First, a person needs to be turned
"from the power of Satan to God" > in Acts 26:18.
God's grace almighty in a person changes him or her out of Satan's kingdom, into God's kingdom. This includes the person trusting in Jesus on Calvary's cross > Ephesians 1:12.
There can be various works of ministering that are included in this process . . . whichever God has people doing for each person. Plus, there are the things God has the person doing. Even God's arranging of circumstances are necessary, in bringing a person to Jesus.
And we need to submit to Christ and learn from Him >
"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)
Whatever Jesus has a person do, in this process, is essential. Each thing God has us doing in His grace has us being effected by His grace making us more and more like Jesus so we are ready to spend eternity with Him. So, like I offer, every thing God has us do is essential. I think this can be what James means by saying we are justified by works and not only by faith. He means works which God has us doing in sharing with Him.
He does not mean self-produced works or works of Moses' Law or copy-catting religious activities. But God in us has us doing what is essential > it is essential if God has us doing something. And what His word tells us to do is essential, or God would not tell us to do this. And Isaiah 55:11 guarantees that God's word
"shall" do all He desires; so I understand that a child of God is guaranteed that God's word will succeed in us to have us doing all which God desires, and so we can not lose salvation
or miss out on how God's word is guaranteed to succeed with us in this life.
"Therefore submit to God." (in James 4:7)
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)
"Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16)
So, from this I see how there can be ministry of the word which is essential for our salvation. And there are works done in order to minister God's word. Ones who so minister God's word save themselves and those who hear them. It is all included. Paul gave this writing to Timothy, and I understand this has application for those whom God approves to minister His word.
And whatever His word says to do is essential.
"Let all that you do be done with love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)
I understand this means what God personally in us has us doing in His own love >
"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)
So, I would say this means doing works which God's grace in us has us doing. And this grace in us changes us to be more maturely like Christ while we do what His grace has us doing.
So, I guess God's word means we are saved by grace through faith, then saved by how God's grace changes us to become like Jesus (guaranteed by Romans 8:29), while we do the works He has us doing, and He has people doing His works of ministry to help us along. So, it is not only our own works, but we labor as family, doing family works, I guess you could say
God our Father is about family; we are saved as His family, everyone helping even to minister His grace >
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29)
So, we all minister God's grace > producing edification that is
"necessary". I would say this means essential for salvation, or how can it be
"necessary"? So, yes each of us is this important. And, like I consider, Isaiah 55:11 guarantees that God's word succeeds in doing this with us. So we are guaranteed to spend eternity with Jesus, while also we are guaranteed now to succeed in doing
all God Himself means by His word.
And His word tells us what to do about how we fail > Hebrews 12:4-14, 1 Peter 5:7. So, do this