1. I can show that the entire section is all about faith and works, works completing faith, that works justify, but you cannot show it is about true and false faith, or true and false "claims" of faith.
That is because it simply is not James's concern.
2. If James believes "true faith invariably results in good works", James is writing in vain--he doesn't need to tell them "Guys, get it together." He is contradicting his own teaching.
3. When he compares faith to a body, he doesn't compare it to a true body and a false body, but to a complete body (with a spirit--living) and an incomplete body (without a spirit--dead), so, again, his concern is that you have a living faith by making sure you have good works along with your faith.
Again and again, there is no "false" body in view, only complete or incomplete.
That is because it simply is not James's concern.
2. If James believes "true faith invariably results in good works", James is writing in vain--he doesn't need to tell them "Guys, get it together." He is contradicting his own teaching.
3. When he compares faith to a body, he doesn't compare it to a true body and a false body, but to a complete body (with a spirit--living) and an incomplete body (without a spirit--dead), so, again, his concern is that you have a living faith by making sure you have good works along with your faith.
Again and again, there is no "false" body in view, only complete or incomplete.
You still have a problem: righteousness is the basis for being justified.
Accordingly, Paul says if we sin we are condemned.
Therefore, justification is not permanent, unaffected by our daily walk.
Conversely, your daily justification is reliant on your daily righteousness.
So, also, at the end, we will be Judged, and justified by our works (Ro 2:6-16).
That depends on what you mean by salvation.
The salvation we have is comparable, according to Paul, to the salvation of the Jews from their slavery in the House of Bondage, Egypt; Paul says, however, that the same fate they suffered can happened to us after being saved. They sinned, and so fell under God's wrath, and failed to inherit the Promise.
So, if you call "falling under God's wrath" and "not inheriting God's promise of eternal life" saved, then I don't agree final salvation isn't affected by our works, that our sins cannot get us damned.[/QUOTE]
How do you reconcile all this with Galatians 2:16...by works of the law shall no flesh be justified?