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James is writing to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” during the time BEFORE the Mystery of the Body of Christ was revealed to Paul and taught to Believers. Are you a member of the 12 tribes scattered abroad? (James 1:1) If not, you might want to rightly divide his letter.

James 2:14-26 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Note the example of Rahab. Is James in anyway establishing that she was saved by what she did ... OR ... did she demonstrate that she believed in God by her actions? The same goes for Abraham, who was credited with righteousness because he BELIEVED God long before the sign of circumcision, or offering Isaac. (Genesis 15:5-6, Romans 4, Galatians 3, James 2:23)

Now let’s look at what Paul writes in his prison letters which were written AFTER James, and AFTER he received the revelation of the Mystery, addressed to “the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Are you a saint and part of the faithful in Christ Jesus? (Ephesians 1:1)

Ephesians 2:1-10 (KJV)
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Salvation is a FREE GIFT. I don’t know how anyone could make it clearer than what Paul writes above. Good works are the fruit that is produced after you are spiritually reborn.

Nothing can be done that will ever surpass what Jesus has already accomplished. It was a once in a lifetime performance never to be rivaled. Just believe God’s Word, and say “Thank you Father!” As a spiritually reborn babe in Christ, you must feed on the Word so you will grow, producing the Good fruit, and fulfilling the Good purpose God has planned for you.

Why not keep it really simple with a human analogy. When a baby is adopted, what part do they play? Nothing. They are simply thankful for having a new father and mother. There is little, if anything, they could do to earn or deserve their new family. As they grow, they will realize and more fully appreciate their new family, and all that they have inherited. As they mature, they will begin to imitate their parents, sharing the same love they experienced with the world around them.

God chose you. He did everything legally necessary to adopt you into His family. All you have to do is receive Him - believe His Word. Paul explains the process in Romans.

Romans 10:4-11 (KJV)
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

You ARE SAVED when you believe in your heart and confess what you believe. You don’t even have to understand it theologically - probably better if you don’t, as that often undermines the simplicity of God’s plan. Religion has been screwing up this Truth for 2,000 years.

The moment you add something to faith, you undermine God’s Truth. This is what Paul addresses in his letters to the Galatians and Colossians. The threat then was Judaizers trying to impose the Law, and to a lesser extent, pagan converts to Christ introducing their practices. As Christianity expanded, the latter became the greater problem, as Gentile converts became the majority. You can see the devolution from faith to religion in Paul’s latter letters. Believers are complete IN CHRIST. Religion and the tradition of men can do nothing for a Believer.

Colossians 2:4-10 (KJV)
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Galatians 3:1-5 (KJV)
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galatians 4:4-11 (KJV)
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Servants work. Children are free, especially when your Father is the Creator of the Universe! The weak and beggarly elements are all the works of the flesh, it is the bondage, the legalism, that religion enslaves folks with in order to control them. Believers are set free from all bondage, including the most insidious type, religious bondage.

Galatians 2:4 (KJV)
4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Note that it was false brethren (religious folk) who wanted to take away the Galatians’ Liberty in Christ. Satan has used religion since the Garden to pull people away from God’s Word.

Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Colossians 3:1-4 (KJV)
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Religion is OF THE EARTH. Seek those things which are above.