God freely justifies the ungodly by grace through faith in the gospel of Christ.
It is not by our works (Titus 3:5). This is what makes it free and by grace (Rom 11:6). Our works are prohibited from salvation else it would not be of grace, but of debt (Rom 4:4).
For this reason many who trust the gospel of the grace of God stop doing any good works at all. They think grace is best preached by sinners proclaiming how God can save “wretches like me”.
While God’s grace is amazing and powerful to save the ungodly, it does something far greater than merely saving sinners: it changes sinners into saints.
By grace we are given a righteous position, even without earning it. Our job description has changed. God gives us something that we could never attain on our own.
“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” – Romans 6:18
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” – Phil 3:12
The power of grace is not magnified by ungodly behavior; it is best manifested when it motivates us to do right.
Be wary of those who would try to preach salvation by grace and then put you back under the weak and beggarly law system. The law has no power to make you righteous.
Neither does the law have any power to transform your flesh (Rom 8:3), or any dominion to threaten your soul (Rom 7:6).
Good works under grace are not done under duress of the law. They are done by the free choice of people who are now constrained by the love of Christ to do them.
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Grace takes men who would not do good works unless they were paid or threatened, and gives them a reason to do good works without law, threat, or reward. This is the power of grace.
Grace is what can change the world and change men.
First, they must hear the gospel of the grace of God. Then, those that believe should learn what grace says about doing good works.
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.”