Lots of people do "good works" and aren't saved.
Then Christianity is not real then. Who needs it if you can do good without God? It must not be real since non-Christians can do good too. Jesus has a different opinion than you.
John 15:10
apart from Me you can do nothing.
Works can't earn salvation, but you won't be saved without works. But the church does not believe James.
James 2:14
if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
It's a rhetorical question. No, dead faith can not save. But the church says James is wrong. It says dead faith CAN save.
But a Christian will do "good works", IF he can.
If he can't, he ain't a Christian. This is another point the church disagrees with the Apostles about.
1 John 3:10
10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God
I'm not trying to discourage anybody in their genuine struggle with sin, but this crap about being able to be the same sinner you always have been and be saved has got to end. It's just not true. True believers are growing out of their old lives. If you're not—and you can't—you probably aren't saved yet. That realization is what brought me to my knees begging for God's mercy, and that is when I was truly born again and changed. It ain't called being born again for nothing. Being born again means being a new person.
Loving and believing are not "works". They produce "good works".
You keeping your mouth shut is just as righteous an act as you sitting there derailing your neighbor is an unrighteous act. Works of righteous faith are defined by both
what you do and
what you don't do.
Leviticus 19:11-18
11You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.
12You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
13You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand.
14You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
15You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
16You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life
b of your neighbor. I am the LORD.
17You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him.
18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
c I am the LORD.