Again you are creating a false dichotomy when there is no need to.
As explained to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 2: NASB
1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the bodya and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.b 4Butc God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Well, I am not in disagreement with Ephesians 2:1-10.
This is talking primarily about "
Initial Salvation" or the "
Foundation of our Salvation." Paul is saying in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are "
Initially Saved" and "
Ultimately Saved" by God's grace through faith. It is a gift and not of our own doing in this view. Why? Because gifts are received. Receiving a gift is a one time event; Or do you believe you keep receiving His gift over and over and over every day? In fact, a person can forfeit their gift by having a lack of being responsible with their gift. A person may receive a car as a free gift, but if they run red lights all the time, and they drive drunk 24/7, and or they hit pedestrians, they are not going to have their gift for too long. Paul is saying we are not saved by "
Works Alone" and nor were we saved by works alone when we first came to the faith (that did not include God's grace). In the book of Galatians, Romans, and Corinthians Paul talked about how we are not saved by going back to the Old Law to be saved through a person thinking they needed to be first circumcised in order to be right with God. Paul is saying in Ephesians 2:10 that works follow God's saving grace through faith. It's not the other way around. We do not put the cart before the horse otherwise salvation would be by works. or by "Works Alone" (without God's grace). For "Works Alone" (without God's grace) does not save. That is what he is saying here.
How do we know it is talking primarily about "Initial Salvation"?
Ephesians 2:1 - Christ quickened us (a one time event) when we were dead in trespasses and sins (Meaning when we first accepted Him of our own free will by His drawing or call, i.e. by "Prevenient Grace", the Lord transformed us spiritually and gave us a new heart with new desires).
Ephesians 2:2-3 talks about our old life of sin.
Ephesians 2:4-5 talks about how God saves us by His mercy when we used to be dead in trespasses and sins and it mentions again how God quickens us by Christ (a one time event).
Ephesians 3:17 says, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,"
So Paul is making a case that a believer needs to first have Christ dwell in their hearts by faith so that they can be rooted and grounded in love and this would not be by "Works Alone" as the root or ground for the basis of our faith. God's grace through faith and in seeking His mercy is what first saves and ultimately saves us. For if a believer sins again, do they do a good work to get saved again? No. If a believer commits a serious grievous sin like say.... "adultery" are they saved while doing this? No. They need to confess of this sin in order to be forgiven of this sin (See 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:1). Hence, why we are ultimately saved by God's grace and mercy. But this confession of sin is in view of forsaking sin and not a mere paying of lip service with no real change in one's life (See 1 John 1:7, Proverbs 28:13, Matthew 12:41, cf. Jonah 3:6-10).
Paul is not saying we are saved by God's grace no matter what we do. Paul tells us in the beginning of the chapter this:
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (Ephesians 1:4).
One is not living holy if they say they can sin and still be saved on some level and one is not living holy if their words can potentially lead others to falsely be misled into thinking they can sin and still be saved by a message that says we are not saved by works.
Paul said elsewhere we are saved by works (i.e. works of faith that comes after God's saving grace).
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8:13).
"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16).
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, "(1 Timothy 6:3-4).
Important Note: James says, "...God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:6).
“...God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (1 Corinthians 16:22).
Important Note: Jesus says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15). So if we are not loving in the way Jesus says by keeping His commandments (i.e. New Testament commandments and not the OT ceremonial laws, like observing the Saturday Sabbath, etc.), Paul is saying that we are accursed (or Anathema). For we cannot just love our own way. We have to love in the way that Jesus tells us to love Him; Otherwise we are just doing our own thing.
“For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:21-22).
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12).
“...And having become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end, everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22).
