God gives us Gospel freedom when He saves us. We’re saved because of Jesus. Sadly our own natures will always want to work to earn what can only be received as a gift.
If there is a place for ‘works’ in the Christian life it is the effort to stop trying to live as if our staying saved depends on our works.
Jared Wilson explores Galatians 2:17:
Galatians 2:17 is the five finger exploding heart death punch of Galatians 2:
“But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!”
The gospel bids us strive to stop striving.
Because it takes conscious effort to orient our stubborn selves around the gospel. Our flesh yearns for works, for the merits of self-righteousness, so it’s hard work to make ourselves rest in the finished work of Christ. It is a daily work, the labor of crucifying the flesh, taking up the cross, and faithfully following he who has finished the labor.
Read the whole post here.
And from ‘It’s A Beautiful Gospel’:
The following comes from Dr. Philip Ryken’s Galatians: Reformed Expository Commentary:
Galatians is a letter for recovering Pharisees…. The Pharisees were hypocrites because they thought that what God would do for them depended on what they did for God. So they read their Bibles, prayed, tithed, and kept the Sabbath as if their salvation depended on it. What they failed to understand is that God’s grace cannot be earned; it only comes free.
mgpcpastor's blog 
Hi Gary,
I think your fourth sentence could be better expressed. The Bible tells us (among other things) that we have been created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). So while (I think) I understand your point, there must be a place for works in the Christian life.
cheers,
Caroline
Agreed.
Works are a product of salvation.
James chapter 2 helps us see that without them a claim to faith is questionable (to say the least).
Problems emerge if we come to think of the good works which God prepared in advance for us to do as being reasons why God looks upon us with favour or provides particular blessings for us.