Catholics view on "works for salvation?

Question

Catholics believe that salvation comes first from God's grace and that we are saved by cooperating with this grace with faith AND works. (It is important to note here, that Catholics are NOT talking about works of the law as often spoken of by Paul. Paul condemned the Pharisees for observing the law but not showing love. Catholics are speaking of works of "faith" such as obedience to God, love, service, etc.)

Do you believe this?

Answer 1

Anyone who believes that faith alone is enough for salvation is apparently unaware of what St. James had to say on the subject:

James 2:14-17 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.

Faith without works isn't enough to save a person. The Holy Spirit imparts grace to us so that we may understand Who Christ is and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

But if we just stop there and think "Once saved, always saved," we're like a branch that's cut off from the tree. We don't bear the good fruit of loving and caring for others, as our Master did. And pretty soon our spiritual life withers and dies, just like that branch.

So salvation is an ongoing process, not a one-time "mumble the Roman Roads formula and you're home free" event. We were saved through Christ's shed blood, we are saved in our daily walk with Him, and we will be saved through grace and perserverence.

Answer 2

If you are asking if I believe that some Catholics believe what is expressed in your comments. the answer is yes.

If you are asking if your comments are a required belief of all Catholics, then I must answer that such is not a fact. I do find that many self declared Catholics do have a variety of views on many issues.

Answer 3

Dr. Theo and peacebyjesus,

No matter how elaborate or creative, a straw man is still a straw man. If you really know anything about Catholic beliefs you know that you are bearing false witness against Christ's Church and should repent of this egregious sin. Do not depend on your antinomianism to save you. I will pray that the Lords grace blesses you to reconcile with His Church. May the Lord have mercy on each of you.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 4

It's true. Many people believe that Catholics think that only works get them into heaven or that the Church is the one that determines where we go. It's not true. They are ignorant of our beliefs. As it says in the book of James "faith without works is dead" and in Romans, Jesus said "he will judge men according to their works". We are talking about obedience, helping people, being true to ourselves, and trying to show love to our fellow neighbors. That is what we believe in.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church is just a very successful business. It's lasted two thousand years through the oppression and manipulation of its followers and the occasional massacre of its rivals and opponents. It's got nothing more to do with grace than mere lip service. It will always say what is profitable to it. Let them use some of their vast riches to help relieve the poverty in the world and I'd have more respect for their preaching. Have you ever seen the wealth of the Vatican Museum? All paid for by the poor and the gullible over centuries..

Answer 6

Catholics don't believe either of those things.

Catholics believe in keeping the 10 commandments....and loving God & your neighbor as you love yourself.

They also don't believe in the concept of being "saved". Catholics believe only God decides who is saved and who is not on your judgment day.

Answer 7

"‘Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven’" (Matt. 7:21).
"‘Why do you call me "Lord, Lord," and not do what I tell you?’" (Luke 6:46).
"For he will render every man according to his works . . ." (Rom. 2:6-8).
"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified" (Rom. 2:13).
"For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgments . . . (Heb. 10:26-27).
"What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?" (Jas. 2:14).
"So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (Jas. 2:17).
"But some one will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. . . .Do you want to be shown, you foolish fellow, that faith apart from works is barren? (Jas. 2:18-20).
"You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone" (Jas. 2:24).



HE WHO HATES ME HATES MY FATHER ALSO. IF I HAD NOT DONE AMONG THEM WORKS SUCH AS NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE, THEY WOULD HAVE NO SIN. BUT NOW THEY HAVE SEEN, AND HAVE HATED BOTH ME AND MY FATHER;

Answer 8

Notice that all your fellow catholics taught works for salvation. So you are wrong.

The truth is that catholicism teaches a false gospel of works that leads to eternal hell (Galatians 1:6-9).

Answer 9

From a Roman Catholic perspective, the concept of saving faith is far removed from the biblical teaching of commitment to and simple trust in Christ alone for salvation. The Roman Catholic Church has distorted the gospel of grace. It has fallen into the same Galatian error of legalism (a sacerdotal/sacramental/works salvation) addressed by Paul in his letter to the Galatian Churches. In that letter Paul dealt with the heresy of the Judaizers, who attempted to add the Jewish ceremonial law to faith in Christ as a basis for salvation. Temple worship and the ceremonial law included circumcision, an altar, daily sacrifices, a laver of water, priests, a high priest, special priestly and high priestly vestments and robes, candles, incense and shewbread. In the routine religious life of the average Jew there were feast days, prayers, fasts, adherence to the tradition of the elders and certain dietary restrictions. All of these things were included in the Judaizers’ teaching on salvation. So it was Jesus plus the Jewish system. How does this relate to Roman Catholicism? The doctrines of salvation embraced by Rome are, in principle, identical to the Judaizers. The Roman Church teaches that salvation is achieved by believing that Jesus is the Son of God who died for sin, by being baptized, by being a part of the Roman Catholic Church, by striving to keep the Ten Commandments and partaking of the sacramental system (which involves ongoing sacrifices, altars, priests, a high priest, along with the exercises of prayers, fasts, almsgiving, penances and until recently adherence to certain dietary regulations). The following lists demonstrate the parallels between Roman Catholicism and the Judaizers:

Judaizers

1. Belief in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God

2. Circumcision

3. Become a Jew

4. Sacrificial System

5. Priests

6. High Priests

7. Altars

8. Feast Days

9. Laver of Water

10. Dietary Regulations

11. Candles

12. Incense

13. Shew Bread

14. Keep the Ten Commandments

15. Tradition of the Elders


Roman Catholicism 1. Belief in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God

2. Baptism

3. Become a Roman Catholic

4. Sacrificial System

5. Priests

6. High Priests

7. Altars

8. Feast Days

9. Font of Holy Water

10. Dietary Regulations (Until recently)

11. Candles

12. Incense

13. The Eucharist Wafer

14. Keep the Ten Commandments

15. Tradition of the Church Fathers


The parallels are obvious. The Roman Catholic teaching on salvation is essentially the same as that preached by the Judaizers. Paul warned the Galatian believers that if they embraced this false gospel they would actually desert Christ (Gal. 1:6). Those evangelicals who would promote spiritual cohabitation with the Church of Rome need to heed to the warning of Paul. He saw no basis for unity with the Judaizers even though they professed faith in Christ. Likewise, there is no basis for unity with the Church of Rome today... EDIT..cristoiglesia. There is NO bigger HOAX on planet earth than the Roman Catholic Church! I don't even call the Roman Catholic organization a "church"...it is a RELIGION of manmade traditions and lies of the devil. It certainly is NOT a Biblical New Testament church. Let me clarify right from the very start that I do NOT hate anyone. I love the Pope and all Catholics just as I do all people (I really do). I love them with God's love. Though I may not like someone, I am still commanded in the Bible to love them. I have no intentions to be unkind to anyone, I simply want to preach the TRUTH of God's Word. Undoubtedly, many people will be offended because the truth always offends those who are living in sin and darkness. Just as Jesus Christ my Savior, I am more willing to be divided over truth than to be united by error. I cannot compromise because the Bible does not compromise. God said what He meant and meant what He said. Many of the foundational doctrines of Roman Catholicism are NOT found anywhere in the Bible. It is evil to reject the plain teachings of Scripture in exchange for the traditions of men.......Get out of Babylon while you still can!!.......http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/booklets/print-bk.cgi?action=print_item&category=Booklets1&item=1140203084&print=yes

Answer 10

Yes. But Catholics believe that the church is the dispenser of Grace through the sacraments, which is WRONG. The sacrements are all dead rituals. WE recieve grace by faith (by believing that Jesus died for us). Works are the effects of grace. We dont do good works because the church taught us it can get us heaven. We do good works because the grace causes us to naturally do them.