I’m a Baptist. If someone asked me on the street “Is faith alone enough, or are good deeds required?”, I would want to reply with an essay. Yes/No doesn’t quite cut it.
If someone “invited Jesus into their hearts” at 10 and never gave another thought about Jesus for the rest of their lives, then they are not saved. (James 2) But if anyone is counting on good deeds to justify them, then they are also not saved.
Meanwhile, salvation has a couple of meanings in scripture. Salvation can refer to “saved from God’s wrath”. But is can also include sanctification - being saved from the world - the life long process of being set apart from the world, of becoming holy.
Genuine faith produces good works. Otherwise it was not genuine. The good works do not justify you, but they are an outward sign your faith was real. If they are lacking, something is seriously wrong.
Well said.
James and Paul are not in opposition, they are back-to-back defending against legalism and antinominaism.
That’s as good as a summary of the reality of faith/works as I’ve ever seen.