understanding faith and works from a Catholic perspective...

[Mikeseven]

I think one of the main stated differences between Protestants and Catholics is the notion of faith and works. From a Catholic perspective, are you in disagreement with the statement below:

"But in Christianity, good deeds are the necessary concomitant or outflow of sincere faith, not meritorious deeds done for the sake of salvation. Good deeds are the evidence of genuine, living faith, and in the absence of such deeds so-called faith is dead (James 2.17).

A person who lives a life of immorality while confessing Christ is a hypocrite whose faith is dead and useless. Good deeds are a necessary condition of salvation in a logical sense, in that, necessarily, if someone has saving faith, then he will do good deeds"

 

[Michie]

What Catholics Believe About Faith and Works

“Protestants believe in faith alone. Catholics believe in faith and works.” You hear Protestants and Catholics say this all the time. But is it accurate?

www.catholic.com

 

[HTacianas]

I think one of the main stated differences between Protestants and Catholics is the notion of faith and works. From a Catholic perspective, are you in disagreement with the statement below:

"But in Christianity, good deeds are the necessary concomitant or outflow of sincere faith, not meritorious deeds done for the sake of salvation. Good deeds are the evidence of genuine, living faith, and in the absence of such deeds so-called faith is dead (James 2.17).

A person who lives a life of immorality while confessing Christ is a hypocrite whose faith is dead and useless. Good deeds are a necessary condition of salvation in a logical sense, in that, necessarily, if someone has saving faith, then he will do good deeds"

If my Catholic cousins will allow me, I might be able to help you, as Catholics and Orthodox, as do all of the Apostolic Churches, share the same beliefs regarding faith and works.

The pitfall of the statement you asked about is that it is -if even loosely- based on monergism. Monergism is more or less the Protestant idea that God causes a person to do good works as proof of their faith. This leaves the person in the position of waiting for God to move them to good works. But rather than being monergistic, Christianity is synergistic. A person through their own effort cooperates with the grace of God to do good works as a condition of their salvation. We initially enter into salvation by grace through faith, but it is our conduct afterwards that determines whether we remain in that salvation.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I think one of the main stated differences between Protestants and Catholics is the notion of faith and works. From a Catholic perspective, are you in disagreement with the statement below:

"But in Christianity, good deeds are the necessary concomitant or outflow of sincere faith, not meritorious deeds done for the sake of salvation. Good deeds are the evidence of genuine, living faith, and in the absence of such deeds so-called faith is dead (James 2.17).

A person who lives a life of immorality while confessing Christ is a hypocrite whose faith is dead and useless. Good deeds are a necessary condition of salvation in a logical sense, in that, necessarily, if someone has saving faith, then he will do good deeds"

Essentially we look at things in terms of cooperation with God's great work of salvation. We're so overcome with love of God that we want to participate with him in what he's doing. Kind of like a family getting together to decorate for Christmas, dad already put up the tree and started hanging lights but then you walk in the door and you're so excited for Christmas you dive in to help hang lights and ornaments and stockings, etc.

So to answer your question more directly, yes Christ is the source of our salvation. Since Catholics (and Orthodox, and some high church protestants) understand salvation as a process rather than a singular event in time for each person, works are a component of that inasmuch as they stem from the grace that flows through us from God. God is saving us and we're so thankful and inspired by his majesty that we can't help but seek to do his will.

 

[boughtwithaprice]

I think one of the main stated differences between Protestants and Catholics is the notion of faith and works. From a Catholic perspective, are you in disagreement with the statement below:

"But in Christianity, good deeds are the necessary concomitant or outflow of sincere faith, not meritorious deeds done for the sake of salvation. Good deeds are the evidence of genuine, living faith, and in the absence of such deeds so-called faith is dead (James 2.17).

A person who lives a life of immorality while confessing Christ is a hypocrite whose faith is dead and useless. Good deeds are a necessary condition of salvation in a logical sense, in that, necessarily, if someone has saving faith, then he will do good deeds"

Did you know that most Protestants do not believe in faith alone? If they did, there would by no need for them to do anything else. Just mouth the words Jesus is Lord and your saved no matter what you do ?

If my Catholic cousins will allow me, I might be able to help you, as Catholics and Orthodox, as do all of the Apostolic Churches, share the same beliefs regarding faith and works.

The pitfall of the statement you asked about is that it is -if even loosely- based on monergism. Monergism is more or less the Protestant idea that God causes a person to do good works as proof of their faith. This leaves the person in the position of waiting for God to move them to good works. But rather than being monergistic, Christianity is synergistic. A person through their own effort cooperates with the grace of God to do good works as a condition of their salvation. We initially enter into salvation by grace through faith, but it is our conduct afterwards that determines whether we remain in that salvation.

I see what you are saying and monergism is the failure of Faith alone, but the rest does not come from us. Sin does not participate in salvation, the sinner receives salvation by God’s grace.

Faith alone completely misses the point. As Paul says in Corinthians though I have faith to move mountains yet have not Charity, I am nothing, so it isn’t faith alone. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Preaching convicts is of sin, or displays our abject spiritual poverty, and the soul moved by God calls out for salvation. What does God do then?

He is faithful and just to forgive us or sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He begins the process by causing us to be born again and receive the gifts of Faith, Hope, and Charity

Faith to know that He is and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Hope that He is faithful and true and will complete the work which He began in us, and Charity which fills us with a burning love for God and an overwhelming desire to please Him.

Some Protestants confuse Charity with love of neighbor. That is only partially right as it is the second commandment. The first is to love Gos with your whole heart whole mind and whole soul. A born again soul expresses his love for God and spiritual things, he does not seek popularity, as Jesus said they hated me, they will hate you also

The Gifts of Faith Hope and Charity are the Theological virtues which come from God alone by grace alone. The remaining heavenly virtues are prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.
These require human effort to develop, and the soul infused with God’s grace begins the process of development of those virtues by the burning desire of Charity.
A born again soul that has Faith, Hope and Charity will put his faith into practice by prayer, fasting and almsgiving. He will have a desire to live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Satan deceives a soul and promises him wealth, vain glory and pride. Look what a great Christian boy you are. You are rich, you have done so many good things for God, people love you.

Jesus tells us the path to life is through poverty, contempt, and humility. The born again soul filled with the Charity of God will take that path. It takes our cooperation, but only the ascent of our will. Yes Lord, be it done to me according to your word. The soul on that path will be enlightened by the Spirit of God to do the things according to His will. As His word says, if any man lacks let him ask God. If you ask God to put you in the path to life and you ask for poverty, contempt and humility, let me tell you, He will give it to you, along with the overwhelming blessings of grace

 

[Mikeseven]

What Catholics Believe About Faith and Works

“Protestants believe in faith alone. Catholics believe in faith and works.” You hear Protestants and Catholics say this all the time. But is it accurate?

www.catholic.com

That is a good article and thanks for sharing.

So from what I can gather the differences are rather nuanced and fundamentally we are all in agreement that faith in Christ is all that is needed for salvation. Quote from article:

"James isn’t saying that you need to do good works in order to be forgiven. And neither is the Catholic Church."

The difference lies in how works play in a Christians life:

1) The protestant will say that a person with true faith will be indwelled with the Holy Spirit and good works will naturally flow from him.

2) The catholic wont disagree with that position but will also add on that these added works is a form of justification. Quote from article:

"Catholic theology refers to this growth in righteousness using the term justification, so, in Catholic language, justification isn’t something that happens just at the beginning of the Christian life. It happens over the course of the Christian life."

I am not too sure I understand this whole justification thing. I mean if we agree that all that is need is faith when a person first comes to believe then what do they mean by justification? Either you are justified when you first have faith in Christ or you are not. If you are justified at first faith then what need is there for further justification?

 

[Mikeseven]

The pitfall of the statement you asked about is that it is -if even loosely- based on monergism. Monergism is more or less the Protestant idea that God causes a person to do good works as proof of their faith. This leaves the person in the position of waiting for God to move them to good works. But rather than being monergistic, Christianity is synergistic. A person through their own effort cooperates with the grace of God to do good works as a condition of their salvation. We initially enter into salvation by grace through faith, but it is our conduct afterwards that determines whether we remain in that salvation.

I got those statements from Dr. Craig who I have a lot of respect for. You can view it here:

Faith and Works | Reasonable Faith

Dear Dr. Craig, This is with reference to Q # 303 (Brazilian fire and Salvation through work) and evangelical doctrine of Salvation through faith alone. I quite agree with your analysis that Salvation through works alone does not make much sense. If a person has spent first 70 years of his life...

www.reasonablefaith.org

Dr. Craig is not a Calvinist but rather a Molinist.

 

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[FaithT]

I think one of the main stated differences between Protestants and Catholics is the notion of faith and works. From a Catholic perspective, are you in disagreement with the statement below:

"But in Christianity, good deeds are the necessary concomitant or outflow of sincere faith, not meritorious deeds done for the sake of salvation. Good deeds are the evidence of genuine, living faith, and in the absence of such deeds so-called faith is dead (James 2.17).

A person who lives a life of immorality while confessing Christ is a hypocrite whose faith is dead and useless. Good deeds are a necessary condition of salvation in a logical sense, in that, necessarily, if someone has saving faith, then he will do good deeds"

That makes sense.