Let's take a look at a portion of the broader context for Ephesians 2
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ —by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—
9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Now that, as in just about any other place within NT texts one cares to examine, does not hint of some order as towards ; proper works equals or is ""necessary" to proceed one's salvation, or even to keep it...but instead, that "works" more shall be as product (and witness of) that salvation which has been already established.
Perhaps you should study the Reformers in closer detail (and try this time to actually HEAR them) along with some of the modern theologians following roughly in their footsteps, before again popping off at the mouth about alleged "heresy" which as you put it; prevents the salvation of the Protestant Christians... for it is not that they are guilty of "fragmenting" the Gospel as you say, but that they do put the operating principles in better order(!)
One can never do enough "good works" to save oneself. Not now, just as at the beginning of one's renewed relationship with God (say--prior to and then immediately after baptism) nor in times later (like- now) shall some demand for "works" be as some form of continuing performance bond which by "works" or by letter must be fulfilled.
We will either love Him, or we won't. What earthly good can any law ever be as towards love?
With the prior objections to "works" being necessary for salvation being as much as to what the definitions themselves of what those "works" may be, other than what can be seen plainly enough in scripture, discernible both there, and by the Spirit -- and more simply by love, written not in capital letters, but even in the smallest and gentlest of things...
From James 3
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Continuing in the faith however, shall be The Way for "good works" to at all come about, even to the recognition of what those may be in order that we may see well enough to know what the "good works" are, so that we may do them.
From Matthew 23
From John 13
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”
11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Ironically, for all Catholics spew about doing good works in addition to faith to earn salvation, that still doesn’t leave non-Catholic Christians out in the cold as anyone who has true faith WILL have good works.
We don’t add them to our intellectual assent in the vain thinking that intellectual assent + good works = saving faith.
Anyone with true saving faith has died to self and is a new creature in Christ, has the Holy Spirit living in them to will and to do according to God’s good pleasure.
*Good works* naturally flow from the life of the believer as the result and evidence of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Without quibbling with the modernistic translation, yeah, when something is to be our way of life, that means necessary. In verse 9, it is grace, not salvation that is not a result of works, and indeed, by grace alone we are saved.
you should study the Reformers
Good grief, for what? I am interested int he Church Christ founded, not in inventions of some German semiliterate monks 1500 years later. No sale, thanks. I know enough of Protestant phony theology to despise it.
One can never do enough "good works" to save oneself
No one says we can. By we should "walk in them" nonetheless through faith, and by Grace, we may obtain salvation if we do.
We will either love Him, or we won't.
Right. We love -- we do works of love. We don't -- we invent "sola fide" theologies instead.
Continuing in the faith however, shall be The Way for "good works" to at all come about
That is roughly accurate:
with fear and trembling work out your salvation. For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will. (Phil. 2:12-13)
But why then do you contradict this by insisting that works are not necessary? God is not going to ask you anything unnecessary.
I am happy though you now appear to understand the distinction between salvific good works and sundry ceremonial, boastful, for-wages works of certain Pauline passages in Galatians and the Romans.