The 40 Questions Most Frequently Asked
About The Catholic Church
By Non-Catholics
14. Faith vs. Good Works?
How do you explain the Catholic position with regard to good works when St. Paul teaches that a man is justified by faith: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, independently of the works of the law." (Rom. 3:28).
Outside the Catholic Church the average person has an entirely erroneous idea of the Catholic
Church's position on the question of good works. No Catholic has ever taught that a person can be
SAVED by good works. Certainly he can be JUSTIFIED by faith, but not by faith alone.
- "We are justified by a faith that worketh by charity. Gal. 5:6
We believe that the human race was redeemed by the death of Christ on the cross, but that more than
the acceptance of this is necessary. It is necessary for each individual to personalize this atonement of
our Lord by his own co-operation, i.e., by faith, baptism, the keeping of the commandments and
observing all things that Christ has taught.
Furthermore, good works are necessary in order to help a person persevere in the state of grace or
friendship with God. He has told us this when He said that he who gives a glass of water in His
name, gives it to Him; that we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves; that we must do good
to those who hate us and persecute us; that we must feed the hungry and clothe the naked; and
perform all the other corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
For God to ignore these good works, and not attach merit to them, would be unjust. He Himself says
this through St. Paul.
- "For God is not unjust that He should forget your works." Hebrews 6:10
Those who are doubtful about the place of good works in the plan of Redemption should read the
Epistle of St. James, Chanter 2:
| (14) |
"What will it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but does not have works? Can the
faith save him?" |
| (17) |
"So faith too, unless it has works, is dead in itself." |
| (18) |
"But someone will say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without works, and I, from my works, will show thee my faith'." |
| (20) |
"But dost thou want to know, O senseless man, that faith without works is useless?" |
| (24) |
"You see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." |
| (26) |
"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith also without works is dead." |
Likewise, in I Corinthians 13:2
- "And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, yet do not have charity, I am nothing."
Therefore, although a man is not SAVED by works, yet works are pleasing in the sight of God, and
HAVE VALUE since they are done for Him. They thus help the individual to preserve in the state of
grace or friendship with God.
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