Zane Hodges - Good Works and Our Assurance

Of course, there is every reason to believe that there will be good works in the life of each believer in Christ. The idea that one may believe in Him and live for years totally unaffected by the amazing miracle of regeneration, or by the instruction and/or discipline of God his heavenly Father, is a fantastic notion-even bizarre. We reject it categorically.
But this is not at all the point. The issue here is assurance. And with this, works can play no decisive role whatsoever.
We should have known this fact all along. After all, did not the Apostle Paul write:

But to him who does not work (italics added) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. . . (Rom 4:5)

http://www.faithalone.org/news/y1993/93march1.html