Do works save us?

Interesting question. Simple answer is No. If they did we could have worked out our own salvation. There would be no need for Christ then.
Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us we are saved by grace through faith not by works lest we boast'.
Not what we do but what Christ has done for us saves us. vs 10 tells us that our good works are a result of being saved. They are a reult of us being in Christ. They do not put us in Christ. What about the works we do after we are in Christ. Do they save us? No. Works we do before we are in Christ and after we are in Christ are not differentiated in Eph 2:8-10. The need to be saved only shows us that we arent saved in the first place.
What about the Paul - James controversy. One seems to says we are justified by faith and not by works (Paul) and the other seems to say 'we are justified by our works'. Here context gives us the answer. Paul is talking about how an unsaved person can be saved by his faith in Christ and not by works (anything he does), before God. James on the other hand is talking in the context of 'you show me your faith without works and i will show you my faith with works'. He is talking about how true faith demonstrates itself to others(humans not God) through good works. The catch is no one can show their faith to other humans without their works. The demons believe but the arent obedient. True saving faith is always obedient and does the works. Thats how Abrahams faith was justified(faith was declared to be true) before us by his works. He was already justified(considered righteous) by God so there was no need for him to be justified again. Unless, however, justification happens at each and every point in ones life. But this isnt the case. Rom 3:24 - 'being justified' - in present continuous. We are being justified by our faith in Christ. If works truly save us then Abraham, since he never sacrificed Issac could never have been justified (considered righteous).
People who say it is their works/obedience that saves us havent truly understood what the gospel is about. They are the ones who believe a false gospel and hence arent saved.
If good works were required 'to be saved' after one is in Christ then why would Paul ask in Romans 6, 'shall we sin because we are under grace'. This question should never have come up.