No again, but his argument is not that a fruitless person may be saved, but that a faith that has no works is not saving. “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” (James 2:14)
The key word is say hath faith.
He will show if he truely has faith by the fruit he bears.
Note, the verse 'and one of you say unto them, depart ye in peace be ye filled;
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20)
Yes, it is a 'dead' faith, not producing fruit.
It doesn't mean the person is unsaved.
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)
Again a dead faith.
Nowhere does the Bible teach that a faith that is not of the type that will confess Christ is salvific.
Yes for one to be saved, he must believe on Him, who is stating otherwise?
That doesn't mean that individual will produce fruit that will show he is saved.
(John 10:27-28) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (Heb 6:9) But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”
Those verses have nothing to do with is being discussed.
And it is because of such that Paul knew that souls such as the Thessalonians were saved: (1 Th 1:4,8-9) “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. {9} For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;” (1 John 5:13) “These things [1:1-5:12] have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Yes, producing fruit SHOWS others you are saved.
It SHOWS one's faith.
So how much 'fruit' did Lot produce, a man Peter calls a 'rightous man'?
If you didn't read 2Pe.2:7-8 and only read the OT accounts of Lot (incest, drunkeness, greed) you would never consider Lot a saved man-but he was.
'My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and truth' (1Jn.3:18)
I am sorry you think a dead faith - which what Ja. 2 reproves - is salvific, as it clearly is not. Your inability to see that John 10:27-28 and Heb. 5:9 are pertinent to what qualifies as saving faith is further troubling.
As for Lot, while he is manifest as a weak Christian who made worldly decisions, he is never shown being willfully rebellious toward the known will of toward God, and he did not knowingly commit incest, nor can one say he was greedy in choosing the best land, and as for once getting drunk, Noah himself did so.
But individual instances of failures do not manifest what manner of faith one overall has, nor do some worldly choices (where you choose to live, etc.) necessarily deny that one truly believes, and Lot clearly showed fruits of faith, especially that of sacrificial love for the brethren (which a primary fruit, and is typically unique among believers), over that of his own family, and put himself in danger as well in his desperate commitment to save the angels from the Sodomites. Rahab likewise was no virgin Mary, but she manifested love for the Lord’s people by faith at the risk of her life.
In contrast are those who not repentant, and who have a dead faith, which you make Christians out of.