Works in Faith, not Works vs. Faith

One of the arguments against the Catholic Church is that they don't believe in assurance of Salvation and that it is works-based.

I went to the AG church which believed in Salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, but you can willingly renounce your faith and walk away.  You can be assured of your Salvation and you can't earn it through any works or deeds.  But the whole ability to "lose" your salvation was kind of subjective.

Of course, in the Baptist church I attend, there is no loss of Salvation.  Their reasoning is that if you don't live for Christ then you were never really saved to begin with.  And it is only by grace.  No works.

For example, in my late teens, early twenties I backslid.  I didn't stop going to church and I didn't renounce anything, but I chose some sins in which to indulge and didn't really read my Bible or pray or think or live like I should have.  I remember questioning whether or not I would go to Heaven, but some assured me I would, but the Bible says things 1 Corinthians 6.  And then there's the Parable of the Virgins in Matthew 25.

Virgin Brides represent the Church.  Christ's sacrifice has cleansed us and through His righteousness we are like a virgin bride.  So, here, the Groom has 10 Virgin Brides.  This is the whole of the church.  That means that all 10 were saved by grace through faith.  Otherwise they wouldn't be a virgin bride, right?  Well, at the end of the story we see that only half of them make it to the Groom for the wedding feast.  Why?  BECAUSE THE OTHER HALF DIDN'T DO THE WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE TO SUSTAIN THE TARRY!  The tarrying is the church on earth.  We can't just "say the sinner's prayer" and do nothing.

**Now, I want make sure I say that I am in no way saying that you can't get into heaven unless you do XYZ, or those who repent on their death beds don't get to heaven because they did no works on earth.  The final judge is God alone.**

The other parable that gets me thinking more along Catholic lines is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.  Here, the Master gives His servants varying amounts of talents and tells them to increase for Him.  That involves WORK.  They are already His servants, so they are already saved by grace through faith, but He is telling them to get to work.  And what does He say to the servant who did no work?  "You wicked and slothful servant!" (ESV)  And the servant was cast out!!!!!

I mean, really, that's a BIG DEAL!!!

Catholics are accused of presenting God as this distance figure who needs to be appeased through works and superstitions like pagan gods.  Now, I believe there are too many Catholics who act like that is the way it is.  They don't have a real faith and relationship with God or a real understanding of the Truths.  And that ultimately hurts the Church.  But that isn't what Catholicism believes!  Catholics take their Christian walk and service to Christ seriously because the Bible takes it seriously!

I don't see Catholics as trying to earn their way into Heaven.  I see them as recognizing that if you do not do the work of the Lord, if you do not live out your Christian faith, if you do not form a relationship with God, then He doesn't know you.  "I never knew you.  Depart from me you worker of iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23)