Works are the after effect of God's calling and saving a soul by grace through faith and not by works.
James 2:8
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Do you have a faith that truly loves your neighbor as yourself?
James 2:14-17
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be
ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit?
17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent
them out another way?
26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
See verse 23?
Abraham believed God, he had grace through faith first.
That is what caused Abraham's works in verse 21.
How about Rahab in verse 25?
Hebrews 11:31
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
James is not talking about praying for dead people. <---Dead works faith!
James is not talking about performing vain rituals in some religious place. <--- Dead works faith!
James is not talking about giving your used clothing and belongings to your church. <---Dead works faith!
James is not talking about showing favoritism to a particular denomination and adhering to and promoting it's bylaws. <---Dead works faith!
James is not talking about putting on a outward appearance of faith.<-- Dead works faith!
The works James is talking about are the works that come after grace through faith has already begun; that grace through faith that comes from God in Christ Jesus before time began.
Even atheists and the most evil men can deceive others by performing so called good deeds and putting on a show of faith outwardly.
Again.......
James 2:8
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:
for this is the law and the prophets.
Do you have a faith that truly loves your neighbor as yourself?
Grace through faith saves and not by works!
2 Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.