Hello Richard,
It is always seen as a contradiction, to me, for someone to say the believe James words "faith without works is dead" and in the same writing state that works do nor save anyone.
The 'works' which do not save anyone
now, are those of the Mosaic law. And yet, the 'works' which James gives as examples, were expected of Israelites who did keep the Mosaic law. The problem with the Mosaic law is expressed in
Hebrews 10:4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.... 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
The intention of the Mosaic law was to bring the people into closer fellowship with Him.
(Exo 8:1; Exo 19:4) The promises that they made to God at Sinai also established the children of Jacob (aka Israel) as a nation before Him. (Their nationhood was dependent on them keeping this (now) Old Covenant.
Heb 10:9)
I've tried to bring together (below) verses which show the major differences.
Jesus ended the Sermon on the Mount with several warnings. (No-one can say this one is not clear:)
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Acts 5:29 - 32 Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. [Isa 20:59] And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him.
The Mosaic law
used to save Israelites, (and proselytes). All the sins listed in that law were 'covered' by the blood of sacrifices which had been killed in a certain way and presented to God in a certain way. There were other offerings to give and rules to be kept at other times. The Day of Atonement every year covered all the sins of thought and omission (intangible) for the whole nation. By all these, God intended to maintain His relationship with His people. Those who did not keep the law perfectly, were destroyed from among the to 'put sin away from' them. Many generations who had turned to idolatry were destroyed, or, their children were destroyed.
When Jesus died on the cross, He brought all those offerings to an end, for those who would believe in Him.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he has perfected [completed]
for ever them that are sanctified. [Heb 9:15]
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden by it.
Acts 13:32 - 34 And we declare to you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same to us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, [now] no more to return to corruption... 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38 Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man [Jesus Christ]
is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
[Hebrews 7:11 - 16 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses said nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there arises another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life....
23 - 28 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. [Heb 10:14] For the law makes men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, [Heb 6:13 - 20] which was since the law, [makes] the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.]
Therefore, anyone who has come to faith in Christ, having had all their past sins forgiven, becoming a disciple and taking up their cross daily to follow Him, has acknowledged their sinfulness
(Rom 5:12), and turning from it, has been buried with Him in baptism, and been raised to walk with Him in newness of life, through the Holy Spirit.
(1 John 2:1)
Colossians 2:9 - 14 For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses: blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross...'
People seem to forget that 'keeping the law' of Moses meant a continual reminder of sins through the sacrificial system. That's what 'keeping the law' was intended to do. But, now, we are empowered by the Spirit of grace to
do what is right and pleasing to God through Christ being
in us; we
are under
new management. There is an assumption that a person turning
to Jesus Christ, is simultaneously turning
from sin and idols.
1 Thess 1:9; 1 John 5:21.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 17:19 - 23 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. [John 17:17] Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
James 2:8 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.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Romans 10:1 - 5 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.
Romans 3:21 - 28 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, [I say], at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.
Where [is] boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practise the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Hebrews 12:1 '... let us lay aside every weight, and the sin [unbelief]
which so easily besets [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin. 
