Regarding the relationship between faith, works, and salvation, Doriani offers this helpful explanation and diagram:
To put it schematically, there are four ways to view the relationship between salvation and works. The arrow means “produces” or “results in.”
- Works -› Salvation
- Faith + Works -> Salvation
- Faith -> Salvation
- Faith -> Salvation + Works
View 1 says if we do enough good works, they produce salvation by earning God’s favor. View 2 says that if we believe and perform works, we obtain salvation. View 3 says that faith results in salvation. View 4 says faith leads to salvation and works follow. No Christian adheres to view 1. Official, traditional Roman Catholic theology adheres to view 2, and many ordinary Catholics follow that teaching. Some evangelical Christians support view 3 because they think it is possible to confess faith in Christ, unto salvation, without accepting him as Lord. They believe it is good, but not absolutely necessary, to accept Christ as Lord. But the entire New Testament testifies that while we are saved by faith alone, real faith is never alone. Works are the necessary results of spiritual life (view 4).
James – Reformed Expository Commentary by Daniel M. Doriani, pp. 95-96