By Grace Alone-Through Faith Alone!

This was the Cry of the Reformation; the theological point that Martin Luther said by which either The Church (as a whole, not just one congregation) stood strong or fell into apostasy.

All the false man-made religions of this world reveal that without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, sinners always think that they are generally good and can contribute something to their salvation. This way of thinking steals glory owed to God and makes Man a co-redeemer along with God. For if we could do even one thing to merit salvation then we are owed some of the credit. All false teachings & false belief systems except Historic Biblical Christianity encourage us to believe that we contribute to our salvation, even if they deceitfully declare that they don't.

It should be clear when reading Eph 2 that God owes us nothing but His just wrath (this is taught throughout Sacred Writ - Gen 6, Deut 7, Ps 51, Rom 1-3, James 2). But in case we missed all those points Paul lists it clearly here again, We bring nothing with us to our redemption, and that any good works we perform are not the basis of our Justification before God, instead it is the result of believers being Chosen and Gifted with our Salvation. 

Eph 2:8 
By Grace you have been Saved through Faith. And this is not of your own doing {work, will or ability}; it is the Gift of God. 

Grace, by definition, excludes any bit of merit which would contribute to our righteous standing before God, but faith, which declares our inability to help ourselves and relies wholly on another (our Christ Jesus) for salvation. This proves that our works have no power to to atone for our wickedness. John Calvin writes, "If, on the part of God, it is Grace alone, and if we bring nothing but Faith {which He gives us - we do not generate it ourselves} , this strips us of all commendations, it follows that salvation does not come from us."

Paul mentions in this Chapter (Eph 2) - Salvation, Grace and Faith. It is true that we are the ones who puts our faith into Christ, but Yahweh (God the Father, the great I-Am-Who-I-Am) gives us our faith and guarantees that we will exercise it unto salvation. If the Holy Spirit has changed our hearts, we will not refuse the call to trust in Christ. If He has Chosen to place His love & grace on us, then we will certainly believe - For all whom the Father has given to the Son must come to the Savior. (John 6, 10, 15)