The just shall live by grace/faith

As impossible as it is to *enter the kingdom of God by our efforts, it is equally impossible to ** live out the life God calls us to by our efforts/will power i.e. To love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as our self is impossible unaided.

* "... who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." - John an apostle of Jesus Joh 1:13

** "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." -Jesus to his 12 disciples at the last supper. Joh 15:4-5

We cannot will ourselves to be different, we can only choose to believe or not believe; trust or not trust God. Belief versus unbelief is the work we are responsible for not right behavior over wrong behavior.

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

God drives change in behavior we don't i.e. choosing to believe God results in right (changed) behavior.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Phil 2:12-13

"...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy..." 

What is it we must believe? What is the nature of abiding? 

"As the Father has loved me, so (in the very same way) have I loved you. Abide (choose to continuously believe or stand in the assurance of) in my love." - Jesus to his 12 disciples at the last supper. Jesus Joh 15:9

To recognize/believe/fully accept that in Christ *we are loved in the same manner (constantly) and to the same degree (infinitely) the Father loves his Son as proven in Christ giving himself sacrificially for us.  

Can there be any greater love?! This is the very same love with which we are loved if you are Gods child no matter what we hear, experience or think. Let God be true and every man a liar -- which includes ourselves. 

When we truly believe we are loved in this way (and do not lose sight of this i.e. we abide/remain steadfast in believing this) it changes everything; our outlook on all of life, our view of ourselves, others and how we treat them i.e. our behavior/actions. 

For a further discussion on how the righteous live by faith, click here.

For a further discussion on the anatomy of motivation, click here. 

For a further discussion on how faith is hard work click here

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*Some argue if God fully loves me right here and now, regardless of what we do, say, feel, or experience, why does how I live matter i.e. why should I live righteously? 

God loves us too much to let us live contrary to his perfect design i.e. living righteously matters, not to gain God's love since we fully have it in Christ, but so we might experience His love in all its fullness. 

Our experiencing all that God is and has for us is conditioned on obedience.

 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:21,23

The above passages show that the manifestation of Christ's love for us and experiencing His and the Father's presence is contingent on our faithful pursuit (obedience) of Him. 

It also matters because living in obedience to God honors him. When we truly understand how God has honored us and values us by what He did for us in and through Christ, we will want to live for God and bring Him glory. If we do not desire to live for Him we do not yet understand what He did for us. So focus on Christ, double redouble your efforts to accomplish a list of deeds.