I had a great talk with my Protestant neighbor the other day. We got into a conversation about faith, and he shared his view that good works aren’t necessary for salvation. It was one of those moments where you just really listen and take in a different perspective.
I’ll admit, I wish I had some Bible verses ready to explain why I believe good works are essential, but I’ve never been great at pulling scriptures out of thin air! Even so, it was a wonderful exchange. For anyone interested in that side of the debate, I’ve put together a few verses that help explain the connection between faith and action.
You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
James 2:24 RSVCE
Here is my perspective on this as a Catholic.
Do You Believe in God?
Answer: Yes!
This is what we believe as a Catholic:
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Are You Saved?
Answer: I’m doing what the apostle Paul tells us to do in the Bible: I'm 'working out' my salvation day by day (read Philippians 2:12 below):
Obedience and Service in the World
So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Philippians 2:12 (NAB-RE)
Salvation in the fullest sense is an ongoing process that won’t be complete until after we die. And in the meantime, it’s still possible to turn away again from God.
Paul Thigpen
Working Out My Salvation: For It Is Not Those Who Hear the Law Who Are Just in the Sight of God; Rather, Those Who Observe the Law Will Be Justified.
Believing in God as our savior and not doing good works is futile! You have to do good works! Read Romans 2:5-13 below for the complete context, which provides more "good works" arguments:
God’s Just Judgment
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath foryourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, whowill repay everyone according to his works:
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality throughperseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobeythe truth and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil,Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace foreveryone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. There is no partiality withGod.
All who sin outside the law will also perish without reference to it, and allwho sin under the law will be judged in accordance with it.
For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather,those who observe the law will be justified.Romans 2:5-13 NAB-RE
If Good Works Are Not Necessary for Salvation, Then a Large Proportion of Bible Verses Are Totally Useless
If good works are not necessary for salvation, then a large proportion of Bible verses are totally useless. For instance, St. Peter’s admonition to "Besober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast [sic] in thefaith…" If one does not have to resist the devil to be saved, then such anadmonition on St. Peter’s part is useless; and not only useless but cruel,since he is unnecessarily putting a difficult responsibility on his followers.The same would apply to any passage in the Bible that enjoins watchfulness, perseverance, fortitude, avoidance of sin, praying to be delivered from temptation, and many others like virtues and actions. Protestants often remindus that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable fordoctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2Timothy 3:16) Since all of it is profitable, then there can be no useless verses. Brother André Marie
In short, FAITH and GOOD WORKS go together. Both FAITH and GOOD WORKS Are Necessary for Salvation!
We have to do our part in doing good works (So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. —James 2:17):
- Allow God to work on us through prayer (Ephesians 3:17-19; Psalm 119:164)
- Train ourselves to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7)
- Train ourselves for a holy life (1 Peter 1:16; Matthew 5:48; Leviticus 19:1-3)
- Study the Word of God (John 17:17)
- We must be obedient to God by following His Commandments (John 14:23) asJesus said: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter thekingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is inheaven" (Matthew 7:21 NET).
- etc.
Human beings are responsible to do the possible part – God will not do our part for us – but he will take care of the impossible part. He picks up where our ability ends.
One For Israel
- Thigpen, P. (2020, September 1). Are you saved? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://simplycatholic.com/are-you-saved/.
- Marie, A. (2009, March 18). Faith and Good Works - Catholicism.org [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://catholicism.org/faith-and-good-works.html
- One For Israel. (2016, May 30). How do faith and works go together? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/how-do-faith-and-works-go-together/.
