No. The truth is that humans are saved by simple faith in Christ (His sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection wherein His righteousness is credited to the believer's account). Plus nothing. Minus nothing. This faith qualifies as true saving faith. Works are not a necessary proof to God for salvation, and He sees faith with or without works.
Many contend that good works are not the requirement of salvation, but the result or proof of salvation. That is tricky, because it is a way to get works involved into the plan of salvation. It sounds great at first, but there are some obvious issues one needs to consider. Who is the judge of a faithful lifestyle in a believer? How long must one serve God to 'prove' his salvation? What kinds of works are considered good fruit that will prove one's salvation? How many? Is backsliding in the faith allowed? How long? There are no answers to these questions, and the list of questions don't stop there.
The aforementioned view is in fact aligned with the 'Perseverance of the Saints' point of Calvinism --- every saved person will live a holy life until they die, because the only reason they're saved is because God chose them, and God saves His elect in such a way that they must produce fruit. However, people who condone this view mix the requirements of salvation and discipleship, and as a result measure a person's being saved by some kind of performance test or fruit. When one has faith in Christ he becomes a new creature. However, believers are not always able to detect the new birth within a person to be able to dogmatically label them as unsaved due to the process of growth. A believer can determine whether a person has fellowship with God based on his fruits, but not whether he is saved. His salvation solely depends on whether he has trusted in Christ as His savior.
As far as salvation and discipleship, they are not disconnected, but they are two different things. Every believer has a moral obligation to follow Christ and perform good works, but this is post-salvation and not a requirement to obtain or retain salvation. Salvation is His cross. Discipleship is my cross. Salvation is based on His work and will never fail. Discipleship depends upon my obedience to Him and is always in danger of failing. Salvation is receiving a gift from God. Discipleship is giving a gift to God --- my whole being. Salvation is by eternal life. Discipleship is by eternal rewards.
A believer that bears fruit and does good works represents the victory of the cross and what Christ's resurrection accomplished. A believer that does not bear fruit and wastes his life only represents what Christ died for. His not bearing fruit does not transform him into a nonbeliever nor does it void the reality of his faith in Christ, but it does mean loss of reward in heaven. Every believer's salvation is sealed by the Holy Spirit. The question is, how does one receive the Holy Spirit? The answer is simply by believing in Christ's work on the cross and personally receiving Christ as one's Savior.
The Bible says grace and works are polar opposites and cannot be mixed together. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, and is eternally secure. Performing good works is the benefit of one's salvation and the grace for one to live the Christian life. Yet, it is neither the evidence of one's faith nor the proof of one's salvation. Furthermore, the only good works that a believer performs are that of the Holy Spirit, who works within the believer to conform the believer to the image of Christ and cultivate spiritual maturity. The Holy Spirit manifests the works of God. Man does not.
If a believer's good works are required as an evidence of his salvation, then by definition getting to heaven is contingent upon the evidence of good works. Why? Because without the evidence of good works, there is no salvation. That is equivalent to saying that works are required to receive salvation.
