Misunderstanding of Faith and Justification

Many Catholics misunderstand the meaning of faith and justification in James 2. They mistakenly believe that James is referring to dead faith and justification before men. However, a careful reading of the passage contradicts this interpretation. James emphasizes that faith without works is dead, but he does not imply that this faith is dead itself. By substituting the phrase 'dead faith' in place of 'faith' in the passage, absurdities arise, indicating that James does not see anything wrong with the faith he discusses. He clarifies that faith, even though demons also have this intellectual assent, becomes alive or dead based on its accompaniment by works.