fit to test believers are those where we must deny our own reason, affections, and interest. Let us see what we can in this action of Abraham’s, so that we may go and do likewise.

    (1)      Note how great the temptation was. It was to offer his own son, the son of his love, his only son, a son longed for and obtained when “his body was as good as dead” and when “Sarah’s womb was also dead” (Romans 4:19). Indeed, he was the promised son (see Romans 9:9). If Abraham had only been contending with natural affection, it would have been a lot—love for one’s children is always vehement; but there were special reasons and arguments for his love for Isaac. But Abraham was not only to conflict with natural affection but with reason, and not only with reason but with faith. He was, as it were, to execute all his hopes; and all this was to be done by himself. With his own hand he was at one stroke to cut off all his comforts; the execution of such a sentence was as harsh and bitter to flesh and blood as to be his own executioner. Go outside in shame, you who can deny yourselves so little for God, who attempt duties only when they are easy and obvious, who never care to recover them out of the hands of difficulty and inconvenience. Can you give up all that is near and dear to you? Can you offer up your Isaac? Can you offer up your ease and pleasure for duty? Not every action is a trial of faith, but only those that make us deny ourselves.

    (2)      Consider how willing he was to obey. As Abraham is the pattern of believing, so also he is the pattern of obeying. He received the promises as a picture of our faith; he offered up his son as a picture of our obedience: see Hebrews 11:17.

    a.      He obeyed readily and willingly: “Early the next morning Abraham got up” (Genesis 22:3). Some people would have delayed all they could, but he was up early. Usually we restrict our duty rather than restrict ourselves; we do not set about our duty early.

    b.      He obeyed resolutely. He concealed it from his wife and servants, and from Isaac himself, so that he might not be diverted from his purpose. Who nowadays is so wise as to arrange things so that he may not be hindered from his duty?

    c.      He denied worldly reason. In difficult cases we seek to avoid the command instead of seeking how we shall obey it. If we had been tested like this, we would have questioned the vision or looked for some other meaning. But Abraham did not do so, though he had occasion enough, for he was divided between believing the promise and obeying the command. God tested him in his faith; his faith was to conflict with his natural reason, as well as his obedience conflicting with his natural desire. But “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Hebrews 11:19), and he reconciled the commandment with the promise. How easily we could have slipped out at this door and disobeyed with religious arguments. But Abraham offered Isaac.

    Youseethathisfaithandhisactionswereworkingtogether,andhisfaithwasmadecompleteby what he did. Havinggiventheexample,Jamesnowurgesituponthehypocritewhoclaimstohavefaith while cultivating an impure life.

    Yousee. That is, it is clear. He tries to awaken the complacent worldly-liver by urging this example on his conscience.

    Thathisfaithandhisactionswereworkingtogether. This clause is given many senses. The Roman Catholics use it to prove that faith needs works for justification, as if works and faith were joint causes; but then the apostle would have said that actions worked together with his faith, and not faith with his actions. Among the orthodox it is expounded differently. The sense I prefer is that his faith did not rest in mere profession but was operative; it had efficacy and influence on his actions, working together with all other graces. It does not only exert itself in acts of believing but also in actions—deeds.

    Andhisfaithwasmadecompletebywhathedid. This clause also has been twisted into several senses. The Roman Catholics deduce from it that in the work of justification faith receives its worth, value, and perfection from works—an idea prejudicial to the freeness of God’s love and contrary to the constant teaching of the Scriptures. Faith gives value to works rather than works to faith (see Romans 14:23 and Hebrews 11:1-6); works are so far from being chief, and the more perfect cause of justification, that they are not respected as that at all.

    (1)      Madecomplete [KJV, madeperfect—Ed.note]. That is, say some, “made known and revealed,” as God’s strength is said to be “made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). No one will be so mad as to say that our strength adds anything to God’s power, which cannot increase or decrease and has no need of any help from human weakness. Faith is madecomplete because it has the benefit of being revealed and more particularly shows itself; so faith is madeperfect—that is, it is more fully known and apparent. The reason this expression is used, some say, is, first, because things that excel suffer a kind of imperfection while they are kept private; and second, because faith comes to maturity and perfection of growth when it can produce its own particular actions. This sense is probable. But:

    (2)      Others understand it to mean that faith or profession of faith is not complete until works are joined with it, faith and works being the two essential parts that make up a believer. This interpretation suits the apostle’s intentions well enough.

    (3)      The exposition that I take to be most suitable is that faith working together with obedience is madeperfect—that is, bettered and improved, just as our inner vigor is improved by physical exercise. In short, works do not complete faith by communicating their perfection to it but by stirring its own vigor.

    Notes on Verse 22

    Note1. Faith influences all of a Christian’s actions. In Hebrews 11 faith is made the great principle; actions are spoken of that strictly speaking belong to other graces. We say the general won the day, though the private soldiers acted worthily in the field, because it was under his direction. In the same way, because all other graces march and are marshaled to fight under the direction of faith, the honor of the day is ascribed to faith. Faith has great influence on all aspects of the heavenly life.

    (1)      Faith has the advantage of a sweet principle: “faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6). It represents the love of God and then uses its sweetness as an argument; it urges by such melting entreaties that the believer cannot say no. Paul says, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). When the soul is hesitant faith says, “Christ loved you and gave himself for you; he was not hesitant in the work of salvation.”

    (2)      Faith gives strong encouragement; it sees assistance in God’s power, acceptance in God’s grace, reward in God’s bounty. When you are weakened with doubt and discouragement faith says, “Do your best, and God will accept you.” When jealousy makes our heart faint and our hands feeble, faith shows the soul an angel standing at the altar with sweet incense (Revelation 8:3-4). Duty coming immediately out of our hands would smell bad; so Christ intercepts it, and it is perfumed at the hands of a mediator. Again, are you discouraged with weakness? Faith will reply, “You are weak, but God will enable you.” It is an advantage, not a discouragement, to be weak in ourselves, that we may be “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). When the bucket is empty, it can be filled from the ocean more easily. Paul says, “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). There is no heart too dead for God to bring to life, and he is willing. First Chronicles 15:26 says, “God had helped the Levites” when the work was physical; God helped them by taking away their weariness. And he will certainly give inner strength all the more—more love, joy, hope, which are the strength of the soul (see Nehemiah 8:10). Again, if the heart is lazy and reluctant or is content with ease and pleasure, faith can present the glory of the reward, the pleasures at God’s right hand, etc.

    (3)      Faith breaks the power of the opposition. If the world stands in the way of duty, faith overcomes the world (see 1 John 5:4)—partly by bringing Christ into the combat, partly by spiritual replies and arguments. Reason tells us we must be for ourselves; faith tells us we must be for God. Reason says, “If I take this course, I shall be undone”; faith, by looking within the veil, sees that it is the only way to save all (2 Corinthians 3:15-17).

    Well, then, from this we may infer:

    (1)      We need to get faith; there is as great a necessity of faith as of life. It is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls. God has arranged faith to be as necessary as Christ. What good will a deep well do us without a bucket? Whoever has a mind to work does not want to be without his tools; and who wants to be without faith if he is conscientious about his duty?

    (2)      Act it in all your works. No actions are good until faith works together with them; they are not acceptable, nor half so valuable: “By faith Abel offered” not only “a better sacrifice,” as our translation reads (Hebrews 11:4), but “more sacrifice,” as the Greek can be read. Faith is the best support you can have; worldly ends make us mangle duty, and doubts weaken us in duty.

    Note2. Faith is bettered and made more complete by acting. Neglect of our graces is why they decrease and decay; wells are the sweeter for draining. The apostle wishes Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6). This is an allusion to the fire of the temple, which was always to be kept burning. Well, then, be much in duty, and draw out the actions of your graces. Many people are alive but not lively; decay imperceptibly leads to deadness.

    Andthescripturewasfulfilledthatsays,“AbrahambelievedGod,anditwascreditedtohimas righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

    To strengthen the previous argument from the example of Abraham, James produces a testimony from Scripture to prove that Abraham had true faith and that Abraham was truly justified.

    And the scripture was fulfilled. You will say, “How can this be, since that was said of Abraham long before?” Compare Genesis 15:6 with Genesis 22. And the apostle Paul says that Scripture was fulfilled in him before he was circumcised (Romans 4:10), which was before Isaac’s birth, and certainly before he was offered. Luther rejects James’s letter because of this, with some incivility of expression. The Roman Catholics seek to reconcile the matter by saying that though faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness before he offered Isaac, James proves that faith was not enough to justify him; he also needed actions, for, they say, his righteousness was not complete and full until it was made perfect by the addition of actions.

    Note that a Scripture is said to be fulfilled in several senses—sometimes when the main point of the passage is urged; at other times when a similar case happens, and so a Scripture is quoted and said to be fulfilled not by way of argument but allusion (and a note is given by which the allusive sense may be distinguished from the main sense). When a text is quoted properly, the writer says, “that it might be fulfilled,” thus noting the aim of the passage. When it is quoted by allusion or to give a parallel case, the writer says, “then it was fulfilled,” implying that a parallel case occurred. So here it says, thescripturewasfulfilled—that is, at this instance of his faith it might again be said that faith was credited to him as righteousness.

    We may accept this exposition all the more because this sacrifice of his son (Genesis 22) was a greater demonstration of his faith than the sacrifice mentioned in Genesis 15. Things are said to be fulfilled when they are most clearly demonstrated, as in Acts 13:32-33 where the words “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” are said to be fulfilled at Christ’s resurrection, because then he “was declared with power to be the Son of God” (Romans 1:4). So it is here; this being the evident demonstration of Abraham’s faith, it appeared how truly it was said of him that he “believedGod,anditwascreditedtohimasrighteousness.” By that action he declared that he had a true, justifying faith, and therefore the Lord says after this trial, “Now I know that you fear God” (Genesis 22:12).

    “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” The original meaning of the phrase it was credited to him as righteousness is only to show that the thing was approved and accepted by God. It is often used in this way in the Old Testament, as when Phinehas’ zeal is said to be “credited to him as righteousness” (Psalm 106:31). Therefore in this phrase the Scripture does not declare what the matter of our justification is, but only what value the Lord chooses to put upon acts of faith or obedience when they are performed in the face of difficulty and discouragement.

    AndhewascalledGod’sfriend. The apostle says hewascalled—that is, he was; compare Isaiah 48:8, “you were called a rebel from birth”—that is, you were a rebel. So also in the New Testament: “that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1)—that is, that we should be children of God. Or else it alludes to the solemn name Abraham is given in Scripture, as in Isaiah 41:8, “you, O Israel … you descendants of Abraham my friend.” See also 2 Chronicles 20:7. This title was given to Abraham because of his frequent communion with God—he often had visions—and because of his frequent covenanting with God—a great condescension, such as earthly kings offer only to their equals and friends. Therefore, in the passages where this title is given to Abraham, it has something to do with the covenant; and here it is said to be given to him for that testimony of his faith and obedience in offering Isaac, when the covenant was solemnly renewed and confirmed to him by oath.

    Notes on Verse 23

    Note1. Actions ratify the Spirit’s witness. The apostle says, Thescripturewasfulfilled—that is, it was seen that Abraham was indeed a believer, according to God’s testimony. Sometimes the Spirit assures us by speaking to us through some inward whisper and voice, sometimes by implanting gracious dispositions, as it were writing his mind in us. It is good when we are aware of both. To look to works is the best way to prevent delusion. There is no deceit here, as in flashy joys. Fanatics are often deceived by sudden flashes of comfort. Actions, being a more palpable and constant pledge of the Spirit, bring a more solid joy: “This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence” (1 John 3:19)—that is, by real acts of love and charity. Flashes of comfort are only sweet and delightful while they are felt; but it is said of grace that “God’s seed remains in him” (1 John 3:9), and “the anointing you received from him remains in you” (1 John 2:27). This is a lasting glory and the continual food of the soul, whereas those ravishings are like delicacies that God offers his people in times of festivity.

    (1)      Learn, then, that good works are not doubtful evidence. People of dark spirits will always be raising scruples, but the fault is in the people, not the evidence.

    (2)      Learn, too, to approve yourselves to God with all good conscience in times of trial; this will make good those imperfect whispers in your souls concerning your interest in Christ. Do as Abraham did: when called, he left his country; though he was childless, he believed the promise of numerous descendants; when God tested him, he offered Isaac. When God tries your faith or obedience with some difficulty, that especially is the time to gain assurance by being found faithful.

    Note2. Believers are God’s friends. This was not just Abraham’s title, but that of all the righteous. Thus Christ says, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep” (John 11:11). More explicitly, he says, “I no longer call you servants.… Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:15).

    (1)      We are God’s friends because we are perfectly reconciled to him in Christ. We were enemies by nature, but God not only pardoned us but received us into friendship (Colossians 1:21-22). God not only spares converts—he delights in them. We would not have been saved if we had not been lost; the fall made way for the more glorious restoration, just as a broken bone, when it is well set, is strongest at the crack.

    (2)      All dispensations and duties that pass between Christ and his friends are passed in a friendly way.

    a.      Communication of goods. Plutarch’s reasoning is good: “Friends have all things in common, but God is our friend, and therefore we cannot be in want”—a rare speech from a heathen. In the covenant God is ours, and we are his (Jeremiah 31:33 and 32:38-39; Zechariah 13:9). Great as he is, he makes himself over to us; and so by a complete resignation we are given up to him. The covenant is like a marriage contract and may be illustrated by that of the prophet Hosea: “You are to live with me … and I will live with you” (Hosea 3:3). God makes over himself and all his power and mercy to us, so that nothing happens to us without it being a blessing. If it is so common a mercy as rain, “there will be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26). In the same way we give ourselves up to God, even in the slightest matters of enjoyment: “HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses” (Zechariah 14:20); everything is consecrated.

    b.      Communication of secrets. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Servants are only acquainted with what concerns their duty and work; the master commands but does not tell them the reason for the command. But now Christ had opened all the secrets of the Father concerning his own resurrection, the sending of the Holy Spirit, the calling of the Gentiles, the last judgment, eternal life, etc. And so you who lie close to Christ know his secrets: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Genesis 18:17). He will acquaint you with everything that concerns your salvation and peace. And on the other hand, believers open their secrets to God; they “have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place” (Hebrews 10:19; see also Ephesians 3:12). The word translated “with confidence” means “with liberty of speech” or, more strictly, liberty to speak all our mind. We may use some freedom with God and acquaint him with all our griefs and all our fears and all our wants and all our desires, as a friend would pour out his heart to another friend. As Exodus 33:11 says, “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.”

    c.      Correspondence of will and desires. True friendship is built on similarity of will. God and the soul will the same thing—holiness as the means, and God’s glory as the end: “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14).

    d.      Mutual delight. They delight in God, and God in them: “the LORD will take delight in you” (Isaiah 62:4)—in their persons, their graces, their duties. So also they delight in God, in their addresses to him, in his fellowship and presence. They cannot brook any distance, they cannot let a day pass without some communion with God.

    e.      God’s special favor and respect to them. Others have only common mercies, but they have saving mercies. They have “hidden manna” (Revelation 2:17), joys of which others cannot conceive.

    So, then:

    (1)      Here is comfort to the righteous, to those who have found any friend-like affection in themselves towards God. God is your friend. You were enemies, but you are made near through Christ. God delights in your persons, in your prayers, in your graces, in your outward welfare. It is a great honor to be the King’s friend; you are favorites of heaven!

    (2)      Here is caution to you: your sins go nearest to God’s heart. It was sad to Christ to be betrayed by his own disciples; it is a similar grief to his Spirit when his laws are made void by his own friends.