Here is a link to a position on the nature of saving faith. You might enjoy reading a good, fair-minded treatment of this issue (in my opinion). This came up in my series through the life of Abraham last night.
“Scripture never considers faith a work. Instead faith is always juxtaposed to works, as Paul stated in Romans 4:3–5. Human faith is but a passive response that receives God‘s free gift of eternal life. Who would accuse a beggar of working by holding out his hand to receive a dollar bill? No one!”
Sun and Shield 