One should regard the work of a Christian who has been justified through faith by the pure grace of God no differently than the way Adam and Eve pursued good works when they were in paradise. As it is described in Genesis 2:15, God placed these two created human beings into paradise for them to take care of it. Adam and Eve were righteous and created by God without sin. They had no need to become righteous and justified by taking care of the garden. However, to keep them busy, God put them to work planting, building, and preserving paradise. These were good works done to please God alone and not to obtain righteousness. Adam and Eve already possessed righteousness (which, had they not fallen into sin, would have been ours by nature as well).
It is the same with the work of the believer, who, through faith, is once again put in paradise and created anew. Such a person does not need to do work to become righteous. They do it only to please God in their freedom as a Christian.
From "The Freedom of the Christian," translated and edited by Adam Francisco, pages 19-20
