Get to it.
That salvation is by grace through faith and is not by works (neither obtained or maintained by works) is not hard to understand. It's just hard for works-salvationists to ACCEPT.
Believers produce works BECAUSE they are saved and not in order to become saved or maintain their salvation status, which is through faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST ALONE.
We could never do enough work to maintain our salvation. That is type 2 works salvation. We could choose not to work at times, but never work at all demonstrates a lack of faith. All genuine believers are fruitful, but not all are equally fruitful.
Now you sound like a lawyer.
They have meaning in regards to rightly dividing the word of truth.
God did not use the man made word "Trinity" in the Bible, yet the word "Trinity"
accurately describes the Godhead. There is one God in essence/nature that eternally exist in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
How do deeds cause us to "keep" our salvation? Does Christ need to "add" our deeds to His finished work of redemption in order to help Him save us? NO. Christ's finished work of redemption is sufficient and complete to save believers. No supplements needed. (Romans 3:24-28) From beginning "have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) to end "receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9) salvation is by grace through faith and is NOT BY WORKS. If someone claims to have faith, yet produces NO works at all, then they demonstrate that they have a dead faith and not authentic faith, so there was nothing to keep or maintain. You are really hung up on type 2 works salvation.
In John 5:28-29, the good deeds of the redeemed (those who have done good) are not the basis of their salvation but the evidence of it. A person's conduct, whether good or evil, reveals the condition of his heart.
Doing good flows inescapably from a heart that is saved and doing evil flows equally inescapably from a heart that is unsaved, as I already explained to you in Romans 2:6-10. *Now notice that
ALL who come forth unto the resurrection of life (believers - vs. 24) are
described as those who have done good and
ALL that come forth unto the resurrection of damnation (unbelievers) are
described as those who have done evil.
What did Jesus say in John 3:18? - He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who
does not believe is condemned already..
Are believers described as "those who have done good" or those who have done evil?"
Are unbelievers described as those "who have done evil" or "those who have done good?"
In John 5:24, we read - "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me
has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." This is Jesus speaking...NOT ME.