[hopespringseternal]

Faith is not a work.

John 6:29 29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

James says that our works are necessary to salvation. James even goes so far as to call those who believe in faith alone foolish in James 2:20:
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

You are trying to redefine the book of James to match your doctrine rather than changing your doctrine to match James.

Romans 6:16
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Even Paul says that obedience leads to righteousness.

[small voice in the wilderness]

You are trying to redefine the book of James to match your doctrine rather than changing your doctrine to match James.

And you are trying to redefine the Dispensation of the Grace of God to match your doctrine rather than changing your doctrine to match this PRESENT DISPENSATION, given to Paul and found in Romans through Philemon.

[fortheDeclaration]

Then said they unto him, What shall we do that we do the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent' In other words, having faith, not works, is working for God and faith is not a work. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness (Rom.4:4-5) Faith lets God do the work. James doesn't say faith is necessary for salvation! James 2 isn't speaking about salvation at all.

James 2:20 is saying that a faith without works is a dead faith.

It isn't saying that the person is unsaved.

And Rom.6:16 isn't speaking of salvation either, it is speaking of being controlled by the Holy Spirit (Rom.6:13)

So, you think your works are good enough to get you into heaven?

If you do, you aren't going to make it, no one's works are good enough.

[fortheDeclaration]

You will note in Rom.6:16 that the alternatives isn't salvation vs hell, but the sin unto death or righteousness.

Rom. 6 is speaking of the Christian walk.

But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have FRUIT unto holiness and the end everlasting life' (Rom.6:23)

Paul states very clearly that salvation is NOT OF WORKS (Eph.2:9)

Some people would rather go to hell misreading James than to heaven reading Paul.