Hm. I’m thinking that your position and the Catholic position are far closer than you might think.
The Catholic teaching is the following:
“Salvation by Faith Alone” = error
“Salvation by Works Alone” = error
“earning salvation by works” = error (heresy known as “Pelagianism”, condemned 1500 years ago)
As my wife is fond of quoting: “It’s not ‘faith OR works’... and it’s not even ‘faith AND works”; rather, it’s ‘faith THAT works’! That’s Catholic teaching, as well. Salvation is a free, unmerited gift of grace (cannot possibly be “earned”), but it requires good works in order to “work” (pun slightly intended) toward salvation. Good works are not optional; and anyone who asserts that salvation can be present without any sort of good work at all (even a “work” of the mind, such as the effort to trust in Jesus Christ, as St. Dismas, the good thief, worked out upon his cross), while still attaining salvation, are mistaken (as St. James says quite plainly.
Very true. I like the phrase "faith that works."
Interesting to read about Pelagianism. I'm happy to be catholic, while not being Catholic.