It's a fairly simple question: does the faith that has no consequence save?
In other words, the faith that is assumed is The Faith of Christ, and those to whom he writes are making a claim to have faith in Christ. His point is this: just saying "I have faith" or "I believe" yet no evidence to that effect is as valid as one saying "...be warmed and filled" and not actually giving them the necessary items required to legitimize the statement.
I would disagree, but not for reasons you might expect. Because of the debate between Catholics and Protestants there are many Protestants that have gone so far as to embrace a view that men are saved by faith...through grace. Why that is error is because salvation is by grace...alone. One can point out that GOd saves by grace through faith but we have to remember that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing...by the Word of God. Which again places faith as a result of the grace of God...not something that men achieve of themselves.
Absolutely no credit goes to men in regards to salvation, it is by His grace and mercy...alone.
"Temporal Salvation" would be in regards to one being physically saved from harm or danger, and has no relevance to the topic of the OP.
The OP, again, deals with the idea that James 2 and Romans 4 refer to salvation, when in fact the issue at hand is justification. Would you admit that Abraham's justification, in both chapters...are based on what he did?
It is only in Romans 3 that we see, "at this time," justification based on what Christ did. Romans 4 gives an example that men can be justified by belief and faith alone, it doesn't teach that Abraham was eternally redeemed because he believed God would give him a son through a presumably barren wife and that all nations of the earth would be blessed through his seed. He did not even understand that the Seed in view was Jesus Christ.
The "salvation" spoken of is, in your estimation (presumably), an eternal salvation. The context, however, deals with physical needs of others, so there is a double edge to this particular sword. The first being the idea that the "faith" he is railing against is not salvific. The second being that we must contrast this "faith" with what should be obvious (James implying true faith would actually give food and clothing on the heels of the statement), that the "faith" that is not salvific must have a counterpart, faith that is salvific. I do not say "Faith that saves," because it is not, after all...faith that saves. It is the grace of God that saves, and it is the Cross of Christ, not man's efforts, that actually accomplishes that. Simply do a study on "The Blood of Christ" and it doesn't take long to see that salvation is by His blood/death and nothing else.
We wouldn't apply an eternal context to this...
James 5:14-15 King James Version (KJV)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
...would we?
It is the result of...study.
There are a few basic truths that few understand that have brought about an understanding of James 2 and Romans 4 that differs from the mainstream teachings of all Systems of Theology.
For example, the basic truths that men did not receive eternal life prior to Pentecost. They were not reconciled to God prior to Pentecost. They did not receive the Comforter prior to Pentecost (Who is the Spirit of God performing a specific Ministry that is distinct to this Age). Men did not receive remission of sins in an eternal context until the Cross. That is why under the Law those sacrifices were repeated over and over. That was the only means of remission of sins and Atonement available, and it was like that from the Garden until the Cross.
When we look at these basic truths we then turn our attention to Justification, and if we can conclude that Abraham died not receiving the promises God gave him, as well as the promises made after that (as the Mystery of the Gospel was revealed progressively in more detail (though the understanding of the Gospel still withheld)) then we see it is quite impossible to equate Abraham's justification with Eternal Redemption.
Let me ask you this: when did men begin to be placed in Christ?
God bless.
