MacArthur Justification must be distinguished from regeneration and sanctification, but it can never be divorced from them.

Paul & James both believed in salvation by God’s grace alone through faith. The NT agrees with James that good works always give evidence of genuine faith. Paul insisted that faith always produces good works. James & Paul used the same words with different meanings. Paul & James stood together fighting different opponents.

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

Maclaren The people who least live their creeds are not seldom the people who shout the loudest about them. The paralysis which affects the arms does not, in these cases, interfere with the tongue.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

JAMES 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 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?

JAMES 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Manton Twice dead—dead in their natural condition and dead in their profession of faith, and then uprooted; this is those who never had any vital influence from Christ.

Spurgeon The grace that does not change my life will not save my soul.

JAMES 2:18-19 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

DEUTERONOMY 6:4 SHEMA - Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

JAMES 2:20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

JAMES 2:21-24 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

GENESIS 15:6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

GENESIS 22:1-2 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

HEBREWS 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

JAMES 2:25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

MATTHEW 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Calvin It is Faith alone that saves but the faith that saves is not alone.

JOHN 15:5-6 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

JAMES 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.