Catholics do you beleive that its faith plus works?

Question

Sorry but a piece of my question came off.

Adding works to faith as the grounds of justification is precisely the teaching that Paul condemned as "a different gospel" (see 2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6). It nullifies the grace of God, for if meritorious righteousness can be earned through the sacraments, "then Christ died needlessly" (Gal. 2:21). Any system that mingles works with grace, then, is "a different gospel" (Gal. 1:6), a distorted message that is anathematized (Gal. 1:9), not by a council of medieval bishops, but by the very Word of God that cannot be broken. In fact, it does not overstate the case to say that the Roman Catholic view on justification sets it apart as a wholly different religion than the true Christian faith, for it is antithetical to the simple gospel of grace.

Answer 1

2 Corinthians 11:4: "For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough."



Those who teach "faith alone" are teaching a different gospel. Jesus never taught that heresy, nor did any of his apostles. But here is what James said (2:24): "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."



Read the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25. It takes charitable work, not just faith, to stay in God's friendship. In addition, salvation requires baptism (Mark 16:16; John 3:5), self-renunciation (e.g., Matt 5:3, 10), repentance (Matt 3:2; 4:17; 18:8-9; Mark 9:42-48), obedience to God (e.g., Luke 10:25-28; Matt 19:17), adopting the humility of a child (Matt 18:3-4; 19:14), eating the bread of life (John 6:51, 53-54), and endurance to the end (Matt 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13, Luke 21:16-18).



You misread Paul, and you ignore Jesus. Your teaching is a caricature of Christianity.



Cheers,

Bruce

Answer 2

In short we are saved by the Grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. All we have to 'do' to get into heaven is hold fast in our faith.



Of course we define faith a little differently to many protestants. We believe that if someone has faith that they will do good works - for without works faith is dead (Jas 2). Does that mean that we believe these works contribute to our salvation? NO! As I said we are saved by the Grace of God and nothing else. This confuses many on the protestant side of Christianity who see catholic Christians (whether Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglo-Catholic or other) preaching that believers should do works - we don't preach works as a method of salvation - we preach them as being a part of our salvation, thats a big difference.

Answer 3

The catholic church teaches that God starts the salvation process but its takes the works of man to merit justification.



When James declared that faith without works is dead, he asserted that such faith cannot justify anyone because it is not alive. Living faith produces good works, but these good works are not the basis for justification. Only the merit achieved by Jesus Christ can justify the sinner

RC Sproul Essential Truths of the Christian Faith pg. 191 (paperback)

Answer 4

A. Many verses in Scripture attest to salvation by faith alone. Joel 2:32, "...that every one that shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Acts 2:21 says the same almost word for word, and likewise for Rom 10:13. "...I live in the faith of the Son of GOD...", is from Gal 2:20. Again, these are beautiful words that should be heeded by all.



B. However, elsewhere in Scripture there is quite a different side of the story. Start with Mt 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven shall enter the kingdom of Heaven." Very clear that you have to do the will of the Father to gain salvation. I like 1Cor 10:12, "...let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." That one says you cannot be guaranteed of salvation. Then James 2:14-26 says over and over, "...Faith too without works is dead...Faith without works is useless...so Faith also without works is dead." Again, words to be heeded by all.



C. So what is the answer to this dilemma? Is this one of those Bible 'conflicts' you keep hearing about? No, not at all. The answer is very simple. There are two types of salvation, 'objective salvation', and 'subjective salvation'. The verses in 'A' are examples of objective salvation. Jesus Christ did atone for all of our sins, past, present and future. He did His part and did it well, but He left the burden upon each one of us to complete the second side of the story by atoning for our own sins, by doing the will of the Father. We have to keep the commandments. We have to practice 'subjective salvation'. There is no salvation by accepting only part of Scripture as shown in 'A', and by rejecting, or trying to explain away the verses in 'B'. Yet this is what Protestants are doing. Again, we have to combine 'A', and 'B', to have the full truth. A+B=C = TRUTH.

Answer 5

Galatians does not say a word about sacraments! Faith with out works is a dead faith, the words of an Apostle. Christ set the rule of Christian charity, and told us to do the works of charity. You should not try to slip changing the words of the scriptures by on us. Believe it or not, many Catholics read them. Pax Christi

Answer 6

St James so provide faith without work is dead, as Jesus said: Rev 22:12 Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his works.

Where works is faith + good deeds.

So, literally, what Jesus said prevails over Paul and James.

At the end, Grace from God will save us. Grace is a heavy duty topic; see the link.

Answer 7

No, what you state is not Catholic teaching.



The Church teaches that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works.



The belief in faith alone is a heresy condemned the only place it appears in Scripture by St. James. Even the demons believe. The Catholic Church does not teach that works merit salvation but instead we teach grace through faith. You are accusing us of the same heresy we have already condemned which is Pelagianism. Can you agree that works may come as the result of the believer cooperating with the Holy Spirit and being obedient to God and working within His will? Can you also agree that it is the Holy Spirit that makes us desire Him and become in a familial relationship with Him? Jesus did say that unless we eat His Body and drink His blood we have no life (eternal) in us. We desire His great feast and it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that gives us that desire and hunger to do His commandment. Surely we do desire eternal life but we do not desire His Body and Blood because of this but it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the desire and compulsion to do His will.



Continued Here:



http://fiatvolvntastua.blogspot.com/2009/07/discussion-with-freedom-about-grace.html



God bless!



In Christ

Fr. Joseph

Answer 8

Yes. Faith alone isn't enough. You have to prove it. All talk and no action just doesn't seem right. That's the difference between a way of life and a simple ideology.

Answer 9

Good Works in Sanctifying Grace are Necessary for Salvation

Neh. 13:14, Psalm 11:7,28:4, Isa. 3:10, 59:18, Jer. 25:14, 50:29, Ezek. 9:10, 11:21, 36:19, Hos. 4:9, 9:15, 12:2, Sir. 16:12,14 - The 2,000 year-old Catholic position on salvation is that we are saved by Jesus Christ and Him alone (cf. Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:5). But by the grace of Christ, we achieve the salvation God desires for us through perseverance in both faith and works. Many Protestants, on the other hand, believe that one just has to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior to be saved, and good works are not necessary (they just flow from those already saved). But these verses, and many others, teach us that our performance of good works is necessary for our salvation. Scripture also does not teach that good works distinguish those who are eternally saved from those who are not saved.



Sir. 35:19; Luke 23:41; John 3:19-21, Rom. 8:13, 2 Tim 4:14, Titus 3:8,14, Rev. 22:12 - these verses also teach us that we all will be judged by God according to our deeds. There is no distinction between the "saved" and the "unsaved."



1 Cor. 3:15 - if works are unnecessary for salvation as many Protestants believe, then why is a man saved (not just rewarded) through fire by a judgment of his works?



Matt. 7:1-3 - we are not judged just by faith, but actually how we judge others, and we get what we have given. Hence, we are judged according to how we responded to God's grace during our lives.



Matt. 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13 - Jesus taught that we must endure to the very end to be saved. If this is true, then how can Protestants believe in the erroneous teaching of "Once saved, always saved?" If salvation occurred at a specific point in time when we accepted Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, there would be no need to endure to the end. We would already be saved.



Matt. 16:27 – Jesus says He will repay every man for what he has done (works).



Matt. 25:31-46 - Jesus' teaching on the separation of the sheep from the goats is based on the works that were done during their lives, not just on their acceptance of Christ as Savior. In fact, this teaching even demonstrates that those who are ultimately saved do not necessarily have to know Christ. Also, we don’t accept Christ; He accepts us. God first makes the decision to accept us before we could ever accept Him.



Matt. 25:40,45 - Jesus says "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to Me." We are judged and our eternal destiny is determined in accordance with our works.



Mark 10:21 - Jesus says sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. This means that our salvation depends upon our works.



Luke 12:43-48 - these verses teach us that we must act according to the Lord's will. We are judged based upon what we know and then do, not just upon what we know.



Luke 14:14 – Jesus says we are repaid for the works we have done at the resurrection of the just. Our works lead to salvation.



Luke 23:41 - some Protestants argue that Jesus gave salvation to the good thief even though the thief did not do any good works. However, the good thief did in fact do a good work, which was rebuking the bad thief when he and others were reviling Jesus. This was a "work" which justified the good thief before Jesus and gained His favor. Moreover, we don't know if the good thief asked God for forgiveness, did works of penance and charity and was reconciled to God before he was crucified.



Rom. 2:6-10, 13 - God will judge every man according to his works. Our salvation depends on how we cooperate with God's grace.



2 Cor. 5:10 - at the judgment Seat of Christ, we are judged according to what we have done in the body, not how much faith we had.



2 Cor. 9:6 – Paul says that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully, in connection with God’s judgment.



2 Cor. 11:15 - our end will correspond to our deeds. Our works are necessary to both our justification and salvation.



Gal. 6:7-9 – whatever a man sows, he will reap. Paul warns the Galatians not to grow weary in doing good works, for in due season they will reap (the rewards of eternal life).



Eph. 6:8 – whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same again from the Lord.



Col. 3:24-25 - we will receive due payment according to what we have done. Even so, Catholics recognize that such payment is a free unmerited gift from God borne from His boundless mercy.



1 Tim. 6:18-19 – the rich are to be rich in good deeds so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed, that is, eternal life.



2 Tim. 4:14 – Alexander the coppersmith did Paul great harm, and Paul says the Lord will requite him for his deeds.



Heb. 6:10 - God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for His sake. God rewards our works on earth and in heaven.



Heb. 12:14 – without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Holines

Answer 10

Look,

this is what I know with certainty.

Giving lip service to being a Christian -- saying you believe in Jesus... yada yada, doesn't mean squat if you don't do what Jesus asked his followers to do.

"Feed by lambs." "What ever you do to the least of my people, you do for me."

"if you have two cloaks, give one away"

All that stuff about helping the poor, giving aid to the needy, etc.

All of that is necessary to be a true Christian. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Christ's commandment.



If you call that "works" then yes, I believe in doing that, because that is what Christ commanded. Just "talking the talk" doesn't cut it.



If you want to believe bible thumping, and going to service, and talking it up is enough to save you, then good luck.



I'm going to do what Christ asked me to do, to the best of my ability.

If you don't like that, I don't really care what you think.



"Actions speak louder than words."

Answer 11

how can you ignore James 2:14-26?

Answer 12

Faith begets works or it is not faith; it is belif

http://www.stmichaelgodsknight.com

Answer 13

Faith without works is dead

Answer 14

yes

Answer 15

The Catholic position on salvation can be summed up thus: We are saved by Christ's grace alone, through faith and works done in charity inspired by the Holy Spirit.



Sola gratia! Grace alone -- but a grace we have to co-operate with. Thinking that all one has to do is pray the "Sinner's Prayer" once to be saved is wrong. Thinking that all one has to do is be a "good person" to be saved is wrong.





"We are saved by 'Faith alone'": No!



It takes more than simply knowing Jesus is the Messiah to be saved; even the Evil One knows Who Christ is.



James 2:14-26

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.



The Bible and the Catholic Church don't separate the "works of faith," preceded and caused by grace, from salvation (see relevant Scripture below) You can have all the faith in the world, enough to move mountains, but if you don't have charity, you are nothing:



I Corinthians 13:2 2

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.



"We can work our way into Heaven": No!



Catholic teaching for 2,000 years:

we are saved by grace alone, through faith that works in love



Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.



James 2:24

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.







The Catholic Church and Her Bible condemn the idea that one can work his way to Heaven on his own merit or that God "owes" a person for doing the right things.



All our works get their merit only from Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. We can do "works" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for the rest of our lives, but without Christ's grace, they are nothing. Works have no merit in themselves -- and faith without works is not enough. We are saved by grace alone -- a grace that we accept neither "by faith alone" nor "by works alone," but "by faith that works in charity" (Galatians 5:6).



It is true that a person is not saved by his works and that salvation is completely of grace. However that does not mean that works have nothing to do with salvation.



The bottom line: all salvation comes from the grace of Christ's Sacrifice and only from the grace of His Sacrifice. Salvation is a free gift -- a gift that is not "owed" to us, that God didn't have to offer us, and that we could never "earn" on our own -- that we accept by faith and works. Christ doesn't have to give us this gift of salvation; we don't "deserve" this gift, we can't "earn" it; but He, in His endless Love for us, offers it nonetheless. We have to believe this gift exists (have faith) and then open our hands to receive it (obey, inspired by the grace given to us).



An analogy: there is a train called "Grace" that is the one and only route to Heaven and which is fueled by Christ's Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension alone. Some Protestants seem to believe that all one has to do is believe the train exists and all will be well. They accuse Catholics of thinking that belief in the train is unecessary, that we can give out free soup in the train station and, thereby, bypass the train altogether. But what Catholics actually believe is that the train -- Grace -- is the only way to Heaven, that it is the only means by which we are saved, that we can't take another route and can do nothing about getting to Heaven without that train. But we also teach that we have to believe in the train's existence and board it through repentance and obedience to what Christ teaches. God is the Conductor of the train, completely Sovereign, and can go off the tracks if need be to pick up those who are truly and invincibly ignorant of the train's existence but who are of good will, obey the natural law, and whom He deigns to save. If, when, and how He might do such a thing is completely up to Him and not for us to bicker about. It is to us to do what He has taught us: to believe, repent, love God and neighbor, and preach the Gospel.

Answer 16

Amen :-) we are saved by Grace for we ALL fall short, sorry that is all I am allowed to say for they target me...God Bless You



can ya tell by the thumbs down (and for why??)who it is???? yee haw