Bill,
Works is not an easy concept to grasp.
You cannot deny that Jesus said to do works. Mathew 5 and 25.
What you say in your very last paragraph up above IS the Law.
He doesn't show us HOW to keep the Law. He tells us what He would like us to do for Him.
Whatsoever you have done to the least of my brothers, you have done to me.
So we are TO DO. But it's WHY and HOW we do that makes the difference.
We cannot keep the standards. If we live by the Law, we will be judged by the Law.
Instead we keep the "love" of God. So we will be judged by His "love".
We love God and it's that love that makes us do what we're supposed to do. Most of the time.
And if we don't, Jesus covers for us.
We don't do things because we have to. But because we want to. And until God tells us to do them, we really cannot.
Some here might baptize members for their Church. That's a BIG work. The Holy Spirit tells us to do this type of work, so we can even hardly call it that --- but a name it must have.
Sometimes I feel like what people are saying is that once we're saved, we don't have to do anything.
I don't think this is what you mean??