I probably shouldn't post in this, since I'll get sucked in and most likely won't surface for a while, but oh well. I like religious discussions.
So how does a single person born about 2000 years afterward have the right to change GOD's word?
You're implying that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. He didn't. He translated the writings of other prophets, prophets who lived before, at, and after the time of Christ. The time frame of the BoM is 600 BCE/BC - 400 CE/AD.
Also, I need to mention that the book doesn't CHANGE the word of God. God's word stays the same. All that changes is what he chooses to reveal to us. But that doesn't matter for this discussion. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, one that proves the truth of the Bible. It doesn't discredit it, nor should the BoM be used WITHOUT the Bible. They go hand in hand.
The accounts of Jesus Christ are written by multiple witnesses. Any error would be corrected by those who witnessed Jesus' resurrection.
Technically, no mortal really WITNESSED Christ's resurrection. They witnessed him AFTER the resurrection. Not the resurrection itself. So therefore, Christ's apostles who saw Christ in the flesh after the crucifixion are just as reliable as those "other sheep" who Christ said that he needed to visit. The people in the America's (who the Book of Mormon tells the story of) are some of those "other sheep."
Life is not about good works. It is only through trust in Jesus that we are saved. He has restored our relationship with GOD by becoming one of us and paying for all of our sins. It is because of what he did for us is why we do good deeds, out of love and gratitude so that those who see the kindness in our hearts may believe.
The good works thing--what Skar said. I was going to use James 2 as well.
Christ atoned for our sins, yes, but whether we allow that Atonement to work in our lives is our choice. If we ask for His help, and we repent of our sins truly, asking for forgiveness, then the Atonement will work for us. BUT we can't commit that sin again. Odds are we will, since we're human, but then we'll just have to ask for further forgiveness. The goal is to overcome our sins and weaknesses.
1 Corinthians 10:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
(that may or may not be completely accurate. It was from memory as I'm too lazy to look it up online)
That scripture isn't just about trials. It's also about (among other things) the weaknesses that we're given to work through in life. There are ways to overcome them. By overcoming them, we become better people. Better people do good works. I believe this is more what the "good works" in "salvation comes through faith in Christ and good works" is referring to. I could be wrong, but that's the way I see it.