If I may add. Using Paul’s words
A work is something we can boast EPH 2 and romans 4
A work is something we do to earn a wage romans 4
If we are doing something to earn or maintain a wage/reward. We are not receiving grace Gift but trying to earn a wage
A work
OF THE LAW, not ANY work.
That is what he is addressing.
The Jews thought a person is justified by keeping the law.
He's telling them, no, a person is justified by believing God through faith--just as Abraham was justified.
Both represent something you do.
One thing you do does not justify, while the other thing you do does.
This is not about doing something to be justified vs. not doing
anything at all to be justified, requiring the work of believing to be done by God or else we'd be guilty of serving a works gospel.
I know this is not your doctrine. I know this is a doctrine of the church that you have been taught. The same church that has taught us that you give all your tithe away. Oblivious to the plain words of scripture that say you
eat your own tithe two out of every three years and only give it all away in the 3rd. Yet, we continue in this thinking that the church surely has to be right about this matter and all matters of the faith and can not be wrong.