[metmom]

Quite simply, since you are judged by your works (Matthew 25) you cannot be holy without them.

On the contrary, we can't be holy WITH them. All our righteousness is as filthy rags in God's sight.

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Our works will NEVER qualify us for heaven. That's why Christ had to die, so that His works could be credited to our account and we'd be the righteousness of God in Christ.

[Quix]

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

[annalex]

Our works will NEVER qualify us for heaven

Well, not works alone outside of the superabundant merit of Christ, correct. However, with Christ our righteousness does exceed that of the Pharisees, and we know that by examining the works of the law, which constituted pharisaic righteousness and comparing them with the good works demanded of us for our salvation by the Sermon on the Mount. With Christ, anyone is capable of feeding the hungry and sheltering the poor, -- we have a communion of saints in heaven filled with such people.

my yoke is sweet and my burden light. (Matthew 11:30)