Paul says it quite clearly and I agree with him: We are saved by grace through faith
None of the choices given are complete:
(1) by God's free grace - It is enough to say "by grace" - when you add "free" I am suspicious you are adding your own ideas
(2) by faith alone in Christ's work - this leaves out the grace of God - Scripture never says it is by "faith alone"
(3) by faith proved outwardly by works of love - as in #2 this leaves out God's grace, plus adds that we must "prove" something - of course we will do works of love, but we do not do them to "prove" anything
(4-6) these are moving further from the truth and are becoming outright heresy
None of the choices given are complete:
(1) by God's free grace - It is enough to say "by grace" - when you add "free" I am suspicious you are adding your own ideas
(2) by faith alone in Christ's work - this leaves out the grace of God - Scripture never says it is by "faith alone"
(3) by faith proved outwardly by works of love - as in #2 this leaves out God's grace, plus adds that we must "prove" something - of course we will do works of love, but we do not do them to "prove" anything
(4-6) these are moving further from the truth and are becoming outright heresy
By grace...how? through the channel of faith so to speak. There is no merit in faith. Those who trust in faith to save them are trusting to a rope of sand, for faith is made perfect by works only...….and it is all of grace. There is never any merit in any works. There is no merit in the works of righteousness (good) works. All merit is of Christ, never is any attributable to man. The whole plan of salvation is of God.