Paul was clear; if one was to take a measure of their lives, their actions, attitudes, and focus–the result would be that each of us is deserving of death and separation from God. All have followed the ways of the world, desired the things of the world, believed the lies of the world and ultimately resembled the godlessness of the world. The great news is that Jesus death and resurrection was the ultimate gift and allowed and still allows men the grace to have a relationship with God.
It is by grace we are saved. It is our faith, not our works that save us. Ironically, that gift does affect our works. We want to honor God, we want to live a life worthy of the Gospel. We desire to follow him and complete the mission He has for our lives. The most wonderful part, however, is that the desire we have to please God is not a compulsion born out of fear, but, it is instead a longing based in love and devotion. We simply want to please God because He first loved us. We do not retire each night checking a scorecard of achievement. Instead, we rest in the faith that we are saved by His grace and are free to follow the Lord and complete the plan set out for us, through our faith in Christ Jesus. It is still a gift, and we are still “works in progress” but, His grace is sufficient to save us and complete the work.
God Bless You
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Walking With God 