Not a "simple" belief, but a "said" belief without works is dead. James says that if a man "say" he has faith and has not works can such a faith save him? God is final authority of his heart, but the warning is for this type of man to examine himself, as Paul put it, if he is really in the faith and if Jesus Christ is really inside him, born-again, then there will be good works that follow. The works play no part in the justification of the sinner, however, the works do justify the "said" faith. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (It needs to be explained and kept in context)
Indeed - James speaks of justifying FAITH, whereas Paul speaks about justifying the PERSON (by faith). James is
not saying "salvation is
not by faith alone"... he is saying faith alone is not true faith. James is talking about what true faith is, he isn't saying that A MAN is justified by works, he is saying that FAITH is justified by works. A man is justified by faith alone.
The whole book of James is talking about strengthening and perfecting FAITH, not strengthening and perfecting salvation, or the person.
Jam 1:6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
James is all about building our faith, not about salvation. It is addressed to believers, not to the unsaved.
Jam 2:21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Either, James is talking strictly about "perfecting faith" (strengthening and building faith) and not about "perfecting a person" (salvation, making righteous) or James is a walking contradiction to the rest of scripture:
Gal 3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Rom 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.
5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
Eph 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
We know from Romans 4:11 that Abraham was made righteous (saved) by his faith in the gospel BEFORE he was circumcised. He offered Isaac on the altar about 20 years after that. So it wasn't that works saved Abraham or made Abraham righteous, but those works demonstrated, strengthened, and built Abraham's faith. It proved his faith to be true and real. It had nothing to do with his salvation or righteousness, as that had happened decades before.
Furthermore, The Law was not given until over 400 years later... so the "works" that Abraham did to confirm that his faith was genuine were not following the law, but rather it was that he didn't allow doubt to weaken his faith.
