LOL, sorry, I do not agree. I see a very subtle difference again. I don't believe for a second he was telling THEM their faith was dead. Only that if someone claimed to have faith, but their faith did not result in good works, they were not telling the truth. Notice again, I said that good works follows their faith, it does not precede it. Very subtle, very subtle, but definitely a slight difference between what you think and what I think. Very subtle. Isn't it kind of late there now? It is 1 PM, Friday here.
That is what you believe, or don't. I believe in what is written in the Holy Scripture, and it is written that faith without works is dead and does not justify.
Well, i am not sure of your whole context but James is saying that if one claim to faith but has not coresponding works (works being the fruit of faith, because all we do is a result of what we really believe, even if it is only for a moment), then their faith is dead, salvifically speaking.
James also says Abraham was justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar, (James 2:21) and thus that "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:24) but he cannot be speaking of the same justificationGn. 15:6 and Rm. 4, which clearly teaches that Abraham's faith was counted for righteousness without works.
Which was not simply teaching that a man is justified without the works of the law yet he is justified in the same sense by works of charity, but the way i see all this is that works of the Law are used because as said, if there was a system of salvation by works of merit, "a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." (Galatians 3:21)
But instead what it sets forth as the only means of justification is that which is appropriated by faith:
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Galatians 3:22)
Likewise Abraham, for Rm. 4 is not simply disallowing works of the law and offering justification by works done out of love fro God and man, but instead it presents Abraham as being dead, and only able to believe God's promise, which God blesses, and that all believers are justified the same way.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:19-25)
Yet James can also say that "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only," (James 2:24) because the justificatory sense is that of justification in its confirmatory sense, that while "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," so that at that point the heart is purified by faith, which Peter said the Gentiles of Acts 10 were before baptism, (Acts 15:7-9) yet "with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:10-13)
While Rm. 4 and 10:10a states that "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," yet "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" because that is what faith effects. The difference that of saying "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" which refers to the point at which one is justified before God, who sees the heart, and saying that those who have a faith that manifests that they believe shall be saved.
Thus even a mute invalid can be saved, but in the light of expression of faith, and which is continuous, it is manifest that such is justified/saved.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:9-10)
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (Romans 2:13)
The latter is in the context of judgment, and the doers of the law shall be justified as this testifies of saving faith, while they are justified now as having true faith in the light of the evidence of their faith.
If confession with the mouth, or via baptism - both of which are works as they are volitional responses, whether moving your tongue or your legs - was essential for justification before God, then it would exclude the incapacitated from being saved, as well in the case of baptism the Gentiles of Acts 10 from being washed, sanctified and justified before baptism.
But under the context of salvation by grace, Peter states that
...Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7-9)
For the only condition Peter had preached to these Gentiles was,
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)
And which they all did, and in the light of their confession, Peter declared, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" (Acts 10:47)
This definition of how "through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts 15:11) is interpretive of Acts 2:38 and other texts, which case promises the same washing and regeneration if they will be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for that would require faith in the heart.
And God can require souls to do things that require saving faith and not simply express what is already present. Thus baptism can be the occasion of conversion, while for those as Cornelius baptism expressed justifying faith already realized.
Baptism in Scripture is normatively concomitant with conversion, and should normatively be part of the call to conversion today, that of believing on the Lord Christ and confessing Him in baptism. The reason it is not is due to overreaction to the Catholic fantasy that the ritual of baptism itself effects regeneration, even sprinkling morally incognizant infants. Which effects overall make a mockery of Biblical regeneration, as where Catholicism abounds so does spiritual lethargy and or cultic devotion to a church, with none or the interdenominational fellowship that born again believers realized btwn those who have realized its profound effects.
In addition, God blesses obedience in His grace, so that while it is it is God who provides what is needed for salvation, (Jn. 3:16; Gal. 2:20) and convicts, draws, opens hearts, and grants repentant faith, so that the soul can believe, (Jn. 16:9; Jn. 6:44; 12:32; Acts 11:18; 16:14; Eph. 2:8,9) doing what he otherwise would not and could not do, yet God not only judges believers as being believers based upon their works, but judges them a fit to be rewarded, (Mt. 25:31-40; Rv. 3:4) though apart from God doing the above, then every man's only reward would be the second death. (Rm. 6:23; Rv. 20:15)
Thus helpless Abraham believed God to do what he could not, and nor can man merit entering Heaven on his own holiness as per Rome, but in both cases it was counted unto him for righteousness," so likewise all souls who believe. Yet they shall be justified/saved if they are baptized and follow their Lord (cf. Jn. 10:27,28) as that testifies to what saving faith does (and repents when convicted of not doing so.
And so in this sense, in the context of protesting against the idea that an inert faith is salvific, James can say "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24) as they are justified as being true believers in the light of the outworking of their faith, without which (given opportunity) their faith must be considered dead.