Faith alone, and not saved by works, when we initially confess Christ for that is all we can do, and after we receive the Spirit then faith without works is dead, and a person is justified by works, and not faith alone.
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.
2Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.
It is the work of faith for everything we do is a work, or think is a work, which Jesus said if you lust after a woman it is the same as if you committed the act, so whether a person thinks it or does it, it is a work.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Charity, love in action, is greater than faith, so that means if a person does not abide in love then they have no faith to be saved.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
And this is charity, which if a person holds unto something contrary to charity then faith does not apply in their life.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Paul said he could have all faith so that he could remove mountains, but if he did not have charity then he is nothing.
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James points out charity, and if they neglect that he states can faith save them showing that it is a spiritual issue, and says faith without works of charity, and to love God, and people, then their faith is dead, for a person is justified by works, and not faith alone, and if they lack works of charity then they are not led of the Spirit, for a Spirit led life will only do what the Spirit wants.
But many people that believe faith alone, and not saved by works, believe the prosperity Gospel, and go by their wants neglecting the poor and needy, and that is not love.
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
John said if they do not have charity then the love of God does not dwell in them.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness(money,material): from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Paul teaches that if anybody preaches that God blesses with money, and material things, for our wants, withdraw yourself from them, having food and clothing be content, for the love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, and love is the fulfilling of the law, and that includes helping the poor and needy, and only going by your needs.
And there are many people that do not love properly, but then think they are right with God, but charity, love in action, is greater than faith, and faith does not mean anything without love.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Faith works by love, for it is not faith alone, but love alone, and everything that we do that is right stems from love.
Faith alone, and not saved by works, when we initially confess Christ for that is all we can do, and after we receive the Spirit then faith without works is dead, and a person is justified by works, and not faith alone.
If someone reads faith alone, and not saved by works, and then reads in another place faith without works is dead, and a person is justified by works, and not faith alone, they are supposed to reconcile the situation, and harmonize the scriptures, instead of there being a seemingly contradiction, that is not a contradiction.
But some people will not harmonize scriptures, and why is that, for what is their motive for not doing it, which it can only be obvious they like to hear scriptures their way.
Do not call it saved by works, but call it be led of the Spirit and do those works, for we must do what God wants us to do.
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?