Hello George, thanks for your visit here and for your comments. The previous article titled “What Does It Mean To Believe” deals specifically with that topic of faith and works. It’s also dealt with in some of the other articles as well. But for a quick overview, there are two kinds of “works” that the bible talks about. One kind of works, are deeds or works that a person can do on their own, in an attempt to be a “good person”. And the idea there is that if we are “good”, then we should deserve to be saved by God. But the bible is clear that none of us “deserve” salvation, because , “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23.

The other kind of “works” that God speaks of are the ones mentioned in the book of James. These specifically are “Works of Obedience” to God’s word. In other words, when God tells us to do something, we simply obey what He says. It doesn’t matter if we “agree” with what He tells us or not. Many people think they have a “better way”, but they don’t. That’s why it’s simply by obedience that we do these “works”. That is how our faith in God is “perfected”, as the bible says. It does no good just to say we believe, because as James 2:19 points out, “the demons believe and tremble”. We need to have the kind of faith that causes us to obey what God has said. What God has said may not be “popular”, and what He has said may not be “convenient”, but we need to obey it anyhow, because He has said it, and we need to trust Him. That’s what trust is all about! Even is we don’t understand fully, we do what God says!

Please go back and read “What Does It Mean To believe”. Thanks again for your comments and question. The bible alone is always the source of the answers to any spiritual questions. Man’s ideas are worthless when it comes to salvation. I’m not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of salvation to all who believe!” Romans 1:16.

Thank you for bringing reason and clarity to these sometimes confusing passages. I appreciate that you don’t promote a blind faith that asks no questions. Peter Kreeft also has some great books that get into these questions. What would you say about the connection between faith and works, such as in James?