Roman Catholic Doctrine
Before anything is said on this subject, the writer wishes to point out that many doctrines Christianity as a whole hold dear to come to us through the Catholic Church. They have retained the supernatural element of Christianity throughout. Indeed, we owe a gratitude of thankfulness to God that underneath numerous errors, great Gospel truths are preserved. The doctrine of the Trinity, the true Divinity of Christ, the true doctrine regarding His person as God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever, salvation through His blood, regeneration and sanctification through the almighty power of the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of the body, and eternal life are all the doctrines in which the people of God in communion live. {emphasis here mine}
However, on the matter of justification, the Catholic Church has marred the truth as they have almost all other doctrines pertaining to the merits of Christ are made available to our salvation. Catholics share the same view of mankind before salvation as do Protestants. Up to the point of regeneration we can agree, it is from the moment in regeneration (as the Catholic Church teaches, i.e.: baptism) we begin to separate. According to the Council of Trent, Session 6, Chapter 7, we read:
“…the final cause is the glory of God and of Christ…the efficient cause is the merciful God who washes and sanctifies gratuitously, signing and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise,..the efficient cause is the merciful God who washes and sanctifies gratuitously, signing and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance, the meritorious cause is His most beloved only begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies, for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, merited for us justification by His most holy passion on the wood of the cross and made satisfaction for us to God the Father, the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith, without which no man was ever justified finally, the single formal cause is the justice of God, not that by which He Himself is just, but that by which He makes us just, that, namely, with which we being endowed by Him, are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and not only are we reputed but we are truly called and are just, receiving justice within us, each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Ghost distributes to everyone as He wills, and according to each one's disposition and cooperation. For though no one can be just except he to whom the merits of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ”
So according to the Catholic scheme, we can sum it up as:
1. God is the efficient cause of our justification, as it is by his power or supernatural grace that the soul is made just.
2. Christ is the meritorious cause, as it is for his sake God grants this saving grace, or influence of the Spirit to the children of men.
3. Inherent righteousness is the formal cause, since thereby the soul is made really just or holy.
4. Faith is the occasional and predisposing cause, as it leads the sinner to seek justification (regeneration) and disposes God to grant the blessing. In this respect it has the merit of congruity only, not that of congruity.
5. Baptism is the essential instrumental cause, as it is only through or by baptism that inherent righteousness is infused or justification, which makes the sinner holy.
6. Good works, all the fruits and exercises of the new life, have real merit and constitute the ground of the Christians title to eternal life.