Yes.
And it is necessary also to keep in mind that when Paul talks about ‘works of the Law’ it carries a different meaning than when James talks about works. The same goes when Paul and James talk about faith.
Because as we discussed above, Paul and James were addressing different audiences, both of whom had different understandings of the word ‘faith.’ James was writing to an audience that saw the word as nothing more than an intellectual acknowledgement, and so he fervently wrote to them to tell them that the ‘faith’ that they had was far from enough. James was writing to an audience whose saving faith was dying on the vine because they had divorced the necessary marriage of faith and the works resulting from that faith.
And so when he writes the word ‘faith,’ he’s using it as his audience would have used it, which is different than Paul’s audience used the word faith. The congregation that James was writing to understood the word translated as ‘faith’ as intellectual, whereas Paul’s meaning, in context, means more along the words of not just accepting it as intellectually true, but embracing the grace of God as true... FOR ME. Jesus died FOR ME.
Try to get that past the talking points in people’s heads, though. *Sigh*
Well stated. Thank you for the reply.