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This is not an issue that is to be dealt with by cherry picking some Scriptures, and which both sides are guilty of. And while it is a subject that difficult to do here, i would like to state that while the fruit of faith can be used as a basis for judgment as revealing what manner of faith one has, it is not by any merit of faith that one is justified by, but by faith out of a poor and contrite heart.

When the Bible explicitly deals with the subject as to what exactly a soul is justified by, as regards faith versus works, it clearly explicitly teaches that “ if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. {3} For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. {4} Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. {5} But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. {6} Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,” (Rom 4:2-6) And to this many more (Gal. 3; Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2Tim. 1:9, etc.) explicit texts can be added, including most all of John.

However, the kind, or quality, of faith which is salvific is another issue, which James contextually deals with in seeming contradicting Paul and Gn. 15:6.. However, both confirm that saving faith is that which, like that of Abraham’s, is characterized by obedience to its Object, (Jn. 10:27,28) and which manifests “things which accompany salvation”, (Heb. 6:9) while faith without works is dead”. (Ja. 2:20,26)

Therefore, things which characterize true faith, from a poor and contrite spirit to love for the brethren, are rightly invoked as an evidential basis by which true believers are justified, (Mt. 5:1-10; Heb. 5:9; 1Jn. 2:3; Rv. 22:14) as possessing true faith, and by which believers are damned, as their works testify of their unbelief in Christ. Those who rest in Christ as Savior shall confess and follow Him as LORD. Conversely, those who rely upon their good works to justify them before an infinitely holy and perfectly just God, rather than humbling themselves before God as sinners, worthy of damnation and unable to justify themselves, shall hear those fearsome words, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mt. 7:22)

Rom 10:10 states, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Note the confessional aspect. Abraham was indeed justified before God before (Gn. 15:6), and which Paul invokes in making his case that is most precisely faith that justifies, (Rm. 4:3) before he manifested that faith by being willing to offer up his son Issac, (Gn. 22), and which events James invokes to show that it is not a fruitless faith that justifies. Whether it is a sinner’s prayer or baptism (confessing Christ in body language), both are manifesting faith, but it is not by MERIT of works that one is justified by, but by imputed righteousness, unworthy man being humbled and redeemed on Christ’s expense and mertt, and thus God alone exalted, and which is the key conflict.

While evangelicals are often accused of preaching that a faith without works justifies (though they characteristically evidence far more than their Catholic counterparts), the Westminster Confession of Faith (11:2) states:

Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.

In seeming contrast, the Council of Trent “infallibly” defines that

“nothing further is wanting to the justified, to prevent their being accounted to have, by those very works which have been done in God, fully satisfied the divine law according to the state of this life, and to have truly merited eternal life.” (Trent, 1547, The Sixth Session Decree on justification, chapter XVI)

Canon 32 similarly states,

“If anyone says that..the one justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit an increase of grace, eternal life, and in case he dies in grace, the attainment of eternal life itself and also an increase of glory, let him be anathema.” (Trent, Canons Concerning Justification, Canon 32. Also see The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, in Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1919 ed., Decree on Justification, Chapters V, VI, VII, X, XIV, XV, XVI) (emphasis mine)

The more recent Roman Catholic catechism states,

“Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification and for the attainment of eternal life (Catechism of the Catholic church, Part 3, Life in Christ, Merit, 2010)

While to some this distinction btwn faith and works may seem to be a matter of semantics, it is a crucial distinction. And although the manner of faith which justifies is to be emphasized, as the nature of man is to place confidence in his supposed merit in order to avoid the debasement and surrender necessary to be saved, that salvation is by faith must also be emphasized, and the preaching which beings souls under such conviction of their dire need for it is also critical. And this is what see in Acts, and the salvation of souls is my main burden.