[metmom]

Perhaps it is because we cannot get a straight answer on whether faith must be accompanied by good works.

You need to read more carefully if that's what you think because you are so wrong on that.

Good works always accompany salvation as the RESULT of becoming saved by faith but they do not contribute to it in the least.

They neither get you saved nor keep you saved.

And lack of them does not lose your salvation.

They are an indicator of genuine saving faith and lack of them would be a good indicator that something is wrong and the person who is not displaying them needs to consider if the lack of works is an indicator of lack of genuine saving faith.

But they in now way contribute to becoming or staying saved. The salvation is completely independent of works involved.

[Mark17]

It’s really quite simple, isn’t it? Forest, meet trees.