Kyle, thanks for clarifying. I personally cannot accept this distinction as I believe it is an artificial one necessitated by your beliefs. But I appreciate your being willing to clarify your belief. I will just add, the passage especially used by many (Eph 2:1-9) is in the language of being made alive. John 20:31 only speaks of receiving "life" through his name. Nothing of "eternal life" as such. Just life. Compare this with Paul's words concerning being "made alive" (AV quickened). The simple truth is we receive life through believing the gospel, and in no other way or sense.

Besides this, we are said to have "new life" when we are baptised into the Lord's death and raised with him to walk "in newness of life" Romans 6:4. As we have seen from Colossians 2:12, this raising (for it is speaking of the same one) is by "through faith in the working of God" (NKJV).

There is no newness of life until we are first baptised into his death Romans 6:3,4.

ZS