For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.     Eph. 2:10

Ian Packer makes a good point in the classic Knowing God that the purpose for God’s saving grace is not only for our justification and reconciliation to Him, but to equip us for living the kind of life that God intended us to live, full of good works, useful to Him.  It is our gratitude that motivates us to live like this.

. . . our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.        Titus 2:14

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;  and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.      2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Therefore, if a man’s cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.     2 Timothy 2:21