Either Luther was wrong about “Faith Alone” or he wasn’t. If Faith Alone is correct, telling people they have to repent and stop sinning contradicts that doctrine. Stopping their favorite sin is the hardest work a lot of people will ever do and very definitely work the same as obeying Christ and helping the poor is work. Thousands of books and probably millions of sermons have decried anything someone is expected to do in addition to accepting and having faith in Christ as a “works salvation” and not only unnecessary, but a heresy.
Those who preach “Faith Alone” and accuse others of believing in "works salvation" have painted themselves into a corner.
The confusion is due to the very nature of what Evangelicals preach. If “Faith Alone” is correct, then those who preach and teach that doctrine have to accept that “Faith Alone” really means Alone and therefore it’s not even possible for someone to be apostate. In fact, if you believe someone can even be apostate after they've accepted Christ, you're denying the fundamentals of the doctrine of, “Faith Alone”, and the doctrine of, “Once Saved, Always Saved” as well.
If, on the other hand, “Faith Alone” is an error, those who now preach that doctrine need to repent for preaching error and stop preaching it just like those who are homosexual need to repent for their sin of homosexual behavior and stop the behavior.
Call a required work “repentance” all you like, but that doesn’t change the fact that if it’s required in addition to faith in Christ the doctrine of “Faith Alone” is an error that leads people astray.
When you have faith in something, you act on that faith. I think that’s the point the Bible makes. Yes. You are saved by faith alone, but your works are proof of your changed heart. I you say you have faith and continue in the same sins as before, then you don’t really believe. Make sense?
BTW, I’m not saying Christians are without sin. We still continue to fall short, but we shouldn’t be wallowing in it. I think this is what Christ meant when he washed the disciples’ feet. When Peter said he wanted his whole body washed (don’t you just love that guy), Christ said He only needed his feet cleaned. I think that symbolizes the Christian walk. We no longer need a total cleansing like the first time when all those past sins were wiped clean. We only need touch ups.
“Call a required work “repentance” all you like, but that doesn’t change the fact that if it’s required in addition to faith in Christ the doctrine of “Faith Alone” is an error that leads people astray.”
Naturally I believe that “sola fide” is an error, but I have yet to meet an evangelical who has tried to excuse sin on the basis that faith alone is required for salvation.
Maybe your experience is different?