The commands are repent and believe.
And yet there are verses where it just says believe like John 3:15-18 Nary a word about repentance.
So look at the gospel presentation given by Peter to the Gentiles;
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words,
the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Where is repent in that? Then look at this same Peter preaching the same gospel to the Jews because it has to be the same.
Acts 2: 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Where is believe in Him for the remission of sins? We know it is not done by water baptism because the gentiles had received the remission of sins and the Holy Ghost before water baptism.
So I say it is the same gospel because Peter saying repent to the Jews that had crucified Jesus Christ "in unbelief" was asking them to repent from unbelief for why they had crucified Jesus Christ thus by believing in Him is for the remission of sins. That is the same gospel.
James 2:
19 You believe that [
a]God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
James was rebuking a church that was disrespecting the poor starting from the beginning of that second chapter in giving favorable seatings to the rich and despising the poor by having them sit on the floor.
This church went further by announcing their faith in God to provide for the poor to get out of helping the poor for why the church's faith in God to provide for the poor will not "profit" the poor nor "save" the poor from the elements and starvation for why in the eyes of the poor, the church's faith in God to provide for the poor is "dead".
James is not talking about the faith in Jesus Christ which is without works but rather the church's willful neglect of the poor by getting out of helping the poor by giving a parting benediction as if by saying be warm & be filled to the poor, the poor will have faith that God will do it.
James even bothered to cite Abraham & Isaac in what kind of faith that James was talking about in God providing.
Genesis 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said,
My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place
Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
The name of the place Abraham called it, is the moral of the story & this the faith in God to provide of what James is referencing for.
James was never referring to the faith in Jesus Christ requiring works.
Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Works has nothing to do with salvation. Maintaining good works is profitable unto men but not a requirement for salvation or evidence of salvation when unbelievers do good works too.
