And we are still waiting for you to show us how Ephesians 2 harmonizes with your view. Does that make us even yet? Or are we still winning?
Ephesians 2:4-9
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 1:4 says,
"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."
So your slant on justifying that you can sin while under God's grace using Ephesians 2:4-9 is already destroyed when reading the beginning of Ephesians.
Also, it is not a coincidence that you left out verses 2-3. Ephesians 2:2-3 talk about how we were once in times past we were sinners (fulfilling the desires of the flesh). In other words, sin is a part of our old life and not our new life. Also, Ephesians 2:1 also says that we have been quickened. So Ephesians 2 is primarily talking about "Initial Salvation." For being quickened is a one time event. To be quickened means to be born again spiritually (Which can happen when we first seek forgiveness with the Lord). In fact, Ephesians 3:17 says, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love," (Which is a general call to all that a person needs to accept Christ, i.e. "Initial Salvation").
As for Ephesians 2:4-9: Well, you conveniently left out the word "quickened" in Ephesians 2:5. Seeing you did not provide the whole passage, I decided to re-quote Ephesians 2:4-9 from the actual King James in it's entirety as a part of my commentary to you below (Including Ephesians 2:10 as a bonus).
The Bible said:
Ephesians 2:4-5
4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; )
Verse 4 is talking about God's love from since the time of when the salvation of Christ appeared to all; For "
God is rich in mercy" in the fact that He died upon the cross (paying the penalty for our sins - God's grace and mercy), and as a result: He is able to forgive us of our sins (mercy) when we first come to Him by seeking His forgiveness and or by seeking salvation from our sins by believing in Jesus as our Savior (Whereby we would want to follow Him and turn from sin). "
His great love that he has loved us" was from eternity's past until now and forever. This love can be found in the Son and in accepting Him as our Savior. Verse 5: "
Even when we were dead in our sins," as a part of our old life, God quickens us together with Christ when we come to him in faith (For Ephesians 2:8, says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith;"). For by grace are we saved. This is how our faith begins and this is the foundation of our faith. In fact, if we were to sin again, we do not do a good work to get clean, or forgiven, but we go to God's grace (See 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 2:1). Hence, why we are not saved by "Works Alone." We are initially and ultimately saved by God's grace.
The Bible said:
Ephesians 2:6
6 "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
First, even though we are in Ephesians 2:6 here, it needs to first be pointed out what the identity of the gift actually is in Ephesians 2:8.
Some Calvinists think that the gift being given in Ephesians 2:8 is faith. Some will say the gift is "grace," and while that is true, grace is not some magical super power or force that is titled "salvation." Grace is a person named Jesus Christ. For Jesus was full of grace and truth (See John 1:14). So Jesus is the gift here. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.... (John 3:16). Thank God for His unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15). This gift is Jesus.
Second, I see three possibilities on what Ephesians 2:6 is saying.
Possibility #1.
Hebrews 1:3 says,
"...when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
In John 17:21, Jesus says to the Father in prayer,
"... that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20).
In other words, when we accept Christ (who is our gift of salvation), we accept what He has already done for us in Heavenly realms long ago. While we were not born into the universe yet when Christ died for our sins, He paid for all of mankind's sins on a provisional basis. He became the propitiation for all the world's sins (See 1 John 2:1; Note: Only those of the world who are an exception to the rule on this are those individuals who will one day worship the beast in the future - See Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8). He made all of mankind to be raised up and to sit in Heavenly realms provisionally (and not in actual reality of all of humanity sitting with Him in heavenly realms). Jesus was doing this on our behalf as a part of the Atonement. Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended to Heaven, and He sat on the right hand of God. For remember, although Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, that does not mean everyone is forgiven as Universalists claim. This forgiveness is conditioned upon faith. So when Jesus died for all of mankind's sins, it was a downpayment or provision included in receiving Him as a part of salvation or with us receiving Jesus as our gift through faith. For Ephesians 1:4 says He has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. The debt was paid beforehand and faith needs to be the thing added to our life in order for the sacrifice to be applied to us. But what does faith look like? Is it static or active? Is it just a belief alone or does faith also go hand in hand with good works, too?
Possibility #2.
Ephesians 2:6 is saying that we were raised up together with Christ when became born again ("quickened"), and now because Christ abides in us we are connected to Christ, and because Christ sits up in Heavenly places at the right hand of God, in a sense, all us true believers are seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, too; This is made possible by faith in trusting in Jesus as our Savior. Jesus is the head of the body of Christ.
Possibility #3.
Ephesians 2:6 is prophetic and it is talking about the Rapture in how in God's mind or prophetic vision of what is to come: He can already see it as done. In this context, God has already raised us up together and we are all seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus already. This is only possible by His mercy and grace (Which is through faith in Him as our Savior). Our names are added to the book of life when we believe. It's if we are now in a manner of speaking in Heavenly places because God already sees that reality for us with our current present faith. This plays into verse 7.
The Bible said:
Ephesians 2:7
"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
This one is pretty self explanatory. In the future (that is to come), Jesus will show believers the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Meaning, that we deserved death for our sins, but we will see how Jesus was able to forgive us when we sought out his forgiveness. We will be able to see all the times He forgive us when we confess and when we are truly sorrow towards Him over what we have done.
The Bible said:
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
So it is by God's grace, who is a person named Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, by which we are saved by the vehicle of faith. We are saved by His mercy when we first come to Him and we are saved by His mercy if we were to stumble (on occasion) in the fact that we seek forgiveness with Him by faith. This is not something that is of ourselves that we can take credit for here. This is God's grace. It can cleanse us. Both when we first come to Him and if we ever were to stumble on occasion. It is a gift of God. Jesus. He is that gift. For by Jesus we can seek out His forgiveness and be reconciled by what He has done for us with His death and resurrection.
This Jesus who is grace and the gift is what saves us ultimately and it is not of our works alone. For if salvation was by works alone, then a man could boast. So salvation is not by Works Alone so that any man should boast.
The Bible said:
Ephesians 2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Works of faith (and not "Works Alone Salvationism" that does not include God's grace) is what takes place after we accept the Lord as our Savior for salvation. We are Christ's workmanship. We are His masterpiece. We are created anew by being born again spiritually after we sought out forgiveness of our sins with the Lord Jesus. We are given a new heart with new desires. Also, Jesus lives in us and does the good work, as well (See John 15:5). This is how we are able to be created unto good works. With a regenerated new born again spirit and with Jesus living in us, we can do good works which God has ordained (pre-arranged before this world was formed) that we should walk in these good works. The word "should" is used here. Saying of the necessity and importance of these good works that are to follow one's faith in the Lord for salvation.
But Ephesians 2 is primarily focuses on our initial or ultimate salvation (See Ephesians 2:11-18), and not on our Sanctification or the works that must follow. Verse 10 is merely a quick point of what needs to happen after we are saved by God's grace (Jesus). Nothing in Ephesians 2 is clearly mentioned about Sanctification (or living holy) as a part of our salvation because it's focus is fighting against Works Alone Salvationism. However, we know by other verses in the Bible that Sanctification is a part of our salvation (See 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Even Jesus said if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). Hebrews 5:9 says that Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. So Scripture has to be read as a whole and we cannot isolate verses so as to justify a wrong belief (Especially when that belief is immoral).
I think I need to avoid you from now on. Keep bearing that overly ripe fruit.
