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re: “Let me ask a simple question, yes or no - Do works play any role whatsoever in the Salvation plan of Christ for us?”

I think we’re generating a lot of heat without producing much light. This is just my opinion, but I think many people are confused by the word “works”. I think some of the posters here believe that “works” means “following the Law” of the Old Testament. Others are not talking about that, but are speaking of the “fruit of the Spirit”, “acts of righteousness” following salvation.

The New Testament is clear - No one will achieve salvation/justification before God - that is, forgiveness of their sins and remove the guilt of their sins by trying to follow or keep the Old Testament Law. We’ve all posted passages over and over that state this.

I think the confusion is that some people think what James is talking about and Paul is talking about are the same thing in regard to works. They aren’t. James is speaking of acts of righteousness and obedience that follow salvation. He’s says that if a person claims to be a Christian by his faith, and yet shows no outward acts of Christian obedience or charity, then he questions whether that person’s faith is real. Why? Because if a person truely professes faith in Christ - that means they are allowing Christ to be Lord, the Boss of their lives. That’s what “confession” means. Therefore, there should be evidence of Christ’s Lordship in our daily walk with Him. These type of works are “fruit” and acts of obedience. These do not save us, but if they are absent it is a strong indicator that we have not really “believed” or confessed that Jesus is Lord.

As I mentioned before, professing belief in Christ is not just an intellectual acknowledgement that certain facts about Him are true - that is not “confession” nor is it “faith”. As we’ve already pointed out, James reminds us that Satan and the Demons believe all that and yet are not saved - Why? Because they don’t acknowledge or submit to Jesus’s Lordship over them.

Paul, James, even Jesus, all speak of “repentance”, “doing the will of my Father”. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord’, ‘Lord’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my father”.

Peter, in Acts 2:38, says:

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“Repent” means to “change direction” to turn away from the life of sin we were following and turn to Christ and His Lordship over our lives.

So, to answer your question “Do works play any role whatsoever in the Salvation plan of Christ for us?” Yes - they absolutely do. Not in the sense that they are necessary to “save” us, but that God does save us for something - to do good works. If acts of love and obedience to Christ are absent from our lives - then there is something seriously wrong with our faith.

Now, as to those people who claim that mere belief in Christ can save us, and then we can do whatever we want - even continue in a sinful lifestyle - that is heresy! That is someone trying to justify sin in their life and drag God into their perversion. Paul says we should not associate with such a person or have anything to do with them - why? Because they are false witnesses and false prophets who claim to know our Lord, but yet are spreading lies about His grace and mercy and twist the Word of God to their own ends. They won’t listen to sound teaching or the authority of any church or God’s Word. The Church is Christ’s body on earth and He gave His life for it. Anyone who goes around dissing Christian churches is dissing Christ’s Bride and they will answer for it.

By the way, I’m Baptist, so I’m not promoting Catholism or even my particular denomination. As long as we agree on basic, sound Christian teaching and doctrine, we are brothers and sisters in Christ no matter what our label. I have many Christian brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, Methodist, Preysbeterian, Evangelical Free, Assembly of God, etc. We don’t agree on everything, but we all agree on who Christ is and what He accomplished on the Cross in our behalf.