Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.KJV
The man in Christ did nothing good to earn his salvation(Eph2:8-9). His salvation is a gift from God. He only exercised faith in the finished works of Christ and accepted eternal life by confessing the Lordship of Jesus. That was all he did. Even if he was a good and upright man before accepting Christ, those things are counted as filthy rags before God( Isa64:6) because the good works of any man cannot pay for the penalty of sins. However, the man in Christ was not saved by works but unto good works. What that mean is that, after salvation, the life of the man in Christ is meant to produce good works- the works of righteousness.
The reason why he was saved is so that his life can produce the good works of righteousness( Phil1:11, Gal5:22, 2Pet1:5). Apostle James reiterated the same point in James2:20, "How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?"( NLT). Faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross for salvation is good but it is useless when it doesn't produce the deeds of righteousness thereafter. The message of salvation is incomplete if it doesn't point you to the kind of life you're meant to be living after receiving the gift of eternal life. Some heard about how free and easy it is to be saved but whenever they're told to live up to their new status by living right, they quickly become defensive. They may tell you, "that's works you're preaching".
They forgot that "works" was the major concern of Jesus when he was rebuking the seven Churches in Revelation. Rev2:2, "I know thy works..". The churches whose 'works" were not pleasing received a harsh rebuke. "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and DO THE FIRST WORKS; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and WILL REMOVE thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent". Rev2:5. Jesus( Grace) spoke this very word to a new testament church that was saved by grace without works. He told them he would remove their candlestick if they do not repent because they stopped doing good works- deeds of righteousness. Living a life of purity is the real work God is demanding from us not charity.
Father, I receive the grace to do the works of righteousness in Jesus name