Doesn't James Say Faith Without Works Is Dead?

This FAQ addresses James' description of the relationship between faith and works.

Evidence My Words Are True:

The scene is a local police office.  A young boy stands in front of the police sergeant.  His bike had been stolen and he believes the police may have recovered it.  The sergeant says "Is this your bike?"  The boy says "Yes, this is my bike".  The sergeant replies "Well, I need evidence that what you say is true."  The boy hands the sergeant a receipt that shows the name of the boy's dad, the store at which the bike was purchased, and the model and serial numbers of the purchased bike.  The sergeant takes a moment to examine the evidence and checks the serial number on the bike.  He replies "Yes, I can see that you told the truth.  You may take your bike."

But what if the sergeant was God?  Would he have needed the boy's receipt to know if he was telling the truth?  No, God is all knowing.  He would not need the receipt to know the bike belonged to the boy.  The boy only needs such evidence to prove to a man that the bike is his.