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The New Testament is very clear in its teaching that we are justified by grace through faith, not by works. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5, 6).

This does not mean that our salvation is one of "cheap grace." Although we receive it as a free gift, if we receive it at all, it is infinitely costly. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,…but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (John 4:10). The Lord Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, suffered all the desolation of hell itself when He died on the cross, taking the punishment which each man deserves to receive for His own sins, thus bearing "our sins in His own body on the tree" (I Peter 2:24).
Since He has paid the price of our redemption, we may obtain full forgiveness and eternal salvation simply by receiving Him through personal repentance and faith. When an individual thus opens his heart of Christ, the Holy Spirit enters his life and he is "born again" to a new life. " If any man be in Christ, he is new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).
His entire attitude and motivation are changed. He desire to live in a way that will honour the Lord Jesus and draw others to Him, in thankfulness for Christ's love and sacrifice for him. "The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if…He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again" (II Corinthians 5:14-15).
The true Christian is thus indeed free to live as he pleases, but he will please to live for Christ! Although he may at times fail the Lord in Various ways, the real motivation of his life will be, not to please himself, but to please the Lord. This must be so, because he has been regenerated by the Spirit of God. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me"(Galatians 2:20). If his motivation is still basically self-centered, there is no real evidence that he has been truly converted. Such persons should sincerely "examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves" (II Corinthians 13:5).
The genuine Christian seeks to live a life pleasing to God, not in order to be saved, or in order to keep saved, but because he is saved! His life is, therefore, a life of true thanksgiving to his Saviour.