Should those who have faith in Christ seek their salvation through their own works, or anywhere else?
No, they should not, as everything necessary to salvation is found in Christ. To seek salvation through good works is a denial that Christ is the only Redeemer and Savior.
(New City Catechism)
Understand:
the chasm is too wide, the gap
too vast for any Good to bridge.
All vain
attempts to straddle death with works,
however beautiful, are only
puddles
in an infinite sea.
And know this:
all the ladder-clambering to
which the dying soul will turn
cannot
ascend the smallest rung,
can only slip, and slander grace
which lifts
the sinner from her knees.
And nothing
in our best attempts, our finest deeds,
our kindest actions, whitest fleece,
can near
the width of grace’s arms which span
the heavens and the earth to take
our filth
into its cleansing grip.
The Consolations of Writing 