Even among non-Christians who have some level of genuine seeking after God where they're seeking some sort of answers to eternal questions, they tend to pretty much 100% of the time default to trying to find a way to be worthy of God, and what's where they need the gospel. They to understand that there is nothing they can do to be worthy of God. They can merit nothing before God. They can do no favors for God, because God needs nor wants anything from them. Instead, what they must do is submit themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ and believe the gospel and through salvation in Christ, then they are saved, not because they've earned any merits but because of God's grace. Now as someone who is in Christ, they begin pursuing sanctification, Christ-likeness. Yes, this is pleasing to God, it does not earn salvation, but it is pleasing to the Lord, and it is our call.