God has shown me that justification is raised by Paul in his letters to the Galatians and Romans within the context of how non-Jews could become God's people, how they can be included in His covenant with Abraham. For the Jews, the sign that you're God's covenanted people is circumcision as when God made the covenant with Abraham in the book of Genesis. The sign of the covenant which every offspring of Abraham must show is circumcision. That's the sign that you're God's chosen people and blessed by Him.
How can the Gentiles claim to be in the same covenant with God if they don't display the sign of circumcision? That's why Paul had to argue in Romans and Galatians, that non-Jews were still considered God's people because their circumcision, the sign of the covenant, was in their hearts (Romans 2:28-29) rather than on their bodies and the outcome of their spiritual circumcision was they obey the righteous requirements of the Law of Moses by following the commandments of Jesus Christ, which means by faith rather than by works of the Law, that is to love one another as Christ did.
This brings to the point that when Paul raises the contrast of justification by faith rather than works, it is always within the context of being God's covenanted people by following and obeying Christ's commands rather than the works of the Law. Justification by faith is never discussed outside of this context. In both Galatians and Romans, it's always a contrast between being considered as God's covenanted people either by works of the Law, especially circumcision, or by faith in Christ, as in obeying Jesus and becoming His disciples (Galatians 5:6). It is never about faith versus general actions, works, or deeds per se. It is always within the context of being included as God's people through His Abrahamic covenant (hence Romans 4 is inserted after chapter 2 & 3). Justification by faith is never used, and should never be used, as an argument that you don't need to do anything after you've believed in Christ. Concerning the nature of faith in Christ, whether in the Gospels and in Paul's letters, faith is never disassociated from actions. Paul sums it up well in Galatians 5:6.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
Galatians 5:6 NRSV-CI
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