Ephesians 2:8-9 [SUP]8 [/SUP]For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [SUP]9 [/SUP]Not of works, lest any man should boast.
However, there is no such thing as faith that has no works.
Galatians 5:6 "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
Either faith works by love or it is not faith at all, but only an empty claim and a lie.
That is James' point, James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
If our faith is dead, then it does not really exist. That is the point James was trying to get across to his listeners.
The degree of faith is always therefore judged by the degree to which it empowers what we are able to accomplish, Matthew 17:20 "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
When there is little accomplishment there is little faith and so also little love. There can be a claim of faith and no accomplishment to that faith which shows that faith to not be real, it is dead, it does not exist in the land of the living.
Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall
live by his faith." (contrast is a disapproved person to an approved person)
"Live by his faith" To live is to be active with accomplishment.
So then, what kind of works is it that Paul was speaking of at Eph 2:9?
Ephesians 2:5 "Even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
"
Just as faith does not really exist if it is dead neither can our works really exist in God's eyes if we are dead in sin. Therefore it all begins with contrition. That contrition is our faith's first work of love. And God blesses that with life.
Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
That is a faith that works by love. Not a work born out of some effort of our personal wisdom. A work born of a contrite heart which loves God.
That work must be there in the beginning or God let's us remain as dead in his eyes. It is on the basis of that work of contrition by faith that God's grace bins to flow in our life.