With regard to the Ephesians and James passages it is important for us to recognize that Paul and James are answering two different questions. Paul is answering the questions: What saves us? To which he responds: FAITH, and faith alone! James is answering the question: What kind of faith saves us? To which he responds: Faith that produces works (not to be confused with faith + works).
Jesus, in the Matthew passage, assumes James' perspective that those who hear and act are those who will enter the kingdom of heaven. There is no such thing as faith that only hears but never acts. (There is perhaps one exception...can you think of who it might be?)
Donald Miller, in Blue Like Jazz, says: If you want to know what I believe, don't listen to what I say; watch what I do. This is a sobering statement because it means that the things I say I believe are only things that I am thinking about, if I am not living them out. Ouch!
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Might the person in the Bible who was saved without doing good works the man who was crucified with Jesus? He was a criminal throughout his life yet when he lived his life's last moments he proclaimed Jesus as Christ and was saved.
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