Why is it important not to mix faith and works in salvation?

The concern of mixing faith with works in the matter of salvation is highlighted in Galatians 5:4, where Paul warns that if we try to be justified by the law, we fall from grace. This is because the essence of the Gospel emphasizes that salvation is entirely a work of Christ, not contingent on our obedience or efforts. When we attempt to add anything to the sufficiency of Christ—such as circumcision or law-keeping—we dilute the power of grace and effectively claim that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient for our salvation. True faith is solely in what Christ has done, which allows us to live free from the bondage of law and self-righteousness.