works are not the goal

"Works are not the goal. If you have only works then you will have only the phoney fruit... It has all the appearance of the real fruit (good works that spring from humanism or selfish or legalistic motives look convincingly like the real thing), and it may convince others or fool even ourselves what fine people we are, but it doesn't fool the One who looks directly into our hearts, not for one moment. God looks at our being, not at our doing. The two need to be in harmony. ... To spend your time putting on a show may have short-term benefits, like making people think you are good, or it might save you the aggravation of having to deal with criticism or rejection from those you live alongside, but in the long term it will breed anger and resentment and emptiness. That's what going for works without faith will bring--a bitter harvest, and not the fruit of the Spirit."