But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
If I have gained some pounds over the last year and now I am starting to look out of shape, I can believe I need to lose weight, I can even confess this very thing to a friend but my believe nor my confession will automatically shed the weight so I am looking back in shape. Action is required.
I understand the confusion over the verse from the book of James that you cited.
Some false teachers have taught the verse means we must work for our salvation and that faith alone is not enough.
Others say the verse means that our faith in the work of Jesus is enough to save us but they reason that our works prove our faith is genuine and real.
This passage should clear up any confusion, it’s from Ephesians 2:6 And 👉God raised us up with Christ👈 and 👉seated us with him👈 in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might 👉show the incomparable riches of his grace👈, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by 👉👉grace you have been saved, through faith👈👈—and this is 👉not👈 from yourselves, it is the 👉gift of God👈— 9 👉👉👉not by works👈👈👈, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are 👉👉👉God’s workmanship👈👈👈, created in Christ Jesus 👉👉to do good works👈👈, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Clearly our salvation is a direct work of God. We made absolutely NO contribution.
But IF we are truly saved our actions and works will clearly prove our salvation is real by the change in our life. This is because we now love God and we desire to please him
You are right. Action is required to loose weight, it does not happen by thought only.
Same like actions are required in our walk with Messiah.
Faith is the first step into salvation, but it does not end there like many thinks. If our actions does not reflect our belief/faith, then it is a dead faith and cannot save.
Therefore we must be renewed in Christ, put away the old man who walks according to the flesh of the world. And become that new creature, who strives to walk and live their lives just like Christ walked and lived his life. Because he lived his life in full obedience to his Fathers commandments.
The whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation tells us to obey the voice of the Most High, to turn away from sin, and to be set apart from the world, live a life of obedience.
Look into the many verses that talks about the "garments of salvation" It so clearly says that we must be clothed in white linnen, and dirty garments symbolizes sin and iniquity, and white linen symbolizes the righteousness of the saints.
Its not about our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. And when we are truly born again from above of the incorruptible seed, then we have crucified the flesh and are dead to sin (just like Paul wrote) It does not mean that we become sinless, but it surely mean that we sin, less. And every time we commit a sin we know of it, and then come before Father and repent thereof and strive to not commit the same sin again.
Surely faith alone without obedience cannot save. We cannot continue to live in sin, and lusting after the flesh and be saved, it is impossible.
"works" are obedience, and its a result of a genuine faith, those who walk in the Spirit, and are in covenant with the Most High, because in the new covenant he writes his LAWS on our inward parts, and we keep them simply because we put him first in everything and love him above anything else.
