What do you mean by what now? So you are disregarding Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8 which clearly state that eternal life/salvation is a gift?
So you reject the clear teaching of scripture that eternal life/salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8) and in Romans 5:15-18, FREE GIFT is mentioned three times. *In Romans 3:24, we read that we are
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Distorting and perverting passages of scripture in an effort to pervert the gospel by teaching salvation by works is not how we properly look at the N.T. as a whole. How many CONDITIONS did Jesus set on salvation in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26?
In regards to Romans 8:24-25, this hope is not some "cross your fingers" hope I make it to heaven kind of hope. Unlike the english word "hope," the N.T. word contains no uncertainty; it speaks of something that is certain. - Strong's #1680 elpís (from elpō, "to anticipate, welcome") –
properly, expectation of what is sure (certain); hope. If we have saving faith then we have this hope.
Faith is the substance of things
HOPED for.. (Hebrews 11:1). So that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the
HOPE (expectation of what is sure/certain) of eternal life (Titus 3:7).
*You clearly exposed yourself here.* You said that we cannot claim the hope of salvation until we have
EARNED it!
Busted! Salvation by works.
There are 3 tenses to salvation, which often get mixed up by works-salvationists. 1. We have been saved from the PENALTY of sin (justification). 2. We are being saved from the POWER of sin (ongoing sanctification). We will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin (glorification). What takes place in the future is glorification (1 Peter 1:9) "receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls" which is not to be confused with justification (Romans 5:1) "having been justified by faith" - which is past tense, with ongoing present results.
Salvation is a GIFT (Romans 3:24; 5:15-18; 6:23;, Ephesians 2:8) that we FREELY ACCEPT, yet you turn salvation into a prize or reward (something we
work for and
earn) which is a clear case of salvation by works!