What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? James 2:14

template: Floral Templates Vol. 1, papers: Seasons - Summer into Fall by Alexis Design Studio; elements: Celebrate You Sept. 2019 Gingerscraps Challenge mini-kit and add on by JumpStart Designs

continuing:

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:15-17

Please always remember that these works are the RESULT of having received the gift of saving faith. They do not "earn" salvation, but rather they give outward evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit inside of people who have become children of God. (John 1:12-13, 1John 3:1-3) Those are the fruits of the Spirit referenced in Gal. 5:22-24. When Paul says in Gal. 5:25 "if we live by the Spirit," that is another way of saying that we are born again. (Paul says a similar thing in Rom. 8:5-9. Also see John 3:3-8.)

These works are the result of abiding in Jesus, who bears fruit that glorifies the Father. (John 15:1-21, Eph. 2:10. Also see Eph. 2:8-9--this is a continuous, connected thought rather than being two opposing concepts.) John, the "apostle of love" (because he mentions love so often in his writings), was very adamant that those who do not display these fruits/works do not know God and are not abiding in Jesus. (1John 1:5-2:6, 3:4-10, also see Gal. 6:7-10, Matt. 13:18-23) This is VERY serious!