There is a huge difference between "you didn't earn your salvation" and "salvation requires nothing of you".
Matthew 18
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Things changed after Jesus died, arose, and ascended. Jesus' ministry was to Israel only. When a Canaanite woman asked for healing Jesus told her he was there only for Israel. Of course she was persistant in her request and he later relented and healed her (Matt 15:22-28). When Jesus sent out the 12 apostles he told them to go only to Israel, avoiding the Gentiles. Ephesians speak about this time period:
Eph 2:12,
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Gentiles had no hope of salvation until after the day of Pentecost. Acts 10 records the first Gentiles to partake of God's grace. It created quite a stir among the early church leaders. Apparently, the Jews were no longer God's only chosen people as they were in the OT., including the Gospels. Technically, the Gospels are still OT. It was man, not God, who put "The New Testament" in bold red letters in from of Matthew. They would fit much better in front of Acts.
In addition, when Jesus was here the law was still in effect. The law didn't end until the Pentecost when grace, not law, became the deciding factor in salvation.
The bottom line is that everything Jesus said in the Gospels was meant for Israel during the age of law. With the revelation God gave to Paul and the others who wrote AFTER the day of Pentecost, we are now saved by grace.
We are born again of
Incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23). There is no indication in the Epistles that the incorruptible seed can become corruptible. You have your earthy father's seed in you and that makes you his son no matter what you do with your life. That seed is corruptible but even it can't be lost. Once a son, always a son.
We are God's workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus, (Eph 2:10). We are not our own workmanship. I'd be hesitant to think I can dis-annul that which God created.
It's important to know to whom God is speaking (Jew, Gentile, or Church of God, 1 Cor 10:32) and when He speaks. Again, things changed when Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross. Read the first few verses of Paul's letters and you will notice they are written to the church. It's important to not get your mail mixed up with your neighbor's mail.
Is this a license to sin? No! The more a son or daughter of God understands His grace, the less we will
want to disobey Him. Our behavior will be governed by our own sincere desire to please Him, not a fear of spending eternity suffering in hell. Of course, we often fall short, but God understands our flesh and grace is the covering for those sins. Read Romans 7 to see the battle between our flesh and spirit. The new birth has no effect on the flesh. It's as rotten as it was before salvation.
You might give Galatians chapter 3 a read also.
Gal 3:1-3,
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
This may go against long held belilef, but there it is in simple to understand English.