Not of works, but...

not of works, lest anyone should boast... For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2.9-10

Let those who hold the truth, be careful to maintain good works, and so walk in all the holiness of the truth they profess; let them see that by no carelessness of deportment, by no want of integrity, by no neglect of the means of grace, by no exhibitions of unholy temper, by no worldly conformity, yes, by no inconsistency whatever, they bring a slur upon the holy doctrines they avowedly maintain and love; let them not be satisfied with maintaining a string of doctrines, unaccompanied with their sanctifying power: but let them see that with the truth in their judgments, they possess grace in the heart, and unspotted holiness in the life. " - Octavious Winslow

I have enjoyed reading a number of books  and essays by 19th century preachers. Most of them wrote a lot about our works matching up to our profession. There was a consensus among men of that time that true believers would always do good works and that if they didn't it was evidence that there never had been true salvation. 

I think they have a point. We are not saved by good works; there is no doubt about that. But at the same time God ordained from the beginning that we who are His children are ordained to do good works. He created us to do good works. 

If we could do works to get saved we could certainly brag about how good we are and what we did. We would not need Jesus. 

As we examine our lives I think we need to ask ourselves whether our own works accurately reflect the lives we are ordained to live. 

Non one's works can save them - ever. But anyone who is saved will do good works. 

Faith without works is no faith at all. Faith always works. It was ordained from the beginning.