Verified answer

Nowheres in the bible does it say that works will bring salvation. Works is only a result of salvation. If you are truly saved, it will show in your fruits/works.

Matthew 7:20

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

I am Catholic and I agree with that, and so does the Church. We are Saved only by Jesus and his sacrifice. Yes, works is the outward sign of living in Grace.

Now, there are a few people that believe that they can be Baptized at the age of 12 and then live to be 80, never attend Church, never Pray, and live in daily un-repented sin, killing people, etc. and still die and go directly to Heaven. That is just silly.

This is why God Sent his son AND the Sacraments. Jesus is our Salvation and the Sacraments keep up in the Grace of God even though we are imperfect.

Many people don't know this about the Catholic Faith, because so many people run around bearing false wittiness against us, saying that we are saved by works.

In short, I agree with you and so does the Catholic Church.

This is definitely an ongoing topic isn't it?

I'm Catholic, so my stance is from my faith alone. With faith in the Lord should automatically come good works. You can do good without faith. But without faith, they are dead good works. And faith with no good works is dead faith as well. So faith and deeds work together to gain/achieved/get eternal salvation from the Lord. But then with that said, it's only through the gracy and mercy of the Lord can our sins be forgiven. Without full forgiven, we will be in hell. No sin shall enter the kingdom of God. As a Catholic, I believe, since we do sin often, there is purgatory, a place of rest and to gain the purity that is needed to clean our souls of all stains of all sins and then heaven is next.

Catholically speaking you are correct.

"It does NOT mean that salvation is "achieved" through works."

Here is what Catholics believe from the Catholic encyclopedia (take special note of the very first point;

;

Against the heretical tenets of various times and sects we must hold

•that the initial grace is truly gratuitous and supernatural;

•that the human will remains free under the influence of this grace;

•that man really cooperates in his personal salvation from sin;

•that by justification man is really made just, and not merely declared or reputed so;

•that justification and sanctification are only two aspects of the same thing, and not ontologically and chronologically distinct realities;

•that justification excludes all mortal sin from the soul, so that the just man is no way liable to the sentence of death at God's judgment-seat.

Other points involved in the foregoing process of personal salvation from sin are matters of discussion among Catholic theologians; such are, for instance,

•the precise nature of initial grace,

•the manner in which grace and free will work together,

•the precise nature of the fear and the love disposing the sinner for justification,

•the manner in which sacraments cause sanctifying grace.

But these questions are treated in other articles dealing ex professo with the respective subjects. The same is true of final perseverance without which personal salvation from sin is not permanently secured.

EDIT: Here is a link to the very same topic where I answer a little more on the subject that I hope helps;

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhVuL...

Catholics don't believe that we can earn our salvation through works, we believe that grace is in fact, an un-merited free gift from God. I think you are confusing "Sanctification" and "Justification" with "Salvation"

Regarding your edit to "Orchidma" and purgatory.... Please consider offering me a rational explanation to this question regarding your "Bible Alone" theology...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhOCF...

I've yet to meet a Protestant that could; My e-mail is open.

Whomever told you Catholics believe that salvation is "achieved" through works...Lied to you.

I've seen this posted regularly. It is certainly NOT true.

I feel Protestants are confused on this issue.

It probably stems from the "Sin of Presumption".

Presumption is an inordinate trust in the Divine mercy or power, consisting in the hope of obtaining glory without merits, or pardon without repentance. Such like presumption seems to arise directly from pride, as though man thought so much of himself as to esteem that God would not punish him or exclude him from glory, however much he might be a sinner.

If we lead a sinful life in the expectation that we can repent at the end of our life and thus gain salvation we are guilty of the sin of presumption!

It is also quite illogical to assume that we will be aware of our last moment on earth and risk our eternal future on this line of thinking, for we never know when “the Master will return.”

Our Church teaches dogmatically that is sinful for us to rely solely on God’s mercy for salvation without our repentance. This is the most evil form of the sin of presumption.

I hope this helps you understand. God Bless

To be responsible for the dark shadows in your own heart requires works; to crucify the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof requires works and death to the perishable part of us; to think and believe that jesus did this all for you requires more works than the first two.... wake up and get busy lest you be found without a wedding garment

Hello,

You need both belief / faith in Jesus and works to achieve salvation

Remember the Parable of the Ungrateful Servant and how Jesus will ask us if we fed him when hungry, cloth him when naked etc?

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Demoniacs believe in God's love. Christians act on it.

You probably will not believe me, but we Catholics agree.

Using common sense, I know that no salvation is needed.