There is no saving faith with works of unrighteousness. There is no saving faith without doing good. There is only saving faith without past works of unrighteousness, and with present good works.
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Although Scripture does not specifically state that we are justified by faith without works, we can read by context that the imputed righteousness of God is by faith without works.
However, the Scripture nowhere speaks of having faith alone without works, except in James 2:
Jas 2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
And so, there is imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith without works, and yet there is the faith alone without works, that is dead and cannot save. And so, in order not to confound the Scripture, must be a Scriptural difference between having the faith without works that can save, and the faith alone without works, that cannot save.
By context of Scripture, the difference is between having God's faith without past works of unrighteousness, and having man's faith alone without present works of righteousness.
Rom 4:6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
The Scripture is quoted from Ps 32:
Psa 32:1
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
32:5
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
The context of Scripture is of past iniquities and sins, that have been confessed and forgiven. The forgiveness and imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith, pertains only to past works of sin and iniquity, not present sinning and unrighteousness.
Rom 3:25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Heb {6:1}
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
And so, by context of Scripture, we see that imputed righteousness is indeed by faith without works, that are past, forgiven, and forgotten by God:
2Co 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
Jer 31:34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
The imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith without works, is only without past works of unrighteousness, not with present works of iniquity and sins.
Jas 2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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 2:20
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
The context of Scripture is that of faith with works of God's good will. And without present good works, faith is dead, being alone.
The faith that saves is without past works of unrighteousness, and with good works. The faith that saves is not with present evil works, nor without doing good.
Jas 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Therefore, by context of Scripture we read:
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not (evil), but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without (past) works (of unrighteousness),
If the Scripture does not allow for context of works being past vs present, and bad vs good, then context of Scripture also does not allow for any imputed righteousness by faith without works.
If saving faith is not without past works, then saving faith is never without works.
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Although Scripture does not specifically state that we are justified by faith without works, we can read by context that the imputed righteousness of God is by faith without works.
However, the Scripture nowhere speaks of having faith alone without works, except in James 2:
Jas 2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
And so, there is imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith without works, and yet there is the faith alone without works, that is dead and cannot save. And so, in order not to confound the Scripture, must be a Scriptural difference between having the faith without works that can save, and the faith alone without works, that cannot save.
By context of Scripture, the difference is between having God's faith without past works of unrighteousness, and having man's faith alone without present works of righteousness.
Rom 4:6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
The Scripture is quoted from Ps 32:
Psa 32:1
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
32:5
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
The context of Scripture is of past iniquities and sins, that have been confessed and forgiven. The forgiveness and imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith, pertains only to past works of sin and iniquity, not present sinning and unrighteousness.
Rom 3:25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Heb {6:1}
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
And so, by context of Scripture, we see that imputed righteousness is indeed by faith without works, that are past, forgiven, and forgotten by God:
2Co 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
Jer 31:34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
The imputed righteousness of God, that is by faith without works, is only without past works of unrighteousness, not with present works of iniquity and sins.
Jas 2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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 2:20
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
The context of Scripture is that of faith with works of God's good will. And without present good works, faith is dead, being alone.
The faith that saves is without past works of unrighteousness, and with good works. The faith that saves is not with present evil works, nor without doing good.
Jas 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Therefore, by context of Scripture we read:
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not (evil), but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without (past) works (of unrighteousness),
If the Scripture does not allow for context of works being past vs present, and bad vs good, then context of Scripture also does not allow for any imputed righteousness by faith without works.
If saving faith is not without past works, then saving faith is never without works.