The only time ‘faith alone’ is mentioned in the Bible, it is to tell us what kind of faith not to have.
James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Faith alone without any right action does not save. Apostle James says such faith is DEAD.
Many denominations call that dead faith ‘saving faith’.
James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James tells us faith alone cannot save a man.
That “dead faith” is NOT the most important kind of faith ever known.
Faith alone without works is dead. Our faith must be alive. Faith with obedience is living faith.
The works we do not have to do to justify ourselves is be circumcised, observe special days, and sacrifice animals. Those are the works that Paul is speaking about, but people misunderstand Paul to their destruction. What insanity it is to think Paul is rebuking people from obeying Jesus.
Peter tells us that people misunderstand Paul. Right after Peter says that, he warns us to obey. See 2 Peter 3:16, and 17.
Abraham was saved by faith and that was before circumcision. The scriptures say Abraham believed in and obeyed God, even before circumcision!
Abraham was not saved by faith alone because faith alone is dead and cannot save anyone.
The scriptures say that Abraham obeyed.
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.” Genesis 26:4-5
James 2:22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Faith alone is dead like a dead body.
James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Faith alone doesn't first save and then it was really real if later the person obeys something.