Most Protestants believe in sola fide which means faith alone. It is a corner stone of the protestant reformation and, including the other solas, splits Protestants from Catholics and Orthodox Christians (excluding some restoration movement Christians, including perhaps Christadelphians if strictly adhering to the BASF).
The sola fide Wikipedia page cites a large number of verses used to defend or reject the doctrine of sola fide. I have not listed them all but selected a few to give a flavour of them.
Passages used to defend sola fide:
- John 3:36: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
- Genesis 15:6 "And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness."
- Luke 5:20: "And when he saw their faith, he said unto them, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."
- Luke 18:10-14: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God."
- John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
- John 6:28-29: "Then they said unto him, 'What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said unto them, 'This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.'"
- Acts 16:31: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved."
- Romans 3:28: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
- Romans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
- Romans 11:6: "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
- Galatians 2:16: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
- Ephesians 2:8-10: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Passages used to argue against sola fide:
- Matthew 7:21 (part of the Sermon on the Mount): "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
- Matthew 12:36-37: "I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
- Matthew 16:27: "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."
- Luke 10:25-28: "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?' He answered: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.'"
- John 5:29: "And will come out, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."
- Romans 2:6,7; 13: "For he will repay according to each one's deeds. To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; for it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified."
- Romans 2:16: "on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all."
- 2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done is his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
- James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
- James 2 (excerpts): "... What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ... Ye see then how that by works a man is justified."
- James 2:24: "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."
- Revelation 2:23: "Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds."
- Revelation 22:12: "Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds."
Given the large number of verses to support each side it's far from obvious, and perhaps impossible, to objectively and clearly determine which is right. It becomes a matter of preconception and choice as to which argument you feel is stronger and hence there is a variety of views on the 'faith vs legalism' spectrum even among Christadelphians. My conclusion is that both views are found in the Bible - it's not one or the other or a balance.
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