Faith is the confident assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of the reality of things not seen, Heb. 11:1. It is the basis for salvation, Gal. 3:26; 1 Pet. 1:5. Works are the deeds men do, whether good or evil, Gal. 2:16; Eph. 5:11. They are the basis for rewards or punishment when men are judged, 1 Cor. 3:11-15; Rev. 20:11-15. Men confuse these two concepts; Scripture never does.
A contradiction has been imagined between two passages. Paul wrote, “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” Rom. 3:28. Wrote James, “by works a man is justified, and not by faith only,” Jas. 2:24. There is no real problem. Paul was writing about justification before God, Rom. 4:2, while James wrote about justification before men. He was dealing with the question of the man who says he has faith, but has no works to demonstrate its reality, Jas. 2:14-20. He says nothing to discredit faith, nor to suggest that a man of faith may be lost. Paul speaks of the root of the Christian life; James its fruit.
Faith and works are put in their proper perspective in Eph. 2:8-10. We are saved by faith, not by works, but we are saved “unto good works.” This means we are to maintain good works, Tit. 3:8, being fruitful in them, Col. 1:10, so that God may be glorified when Christ returns, 1 Pet. 2:12.
William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, (Chicago: Bible Institute Colportage Assoc., 1912), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 290.