Question for Catholics: is this true?

Question

I'm a Protestant, and I've heard a number of protestants criticize the Catholic tradition by saying that Catholics believe that they are saved by works and not by faith alone. Is this true, or is it a misunderstanding?

Answer 1

It is a misunderstanding.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

As you can see, Catholics believe in salvation by faith alone.

But as a result of that Salvation and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we are called to do good works.

Jesus even commands us to perform works of mercy toward our neighbor in Matthew 25:34:

Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ’Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ’Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?’

And the king will answer them, ’Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.’

The Corporal Works of Mercy are:
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit those in prison
- Bury the dead

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church does not teach that we are saved "by works". Salvation is a free gift of God that cannot be earned or merited. However, like any gift salvation must be accepted in order to be received, and the Bible makes it extremely clear that there are TWO essential components to accepting salvation - faith and good works. Some passages emphasize faith, while others emphasize works (the last paragraph of Matt 25 for example). Works do not earn salvation. Faith does not earn salvation. Salvation cannot be earned. But lack of faith OR lack of works can result in forfeiting salvation. No-one could read the Bible in a sincere search for the truth and miss this. Unfortunately most Protestants don't read the Bible this way. They know what they believe, and then search the Bible for specific passages that, alone and out of context, appear to support their beliefs. The Catholic Church doesn't accept something as true unless it is in agreement with EVERY biblical statement on the subject. But every biblical statement, correctly and authoritatively interpreted, is in accord with Catholic beliefs anyway. Otherwise the Catholic Church would not have included such texts when it compiled the Bible.

Incidentally, the idea of salvation "by grace alone" is correct, since grace is the source of the required faith and the required works. But salvation "by faith alone" or "by works alone" is false doctrine, a modern tradition of men, never heard of by any Christian on earth until a few hundred years ago.

Answer 3

This is one of many things that Protestants harp on about Catholics, because they're trying to find the most minute ways to invalidate Catholicism and the way that Catholics worship. Isn't it enough that Catholics are Christians too? You both come from the same source and believe basically the same things; it's a question of whether you're more concerned about the minutae, or about the greater picture.

Answer 4

It's a misunderstanding and thanks for wanting to know the truth and not just insult. We believe that we praise and honor God by good works; it's what he expects of those who believe, but we know that we are saved by faith alone. I think some Catholics are confusing about this, too, as if we are working our way into heaven or something, but we know that isn't true any more than we worship the statues.

Answer 5

misunderstanding. We keep saying what we believe but they prefer not to hear us because if they heard us they would have nothing to belittle us about but, that's mainly what they like to do so once again I will say. We believe that we are saved by the grace of Jesus' merits in his suffering and death on the cross. The thing is is many people then think they do not have to actually DO anything and Jesus made it perfectly clear when he seperated the sheep from the goats and he also said "what you have DONE to the least of my bretheren, you have DONE for me". What we are saying is that it is the grace that makes us do works and even James said. Faith without works is dead.

Answer 6

No ,Catholicism does not teach salvation by our works. We are saved by Grace alone but not by faith alone(since saving faith is never isolated from hope and love) for faith must work through love. We are saved by the merits of Christ through the application of His Saving Power through His life ,Death and Resurrection. Our works are worthless or worse if they are separated from Christ's Grace and merits.
The Sacraments,beginning with Baptism,are the Christ-given means of bestowing grace ,but God is merciful to all who turn to Him. Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Joint Declaration on Justification.

Answer 7

I love it that that's a "criticism."

How dare you Catholics suggest that Christians should actually be held accountable for their own actions!

I don't know what the official Catholic position is on this "issue," honestly, even though I was raised Catholic. I know that every "Christian" cult has its own ideas about it. You get into the idea of "Election," that people are predestined to be "saved" - or not - from eternity, etc etc. It's quite a mess.

I DO know that historically it's been a big selling point for many brands of Christianity™ that one's actions don't really matter as long as one dies having "accepted Jesus." Even formal "repentance" is not so important as simply professing belief in the efficacy of Jesus' blood to vicariously redeem one. This is why Jesus has always been so popular in prison and rehab. It's the religion of glorified amorality and irresponsibility.

Answer 8

We are saved by Grace.

But, "You see that a man is justified by works and NOT BY FAITH ALONE. 25In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." James 2:24-26

Answer 9

it is a misunderstanding.

catholics dont believe in faith alone, that part is correct. Faith alone was unheard of until the 1500s.

but they dont believe that doing some good things will get you to heaven.

heres what it is:

We are only saved because God is merciful and through His grace we can become saved (sola gratia)

But, you also have to use your free will to work with this grace.

yes, there are works involved. no, it is not by them alone.

"Do you see that it is by works we are justified, and not by faith alone"-James

Answer 10

Justification is a divine act where God declares the sinner to be innocent of his sins. It is a legal action in that God declares the sinner righteous -- as though he has satisfied the Law of God. This justification is based entirely on the sacrifice of Christ by His shed blood: "...having now been justified by His blood..." (Rom. 5:9).1 Justification is a gift of grace (Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:7) that comes through faith (Rom. 3:28; 5:1). Christians receive Jesus (John 1:12) and put their faith-filled trust in what Jesus did on the cross (Isaiah 53:12; 1 Pet. 2:24) and in so doing are justified by God. The Bible states that justification is not by works (Rom. 3:20, 28; 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9) because our righteous deeds are filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Those who are justified are saved and salvation is a free gift (Rom. 6:23), something we cannot earn (Eph. 2:1-10). However, Roman Catholic doctrine denies justification by faith alone and says:

"If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema" (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9).

"If any one saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be anathema." (Canon 14).

Anathema, according to Catholic theology means excommunication, "the exclusion of a sinner from the society of the faithful." The Greek word anathema is also translated as "accursed" (Rom. 9:3; Gal. 1:8-9, NASB & KJV), "eternally condemned" (Gal. 1:8-9, NIV), and "cursed" (Rom. 9:3, NIV),. We can see that Roman Catholic theology pronounces a curse of excommunication, of being outside the camp of Christ if you believe that you are saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus.

Does the Roman Catholic Church specifically state that we are "saved by grace and works"? Not that I am aware of and neither do the above Catholic Canons state such a thing. But, when the Roman Catholic Church negates justification by faith alone, it necessarily implies that we must do something for justification, for if it is not by faith alone, then it must be by faith and something.