I just answered this question in another forum--I'll reproduce it here. It answers the question by explaining this as a semantical problem. Mind you, this is a perennial problem, so you will have to focus....
The whole problem over "works" in Christian Salvation is a semantics problem. I don't think anybody would argue that one must *receive Christ* to be saved.
Someone may then say, No, we don't have to receive Christ or believe in Christ because that would then be a "work," and we can't do a "work" to be saved! But Jesus did say there is a "work" we must do to be saved, and it is a different class of "work" that doesn't actually "earn" Salvation, but still is a prerequisite for Salvation, and that is to believe in him.
Clearly, "works" of this kind are required in both the Law and the Gospel. A person must agree to be under the Covenant of Law and then do the works of the Law to benefit from the forgiveness made available under the Law. And in the Gospel, one must believe in Christ and then obey Christ to enjoy the benefits of Salvation. These are necessary prerequisites, and have nothing to do with "earning" something in the sense of "paying for it."
The atonement of Christ was a "payment" that only Christ could provide. But there is still prerequisites for our coming to enjoy the benefits of that atonement. When we receive Christ we don't just say "Yes," and then go our own way. To say "yes" to Christ is to actually choose to follow him, showing that by our obedience to his commands.
But the Law and the Gospel are two separate systems, and we should not confuse them. Both the Law and the Gospel are moral systems, and have required a similar morality, as well as the same spirit, from each system. Both systems have required moral works.
However, the Law required that morality be joined to a single covenant system we call the Law, replete with temple, priesthood, and sacrificial system. It was purification accomplished by sinful Israel, sanctified by God's word. However, this system was intended to bless only in this life, and could neither completely purify from sin (legally) nor promise life in eternity.
On the other hand, morality was released from being under the Law in Christ's New Testament system. People are now required to be just and to love others, just as under the Law. But they are no longer required to live under a system of temple, priesthood, and sacrifice. They still have to be moral, but they do not have to live under 600 plus laws.
The NT system of Christ did not immediately correct the problem of our Sin Nature, nor did it immediately give us immortal bodies. But it did do the work of guaranteeing these things, which the Law could not do. Christ himself *paid* for them! We did not.
Christ's work was his alone, and was a unique kind of work, paying for our Salvation. This kind of work, or this "class" of work belonged to Christ alone. Our "work" was in a completely different category, simply meeting the conditions necessary to benefit from Christ's work.
If we truly claim to be under the Gospel system, we must meet the prerequisites of being there, which is to receive Christ and to live for him. This is *not* earning Salvation such as "paying" for it. Rather, it is a matter of meeting necessary conditions, which is a different kind of "work."
I will just add this one more thing, with respect to "imputation." What is imputed to us is *Christ's flawless record,* so that we qualify to enter into heaven *through him.* But this does not mean that there are no qualifications for obtaining this imputation.
In the same way we must receive Christ for our Salvation we must meet the conditions for his imputation of his flawless record to our own flawed record. We must receive him, which means that his righteousness is also *transferred* to us.
That way, not only his flawless record is imputed to us but his righteousness is actually benefiting us. Unless imputation brings righteousness to us, of what value really is it? If we say "Yes" to Christ we're agreeing to let him transfer his righteousness to us along with his spotless record so that we may qualify for heaven. We are not *paying* for it, but we are in fact choosing to *receive* it!
