The saved are the only ones who can do works based upon their love for Christ. Why is it such a difficulty for you to see that salvation is by grace through faith and that true salvation produces good works? Further, why do people do works in your religion? Truthfully. Is it out of love for Christ or is it out of some feeling that they have to pay some debt or achieve salvation?
Protestants do not do works to achieve their salvation. We believe Christ already took care of that for us. Our works done for Christ are out of the pure motive of our love for Him and desire to please Him. He has done so much for us, how can we help but not want to serve Him?
The following statement is not an implication concerning the people on this thread. It is an anectdotal statement about what I've seen in Catholics in my own family's lives. They go to church because they think it is the thing they should do. My aunt began taking her children to church because she believed that they should be raised Catholic. They don't know a lick of Scripture. They go to confession, occasionally, because it is what they are supposed to do. They do like Mary a lot. And, they have a certain distant understanding and relationship with Jesus. When My aunt's mother died they had little prayer cards with Mary's picture on them. I think they even have a Mary statue in the yard somewhere. The kids went to Catholic school but had never heard John 3:16. I am surrounded by Catholics at work. Only one of them seems to be particularly devoted, maybe two. The rest go to church (when they go) because they think it is what they are supposed to do. They figure, well, if I don't get it exactly right, I'll spend a little purgatory time and then I 'hope' go to heaven.
To me this is sad. It is indicative of centuries of folks who missed the essence of Christianity. Christianity isn't about a God who admires our works but about a God who loves us even while we were yet sinners. It isnt' about a God who demands double jeopardy payment for our sins but one who marked our sin debt "paid in full." It is about a God who we serve not out of necessity mixed with love but out of love and thankfulness.
Incidentally, I think most Protestants are also in the same boat as my relatives. They go because its the thing to do. Maybe not to get saved, but because it is what we do. They miss out as well on the true essence of the Christian life.
Because the scripture does not teach that.