Works of man do not save. The Apostle Paul says that no one is capable of living by Christ’s principles apart from salvation. Paul said in his letter to the Romans that perfection is impossible.
“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:11-12).
Only through Jesus can we ever hope to achieve perfection. Because of God’s requirement that all who enter heaven be free from sin, it is essential that we allow Christ to be our guide.