I get sick and tired of people discussing works as if they are something we did. They aren't. They are something that God prepared for us. If we are performing works outside of God's personal intimate instruction which He imparts to us, then they are done in vain. But if we are walking in the works that He prepared for us in advance, then we are simply being obedient in the things He has given us to do. All credit and glory goes to Him.
"Done in God", belief is surrender so Christ acts through us as you say. That's the battle Paul describes when he says, "For I do not that good which I will; but the evil which I hate, that I do.", the battle to surrender the will of the flesh that wants to call the shots.
Christ manifests His presence by doing His works through us, not by us doing what we think is good.
I think that's where a lot of people go down a rabbit hole when the refuse to accept that faith without works is dead. They don't undersatand and don't want to understand that works are done through us rather than by us because they want to claim ownership of and take pride in the works they may do. Likewise, people who point to "their" works as proof of their relationship with Christ are pointing to an indication of their own failure to surrender, the claim of ownership of the good they do.
We can only know people by their fruits because the fruits of Christ indwelling are fruits the person doing His will doesn't claim ownership of but glorifies God for doing through such a feeble instrument. We should long to have Christ work through us but constantly on guard against letting the inborn human desire to be in charge leading us down a path that seems right to us but isn't the Path Christ wants us to follow.
AMEN!!!!!
Amen and Amen! Let those who would take credit to themselves or some organization take heed.