Works are intimately connected to salvation. Faith without works is dead. Works are not a mere demonstration or proof of saving faith. They are part of a saving faith. Let’s look at James 2:18 which says:
“But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.”
Now let’s use an analogy.
Try this:
But some one will say, you have a car and I have car parts. Show me your car apart from its parts, and I by my car parts will show you my car. This word picture clearly illustrates what the apostle is getting at. You do not have saving faith without works any more than you have a car without car parts.
The linkage between faith and works cannot be broken. Faith and works are inextricably intertwined and cannot be separated. That is why James uses the powerful analogy of the body and spirit in verse 26 where he says, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.” Think about this profound statement. Faith is compared with the body and works are compared to the spirit. The body and spirit together make up a living human being. You cannot have a living human being without both together. Likewise you cannot have a justifying faith without works, and James tells us that faith without works is dead and that it cannot save you. This cannot mean that works are simply the demonstration of saving faith. God knows all things and he does not need a demonstration by works to know if a man has faith. God requires that a man have both faith and works to be justified, and this is precisely why James hammers on this point.
James says that we are justified “by works” three times in Chapter 2 of his epistle. He also says that faith is “completed by works.” He never says anything like, “works are a demonstration of faith” nor does he suggest that his explanation is “probative in nature.” You have to ignore his clear and emphatic words and must heavily massage others to make any kind of case to support the alternative position.
James is most likely correcting anyone that has misunderstood Paul’s teaching. We know this because James writes his discourse with sarcasm in such a way as to make a caricature of the error of those that misunderstand Paul. James is so down on the idea of salvation by faith alone that he goes to the extreme of saying, “Even the demons believe–and shudder.” James even calls the man who believes that he is justified by faith alone “shallow.” Some translations use the words, “vain man, fool, empty person, or idle boaster.” Moreover, James also uses an example of Abraham being justified before God that is different from the one Paul uses. James makes it clear that Abraham was “justified” when he was ready to sacrifice Isaac when he says in verse 21, “Was not Abraham our father “justified” by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?” This is a complete thought and shows the importance of obedience to God and doing the works “that God prepared beforehand”[Eph 2:10] James could have left it at that but he explains the relationship of faith and works in justification further by going on to say, “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works,“ James says “completed.” This is much different than saying that works are a demonstration of faith.
Finally, James then makes the connection to Gen 15:6 when he then says, “and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.” This statement by James IHMO has a two-fold purpose. First of all James wants everybody to see that he is teaching something that is connected to the teaching of Paul. Secondly, he wants to make it clear that he is correcting a misunderstanding of Paul’s teaching and that he is giving a clarification. He clearly shows that justification is not a one time event because he uses a different event than Paul used. James could have just as easily made his argument using Genesis 15:6 by pointing out that Abraham’s actions of having marital relations with Sarah completed his faith concerning his descendents. He chose, however, to use a separate example and then connects it to 15:6 by saying, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God.” In both examples Abraham believed. In both examples Abraham completed his faith with works. In both examples Abraham’s completed faith is reckoned to him as righteousness. In both examples Abraham was thus called a friend of God.
cont. on next post
) However, the conversation often goes as you said, to an understanding that there will be an “instantaneous” purgation at death…this of course is a perfectly acceptable position for a Catholic to hold, and I think we are close to uniting on the issue of Purgatory if it is explained correctly. 
