Faith and works should complement each other.
Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Galatians chapter 2:
16 we know that no one receives God’s perfect righteousness as a reward for keeping the law, but only by the faith of Jesus, the Messiah! His faithfulness has saved us, and we have received God’s perfect righteousness. Now we know that God accepts no one by the keeping of religious laws!
Paul wrote the above passage concerning our faith in Christ and our salvation through Him. This faith and acceptance of His work is unmerited favor or grace which is our justification, not by our works. We cannot enter the Kingdom by works but only through our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Paul also wrote in Ephesians chapter 2:
8 For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the Love gift from God that brought us to Christ!
9 So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.
10 We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!
Faith established our destiny so that we would do good works which are known as good fruit.
Jesus affirmed this when He spoke in Matthew chapter 5:
15 And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light.
16 So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to Your Father in Heaven.”
Our lights were established by grace and our works should result in exalting Our Heavenly Father. Otherwise, if they promote or exalt you, they are works of the flesh.
Works (Strong’s #2041, ergon), which means “toil or labor,” can have either a good connotation or a bad one. The works that God refers to as “good” in the Bible are those deeds, actions, and fruit that the Holy Spirit directs and produces through us by His dunamis power. The “bad works” that the Bible refers to are those things that the flesh directs and that are accomplished by our own power and ability. The difference between them is not only the motive behind the action, but also the one accomplishing the work.
“Works of the Spirit” are those actions prompted, directed, and produced by the Holy Spirit and that, ultimately, will bring glory to Christ. In contrast, “works of the flesh” are those deeds done in our own power and ability and that elevate us. The Bible tells us that everything we do is to magnify Christ, not ourselves.
James wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle, chapter 2:
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also (a believer’s) faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
We don’t do “good works” to earn God’s Love or to earn ourselves a place in the Millennium. Doing good works is simply the outgrowth of “walking by The Spirit.” Our motive is not to try to earn our way to heaven or to earn rewards, but comes from our Love of God and our desire to do His Will.