Understanding the Footnote on James 2:24 in the Ryrie Study Bible

I recently came across a question on the SpiritAndTruth.org website where a reader asked Dr. Andy Woods about one of the notes in the Ryrie Study Bible. The question was in regards to the footnote on James 2:24, where Ryrie says:

"This verse is the reply to the question of v.14. Unproductive faith cannot save, because it is not genuine faith. Faith and works are like a two-coupon ticket to heaven. The coupon of works is not good for passage, and the coupon of faith is not valid if detached from works."

Commenting on Ryrie's footnote, the reader says:

"Let me say first off, I really really value Dr Ryrie. His book So Great A Salvation is a great thesis on salvation. I agree with him that believers will bear fruit at sometime, somewhere. Even deathbed conversions have the fruit of peace etc. However his note in the Ryrie Study Bible in James 2:24 is troubling."[1]

At first glance I understand why the questioner would find Ryrie's comments "troubling." But the answer to the reader's question is really quite simple. I wrote about this in more detail in my article "Charles Ryrie on Repentance and Faith, Pt. 1".[2] The answer is actually contained in the statement when the questioner says, "I agree with him that believers will bear fruit at sometime, somewhere. Even deathbed conversions have the fruit of peace etc." Exactly! That right there is the answer to the question! Because think about it: what does Ryrie say about that in his book? And what does the Bible say about it? Ryrie's book that I'm referring to, of course, is his book So Great Salvation. That's where Ryrie says, "Every Christian will bear spiritual fruit. Somewhere, sometime, somehow."[3] And that's where Ryrie explains that every Christian has the spiritual fruit of "peace with God" (Romans 5:1). In this same context, Ryrie also brings in other Bible verses, particularly Luke 15:7 and 15:10. This is where Jesus says, 

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7, emphasis added.) 

And Luke 15:10 says: 

"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (emphasis added).

So this is the biblical answer! The "good works" that Ryrie links with "genuine faith" are not necessarily even good works in the life of the believer, but rather are good works in others as a result of the believer's faith! The "good works" are not even necessarily done by others on earth, but rather (as in Luke 15:7, 10) are works done "in heaven"! Again, these are good works that are a result of faith, i.e. the angels in heaven "rejoicing" when a person trusts in Christ for salvation! Thus, saving faith is always productive in the sense that it always produces: 1) "peace with God" (Rom. 5:1) -- a spiritual fruit (see Gal. 5:22), and 2) "rejoicing" in heaven (Lk. 15:7, 10). This is the biblical truth according to Jesus Himself. Praise the Lord!

References:

[1] "Q188: James, Faith, and the Ryrie Study Bible" (June 28, 2014), Spirit&Truth.org website. https://web.archive.org/web/20140713031148/https://www.spiritandtruth.org/questions/188.htm?x=x

[2] Jonathan Perreault, "Charles Ryrie on Repentance and Faith, Pt. 1" (May 22, 2020), Free Grace Free Speech website.

[3] Charles Ryrie, So Great Salvation (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1989), p. 45.