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I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. And the Bible supports your opinion that actions/conduct are determinative of a person’s character.

Thus, it is stated in James 2:17-24:

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

I wonder how many of these verses the Mormonism Apologists would say are translated correctly? I think I'll bring in the big gun from Romans ...*

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [We strive for the edification of Mormons because darkness is so deadly yet can make a ‘doer‘ feel so ‘saintly‘]

Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [TD Jakes preached a very powerful sermon on this very topic recently! He illustrated with 'traveling baggage' the bags of pride, and sin, and responsibilities, etc. that folks tote around living in the flesh when they could drop it all and live in the Spirit. Christian living then becomes WORSHIP!... Worship, not striving for self righteousness to bring before God in a fleshly effort to be justified when He has already justified us by FAITH. His Faith, and our trusting in His Work.]
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [To understand how Mormonism ’minds the works of flesh' rather than the fruit of His Spirit, see also 1st Cor 2:14, Jude 19 ]
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [Striving onward resisting the 'do nots' anchors us down to the flesh and resisting the lusts thereof ... and that doesn't mean resisting porn as much as it means silly things like prohibition against drinking coffee isn't corrupting the spirit, but it certainly focuses one on the wrong stuff which leads to pride in self for resisting.]
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [Works done by man’s effort to please God are the flesh trying to justify self and are as filthy rags next to the Righteousness of Christ.]
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [Whose righteousness? Whose faith? Jesus! By His faith in His shed blood are we seen righteous before God, never by our works. Abraham believed God and it was counted for him righteousness ... trust in His blood activates HIS FAITH and His trustworthiness counts for us righteousness! Never by our works.]