What about the scripture that says faith without works is dead? Doesn't that prove you need both faith as well as works to obtain salvation?
No, because that chapter is not about gaining eternal salvation. Quite to the contrary, it's about the treatment of people.
James 2
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
[Don't show favoritism with people.]
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
[If one man, who is well-dressed, and another man, who is poorly dressed, comes to your gathering and you tell the well-dressed one to sit in a preferred place while telling the poorly dressed man to sit in some uncomfortable or lowly place, aren't you showing favoritism and have, with evil thoughts, made yourselves judges?]
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
[Listen, my loved brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and also to be heirs of the promised kingdom? Isn't that reward given to those who LOVE him?]
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
[You have done to others what is done to you. You despise the poor. Don't rich men oppress you and sue you? Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called?]
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
[You're doing the right thing if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture. You should love your neighbor just as you love yourself. But if you show favoritism, you have committed SIN and are guilty of breaking the law. Whomever keeps the whole law but breaks it in even one point, he's guilty of breaking all of the law. The One who commanded to not commit adultery, also commanded to not kill. So even if you don't commit adultery but kill someone, you have become one who is a breaker of the law.]
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
[So talk and behave as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. Whomever has shown no mercy will receive judgment without mercy. Mercy is a victory over judgment.]
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
[What's the benefit if a person says he means to do the right thing but doesn't do anything? Can the idea or thought be of any help? (This is not about eternal salvation. It is instead about physical protection or provision as proven by the examples given within this chapter.) If a brother or sister is naked and hungry and one of you tells him to go on peacefully but does not assist with the tangible needs for the body, what's the use? How is that of any help? Likewise, motivational words alone without any real physical help is absolutely useless.]
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
[A person may say: you have a desire to help someone but I actually do it. Well, show me the result of your dreams of helping without any action. I'll show you result of my good will by my actual productivity. (The implication is a comparison as in, "let's see which is of more value--well wishing only or good intentions with actually doing for others." Again, the issue, in context with the whole passage, is dealing with the physical.)]
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
[You believe there is only one God. Great. But the devils also believe that and it causes them to tremble. However, will you acknowledge, vain man, that saying without doing is meaningless?]
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
[Wasn't our father Abraham justified by offering his son Isaac up on the altar? He believed but his belief was made perfect by his following through--by him proceeding to do the job. And the scripture was fulfilled which said: Abraham believed God and that belief was applied to him as righteousness. That's why he was called the friend of God. Do you understand how that by actually doing what is needed, a person is justified and not by just saying or thinking to do well?]
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
[Similarly, wasn't it the harlot, Rahab, who was justified by physical actions when she assisted the messengers and helped them escape. In that same way, the body dies if it does not have a spirit and also good intentions that do not have actions are useless.]
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
[Don't show favoritism with people.]
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
[If one man, who is well-dressed, and another man, who is poorly dressed, comes to your gathering and you tell the well-dressed one to sit in a preferred place while telling the poorly dressed man to sit in some uncomfortable or lowly place, aren't you showing favoritism and have, with evil thoughts, made yourselves judges?]
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
[Listen, my loved brothers. Hasn't God chosen the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and also to be heirs of the promised kingdom? Isn't that reward given to those who LOVE him?]
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
[You have done to others what is done to you. You despise the poor. Don't rich men oppress you and sue you? Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called?]
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
[You're doing the right thing if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture. You should love your neighbor just as you love yourself. But if you show favoritism, you have committed SIN and are guilty of breaking the law. Whomever keeps the whole law but breaks it in even one point, he's guilty of breaking all of the law. The One who commanded to not commit adultery, also commanded to not kill. So even if you don't commit adultery but kill someone, you have become one who is a breaker of the law.]
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
[So talk and behave as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. Whomever has shown no mercy will receive judgment without mercy. Mercy is a victory over judgment.]
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
[What's the benefit if a person says he means to do the right thing but doesn't do anything? Can the idea or thought be of any help? (This is not about eternal salvation. It is instead about physical protection or provision as proven by the examples given within this chapter.) If a brother or sister is naked and hungry and one of you tells him to go on peacefully but does not assist with the tangible needs for the body, what's the use? How is that of any help? Likewise, motivational words alone without any real physical help is absolutely useless.]
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
[A person may say: you have a desire to help someone but I actually do it. Well, show me the result of your dreams of helping without any action. I'll show you result of my good will by my actual productivity. (The implication is a comparison as in, "let's see which is of more value--well wishing only or good intentions with actually doing for others." Again, the issue, in context with the whole passage, is dealing with the physical.)]
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
[You believe there is only one God. Great. But the devils also believe that and it causes them to tremble. However, will you acknowledge, vain man, that saying without doing is meaningless?]
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
[Wasn't our father Abraham justified by offering his son Isaac up on the altar? He believed but his belief was made perfect by his following through--by him proceeding to do the job. And the scripture was fulfilled which said: Abraham believed God and that belief was applied to him as righteousness. That's why he was called the friend of God. Do you understand how that by actually doing what is needed, a person is justified and not by just saying or thinking to do well?]
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
[Similarly, wasn't it the harlot, Rahab, who was justified by physical actions when she assisted the messengers and helped them escape. In that same way, the body dies if it does not have a spirit and also good intentions that do not have actions are useless.]
Notes, in brackets, help show how this passage is not about eternal salvation, but rather about the treatment of other people and how by saying or believing pleasant thoughts ("positive confession", "declare & decree"...) does not meet physical needs.
Can a Physical Bible Feed Physically Starving People?
If, for example, you were driving on the highway and discovered your car was out of gas, how much help would it be if, as you were waving to other drivers in attempts to get help, they smiled, waved back, and shouted out of their windows, "God bless you," as they passed by? You'd still be stranded. Their smiles or well wishes would mean nothing.
"Name-it-claim-it" and "speaking it into existence" (while sadly still preached in some religious circles) simply does not work in real life.
That's what this chapter teaches. It is instructing to not show favoritism and to provide real help where needed. That is an important principal in godly living, but it is not a message about obtaining pardon from sin or gaining eternal salvation.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...
Just as with those who were self-righteous Jews of Scripture, there are some today who feel they are better than others because of their works and/or bloodline (legitimate or propagated).
MORE from Search the Scriptures: