I'm sorry I passed over you post sir.
That's an easy one.
The very good works you all claim have, that proves you have the so called true faith, and the same that says you are a believer in Christ. That is wood and stubble.
The fact that no one, not even a single person, can give me even ONE good work that they have done that proves they have the true faith of the bible, the same kind James was talking about, tells me a couple of things.
One, that the works that everyone has been doing only prove it is of themselves and not of God.
Two, that God had no part in the work for you to even give any glory to Him.
These kinds of works are all hay and stubble.
Do you preach the bible to others?
That is a work.
Are you able to give God any glory out of your being able to preach the gospel? What about some of the things you might know? Who taught you what you have learned? Did God, or man?
If it was God who you learned from, then you could brag on GOD that it was He who taught you. I'm talking about revelations, the kind where the light seems to suddenly come on. Or you heard a voice tell you something you never saw before in scripture.
But if you learned everything from men such as a pastor or commentators, then you have nothing to brag on God about. For the heathen can and do do the same.
If you can't boast and give glory to God for any work or anything, then it was or is of self.
And that is why all of you can't find a single thing to show or brag about, because it will be about and on you and not about and on God.
Was there not a single work that God did in your life, as a result of your faith, where it was impossible for you to do or to receive?
God said His strength or power is made perfect through our weaknesses or inabilities.
So what did God do in your life that you could not have done on your own strengths or abilities? For ALL strengths, enablements, and empowerments come from God through Jesus Christ.
For it is written,
"I can do all thing through Christ, which strengthens, enables, and empowers me".
That revelation alone, I receive from God, not men. Then I looked up what I heard, and the Greek dictionary said the very same thing I heard.
Were you able to save yourself from your sins or even to give yourself eternal life?
You have to do something first before you receive Jesus' flesh and blood, that you might have life abiding in you.
That work was to confess Him openly.
So one good work or work of faith that you did, and can brag about, because it was not you who did the work, would be that you received Jesus BY confessing Him as your lord and savior.
And as I have said from the beginning, and as it is written in Romans 10:10, confessing is both a work and word of faith, WHEN you believe in your heart.
So to put it simply, in this example, a good work that you did, where you can't brag on yourself, because it wasn't you who did the real work, is that you CONFESSED Jesus as your lord and savior.
And when you did that, GOD made you His son. Not you. You only acted on what you believed, and when God saw that faith in action, He did what you were not able to do, and made you a new creature. That is if you truly believed and acted on that belief. That act was the good work or work of faith.