Created for good works

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  –2Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
 
The gospel does not include working to obtain our salvation. Nor does it include doing good works to maintain or make our salvation secure. Salvation is the result of God’s grace manifested in the finished work of Jesus Christ in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His sacrificial death on the cross, His resurrection from the grave, His ascension into heaven, and His promise to return for the final redemption of His church.
 
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.  –Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
 
There are three components of salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is the great grace exchange, in which Christ took on our sin and its just penalty, and allowed us to take on His righteousness. Our forgiveness, then, is not God excusing our sin, but arranging for and accepting the sacrifice of His Son as payment for our sin. Glorification is the ultimate receiving of our new bodies and our new home, to dwell in the presence of God throughout eternity. It is evidenced by the bodily resurrection of Jesus and guaranteed by His promise.
 
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  –Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
 
Between those two is sanctification, the instilling of holiness into people who have been declared holy because of the work of their Savior. It is in sanctification that we develop a deeper relationship with God, a better understanding of His will for us, and a partnership in His mission. It is no less a work of grace than justification or glorification, enabled via His Spirit living in us. Sanctification is where God makes an ongoing investment in us. Without it, our religion is essentially worthless, signaled by these words of Jesus:
 
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  –Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
 
The fruit of a life being transformed by the Spirit of Christ into the image of Christ must include works that are not only evidence of life-change, but the natural result of being born again and abiding in Him.
 
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  –2Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)