The Jews always wanted to do works to be saved. This is why they asked this question to Jesus:

John 6 “²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” ²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.””

Working for the food that spoils was to trust in the Old Covenant. It’s because the food always spoils, and you need to keep working to get the blessing every day! Working for salvation is a dead end because the work never stops, and salvation is never attained !

Therefore Jesus Christ did all the work for us. He died on the cross to take away our sins. He rose from the dead to make us righteous!

The only “work” for us to do is believe in Jesus. Therefore it really means that it’s not our work, but to trust in His work!

This is why Paul said that we are saved without works, but by faith in Christ’s work!

Romans 4 “⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness….God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, is forgiven all sin and made righteous without works!