John 6: 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
We are saved by faith and not by works. We have never been able to perform the works of the law and for that reason, Christ died to pay our price for sin. Does that mean that I give up the fight against sin in my life or even the sin of omission (forgetting that God is my greatest treasure and getting caught up in other affairs of life such as to push Him aside)? Paul the apostle was very firm in his teachings (as was Christ) that salvation is by grace alone and not by works that I can perform.
Romans 3: 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Yet, if that is the case what about the following verse from James?
James 2: 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Once more Paul provides the answer.
Galations 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.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Faith,hope, righteousness, justification all are freely given those who accept the gift of Christ for our salvation. God continues to perfect us and step by step transforms us into the likeness of Christ. He takes on the task of finishing the work He began in us. For that reason, if any of you say "I am a Christian" and "going to heaven" and there is no transforming work going on–maybe you should ask yourself if truly you gave your heart to Christ or not? Is there any passion or love for Him that draws you to His side–that makes you long to be with Him? Do you go to Him only when you want something or do you want to just sit with Him a while and bask in His presence? Do you see His righteousness shining so brightly that your heart aches each time you fall down and then marvel in the loving way in which He picks you up from the muddy mire-so overwhelmed by His love that you never want to fall into the mud again?