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note what Ephesians 2:8-9 does say "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."

"Have been" i.e. the perfect tense, which denotes a past, completed action.

the kind of salvation Paul is discussing in Ephesians 2:8-9 is initial salvation

. It is the kind which we received when we first came to God and were justified, not the kind of salvation we are now receiving (cf. 1 Peter 1:8-9 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

, Phil. 2:12 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

) or the kind we will one day receive (cf. Rom. 13:11 The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed

, 1 Cor. 3:15 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the fla

mes., 5:5).

You do not have to do good works in order to come to God and be justified.

The Council of Trent states: “We are said to be justified by grace because nothing that precedes justification, whether faith or works, merits the grace of justification.

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And note that Paul means WORKS OF THE LAW

His point is to stress that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the Mosaic Law. Jews have no ability to boast in front of Gentiles of having a privileged relationship with God because they keep the Mosaic Law and its requirement of circumcision (cf. Romans 2:6-11, 17-21, 25-29, 3:21-22, 27-30).