Ok, I need to quote some scripture here to make my point. What James is saying is that if someone is saved, then his faith is going to produce works that show that he is saved. He is saying that salvation is a result of believing God's word, and then salvation produces good works and obedience to God's word. In other words, anyone can say he is saved, but if you say you are saved (have faith) and you do not produce good works, then your faith is dead. Faith and works go together because faith produces works. Not that the works save us, but our salvation should manifest good works. James also says that it is not good enough to believe that God exists. He says even the demons believe that God exists and they shudder. We have to believe God's word and act upon it. Believing God's word is what makes us righteous, not our works. Abraham believed what God said and God credited to him as righteousness, then Abraham acted upon his faith and obeyed God (works) by being willing to sacrifice Isaac (yes Isaac, not Ishmael). In the same way, Rahab the harlot believed God and obeyed Him. They were both saved by God's grace and their faith in God's word. The same way man is saved in every dispensation. And yes, Dooley, it is God's mercy and grace that saves us. Grace is unmerited favor. We do not deserve His grace or His mercy. No amount of works that we do can save us. God is holy. Man is sinful. We cannot approach God on our own because of our sin. God in His infinite mercy provided the only way we can be saved. God says in Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ This was the reason for the sacrificial system that was given in the law of Moses. Even in Eden (before the law was given to Moses) when Adam sinned, God killed an animal and clothed Adam and Eve as a temporary covering for their sin to show that blood had to be shed because of the terrible results and consequences of sin. The sacrifices given in the law of Moses had to be done continually because they were also only a temporary covering for sin. That is why Jesus (God incarnate) came to earth. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world once for all. Only Jesus (God) could do this because He is holy and without sin. Of course it was necessary for Jesus to rise from the dead. Without the resurrection we would have no hope. At the moment Christ died, scripture tells us that the veil in the temple was torn it two showing that Christ is the door to God and heaven.

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.


Matthew 27
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”


James 2
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.