James 2:18 Nevertheless, a certain one will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.”+ 19 You believe there is one God, do you?+ You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.*+ 20 But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive? 21 Was not Abraham our father+ declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?+ 22 You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected,+ 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham put faith in Jehovah,* and it was counted to him as righteousness,”+ and he came to be called “Jehovah’s* friend.”+

24 YOU see that a man is to be declared righteous+ by works,+ and not by faith alone.+ 25 In the same manner was not also Ra′hab+ the harlot declared righteous by works, after she had received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way?+ 26 Indeed, as the body without spirit* is dead,+ so also faith without works is dead.+

Abraham and Rahab here are given as examples of showing their faith by their works. A. lived before the law covenant was given. And R. was not an Israelite and thus not under the law covenant. Their works were not about carrying out "the law". Their works showed in Whom they put their faith.