Looks pretty specific to me.
Your doing the same that the Matthew 25-ists do. Taking a verse out of context and forming a doctrine around it. When people say you can make the Bible say anything at all they are referring to this kind of thing.
Here we have the same thing as I suggested is the dilemma contained in some folks analysis of Matthew 25.(which contains some interesting litte nuggests which causes HMS Works to list even more). Are we speaking cause or consequence. The link below makes the full argument of what James is dealing with in the passage: useless faith (even the demons believe in God) compared to saving faith.
If a person has genuine faith then good works will follow: consequence.
The saved person is a sheep, they will hear his voice - consequence
The saved person loves Jesus, they will obey his commands - consequence
Carm.org writes:
James is simply saying that if you ”say' you are a Christian, then there had better be some appropriate works manifested or your faith is false. This sentiment is echoed in 1 John 2:4 which says, "If you say you have come to know Him, yet you do not keep His commandments, then the truth is not in you and you are a liar."
Apparently, there were people who were saying they were Christians, but were not manifesting any of the fruit of Christianity. Can this faith justify? Can the dead ”faith' that someone has which produces no change in a person and no good works before men and God be a faith that justifies? Absolutely not. It is not merely enough to say you believe in Jesus. You must actually believe and trust in Him. If you actually do, then you will demonstrate that faith by a changed and godly life. If not, then your profession is of no more value than the same profession of demons: "We believe Jesus lived."
the complete article
Edited by iano, : No reason given.
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