The book of Ephesians was written to saved people. They happened to live at Ephesus, but they were already saved nonthesess.
EPHESIANS 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Keeping this in mind, it should be understood that the epistle to the Ephesians, is not about how to become saved. Instead, this epistle is a letter of encouragement, with some instruction on how to live in the grace of Jesus Christ. (See section 17).
In the Protestant American subculture, there are certain verses of scripture which are commonly presented as though they were formulas in–and–of–themselves on how to become saved. Some, like Romans 10:9,13 have already been discussed in this paper (in section 18). Another such scripture that is so commonly misused is:
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
EPHESIANS 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(Note: "Grace" and "mercy" are synonyms.)
This scripture simply doesn't attempt to address how a man can be born–again (i.e., saved). It is something of a restatement of:
ROMANS 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
...meaning that these saints of Ephesus had previously been saved even though they were unworthy of that salvation (and the same is true of any saved man today).
Now, let us take the time to place Ephesians 2:8-9 back into context. To the saved people at Ephesus, Paul wrote:
EPHESIANS 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
EPHESIANS 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
EPHESIANS 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
EPHESIANS 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
EPHESIANS 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
EPHESIANS 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
In other words:
"Before you met God, you used to be abominable in your practices—but God is merciful and compassionate...It is by God's mercy that you are saved by way of faith—and even that same faith is a gift of God anyway."
There are those who misuse Ephesians 2:8-9 as a pretext upon which to call others "legalistic." (Indeed there is such a thing as a valid complaint of legalism, but most of the time when that charge is laid today, it is false.) It seems as if these people never read the very next verse:
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.
According to this verse, we are God's creation (including our faith itself, according Ephesians 2:8). We are created unto good works (that is, we are created for the purposes of doing "good works")! And, God has ordained beforehand that we are to walk in good works, as well.
It is by grace (mercy) that we are saved, through faith. But Paul wrote this to people who were already saved (Ephesians 1:1).
JOHN 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
JOHN 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Being "born again" has been amply examined in section 3, above. Let's not forget that the word "water" actually means "water." If you will recall, it has been demonstrated in sections 3.1.1 and 3.1.2, that the word "water" means neither "spirit," nor "the water of childbirth." To be born of water (water baptism) does not take long—just a few seconds. But Jesus also said:
JOHN 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
To be "born of the Spirit" is forever. It is repentance, from such things described in Ephesians 2:1-5. It is faith. Concerning "born of the Spirit," Jesus said:
JOHN 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Likewise, just as only the evidence (or effect) of wind can be perceived (for wind cannot be seen—only heard and felt: and it moves leaves and branches around), so too, one's faith cannot be seen, only the evidence of that faith is visible.
Whereas it is true that we must be born of water, we must nevertheless be born of the spirit as well. If water baptism, done in faith as a response to the commandment (see 1 Peter 3:21 in section 21) takes only a few minutes to obey, what are we to do with the rest of our lives?
We are to live in faith. We are to walk in the spirit.