the geneva catechism 4
123. By what means, the, are they made acceptable? It is by faith. That is to say, that a person is assured in his conscience that God will not examine him harshly, but covering his defects and impurities by the purity of Jesus Christ, He will regard him as perfect.
124. But can we say from this that a Christian man is justified by works after God has called him, or that through them he merits the love of God, and so obtains eternal life? No. On the contrary, it is said that no man living will be justified in His sight (Ps. 143:2). Therefore we have to pray that He will not enter into judgment with us, nor call us to account.
125. You do not mean therefore that the good works of believers are useless? No. For God promises to reward them fully, both in this world and in Paradise. But this comes from His gratuitous love toward us: moreover He buries all our faults, so as never to remember them.
126. But can we believe that we are justified, without doing good works? That is impossible. For to believe in Jesus Christ is to receive Him as He has given Himself to us. He promises not only to deliver us from death and restore us to favour with God His Father, through the merit of His innocence, but also to regenerate us by His Spirit, that we may be enabled to live in holiness.
127. Faith, then, not only does not make us careless of good works, but is the root from which they are produced. It is so, and for this reason, the doctrine of the Gospel is comprehended in these two points, faith and repentance.
128. What is repentance? Dissatisfaction with and a hatred of evil and a love good proceeding from the fear of God, and inducing us to mortify our flesh, so that we may be governed and led by the Holy Spirit, in the service of God.
129. But this second point we have mentioned concerning the Christian life. Yes, and we said that the true and legitimate service of God is to obey His will.