The Blessed Trinity is the result of our works AND our faith. Faith is not the "vine"! Jesus Christ is the vine, the source of our good works. In the same light, our faith is ALSO from Jesus Christ. Faith is not some sort of conveyor belt that automatically brings forth works. The proof is in the book of James (among other places, but this seems to be a place where we seem to return to because he is so clear). The entire theme of James is that we must have works and faith to be saved. Eternally. First, remember he is speaking to Christians who have already been 'saved'...
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. So then, leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you, which is able to cause your souls to be saved. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:19-22
Man's sins, especially anger, does not produce righteousness of God. According to James 1:5-7, we are to ask God for aid, who gives generously. Doing such things can save.
"For judgment without mercy shall be done unto the one that has showed no mercy; and mercy boasts against judgment. My brethren, What shall it profit though someone says [that] they have faith and do not have works? Shall faith [without works] be able to save them?" James 2:13-14
Immediately preceding, James gives an example: "What would you do if the poor came among your congretation? Would you feed them and clothe them?" This is a question that we ALL must ask ourselves! What WOULD you do? And James asks this question to the Christian... Those who show no mercy for the poor will face judgment (see Matthew 25:31-45 on this...). James asks the rhetorical question "CAN FAITH {without love} SAVE????" Obviously, this has soteriological implications. The word "save" is there, and further along! Can a loveless faith save? Can you really consider yourself in love with God if you are like the Pharisee of the Good Samaritan story?
I am not taking a single verse. The whole BOOK of James SCREAMS of the "ROYAL LAW OF LOVE"! James 2 is hardly different from Galatians 5, where Paul says "the only thing that matters is faith working in love.". Note, Paul doesn't say "faith alone". He says faith WORKING IN LOVE.
Since James is asking the question of "what would you do if someone poor came into your midst", we are to realize that works of obedience DO NOT naturally flow from the believer! James is ADDRESSING BELIEVERS! We must recognize the DAILY struggle, to resist our sinful nature, which is not dead within us.
Scripture does not teach a mechanical process in which faith produces good works. Merely having faith does not mean one will refrain from sin in each situation. Also, having faith does not mean one will necessarily do good in each situation. James himself says that those who do NOT do what they know is good are SINNING.
James then compares the faith of the devil to the Christian who does not love. First, what must faith have?
"But without faith [it is] impossible to please God; for he that comes to God must believe that he is and [that] he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him" Heb 11:6
First, we must believe in God's existence. Sure, even the devil has that faith. But secondly. The "rewarder of those that DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM". Diligently seeking God requires that we work to please Him, something that the demons and Christians with DEAD FAITH DO NOT DO!
The argument continues in James 2 with Abraham - who was justified by his work in offering Isaac on the altar.
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works, and the faith was complete by the works?" James 2:21-22
Faith and deeds work together, and works complete or perfect Abraham's faith. And thus, James concludes that faith without works is dead. Clearly, works are a part of the salvation formula. To have no works is to have a dead faith, which CANNOT save. Thus, faith alone is dead.
Furthermore, James describes bad works that clearly jeopardize one's salvation. In Chapter 3, he clearly tells us that the evil of the spoken word can condemn people. Again, I remind you James is addressing Christians. James says:
"If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle their tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion [is] vain. The pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation [and] to keep thyself unspotted from this world." James 1:26-27
There are so many verses that speak to the fact that we can in no way earn our salvation; it is a gift from God to be received with a grateful heart, made alive by the work of the Holy Spirit within us.
That's not the issue. The fact is that we must have faith, from God, and we must have works, from God, to be saved. Nothing from me ALONE can save me. Unless I am abiding in the vine, I will not have faith or good deeds. I will be like a branch cut off and thrown into the fire - even though I was ONCE part of the vine!
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." -- 1 Peter 1:3-5
Peter also wrote that we must add works to our faith to be SAVED...
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus, as all things that pertain to life and to godliness are given us of his divine power, through the knowledge of him that has called us by his glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be made participants of the divine nature, having fled the corruption that is in the world through lust. Ye also, giving all diligence to the same, show forth virtue in your faith; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, temperance; and in temperance, patience; and in patience, fear of God; and in fear of God, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, charity. For if these things are in you and abound, they shall not let you be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind and walks feeling the way with his hand, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, give all the more diligence to make your calling and election sure; for doing these things, ye shall never fall. Because in this manner the entrance shall be abundantly administered unto you in the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ". 2 Peter 1:2-11
Regards
Does our love for God save us, or does God's love for us save us?
Scripture does not teach a mechanical process in which faith produces good works
That was the point Kolo made earlier to Dr E, when he said Reformers had to devise this new theology in order to throw away what the Church taught for 1,500 years. Hence, Luther came up with his "pecca fortiter" which now many Protestants try to distance themselves from without admitting Luther was wrong.
It was Luther, after all, who took it upon himself to throw out the Book of James from the New Testament because it clashes to the bone with his man-made religion.