When I was a judaizer I used this argument too, its a poor argument.
I will quote
@mailmandan from the first page of this thread, he said:
So its not by those works, but these works. You see that?
I believe a better explanation WOULD be, the next verse! Which states:
Eph 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.
So here is how I see it laid out: MY HUMBLE OPINION:
God has saved us by grace through faith, and its not of ourselves but its a GIFT given by God, and because its a gift we cant boast about it, NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT, since its not of yourself, we are dead in trespasses and sins until GOD steps in! And now that God has saved us, we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them...
First part: Justification, immediate.
Second part: Sanctification, ongoing until the day we go to be with the Lord, or until the Lord comes back one of these days!