John Calvin Commentary James 2:22

"Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;" — James 2:22 (ASV)

By works was faith made perfect (James 2:22). By this, he again shows that the question here is not concerning the cause of our salvation, but whether works necessarily accompany faith. For in this sense, it is said to have been perfected by works, because it was not idle.

It is said to have been perfected by works, not because it received its own perfection from them, but because it was thus proved to be true.

For the futile distinction that the Sophists draw from these words, between formed and unformed faith, needs no labored refutation, because the faith of Abram was formed, and therefore perfected, before he sacrificed his son.

And this work was not, as it were, the finishing or final work. Other events followed later by which Abraham proved the increase of his faith.

Hence, this was not the perfection of his faith, nor did it then, for the first time, receive its form. James then understood nothing other than that the integrity of his faith then appeared, because it brought forth that remarkable fruit of obedience.