You misunderstand the Catholic position on good works. It is not that we have to rack up brownie points to get into heaven. Rather, good works are a sign of the submission of the will, as well as the intellect, to the will of God. Thus if someone has a life of grave sin, yet before he dies he has contrition, confesses his sins, and has firm purpose of amendment to sin no more then his sins are forgiven him. This the good thief demonstrated on the cross.
When Catholics say that faith alone is not enough we mean that belief in the saving work of Jesus is not enough if it is not accompanied by a submission of the will that loves God, is sorry for one's sins, and desires to sin no more. It does not mean that we need to earn points by our deeds to enter into heaven.
Joh 6:29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One He has sent.”
Do we add and detract from His Word, much like the Scribes and Pharisees? Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling means you are given it, now exercise it. Faith with out works is dead means there is still faith and salvation , but it is not being exercised, it is not growing.
Being P or RC is not the issue here. What is God’s positon, not what is the RC and P positon.
Read the following slowly and let your lips move. I do not mean to insult you by this but the mind gets ahead of the reading if you don’t.
Points to Ponder:
1) The is no faith AND................
2) Faith is the gift of God.
3) God is God and we are not.
Rom_4:3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
Rom_4:9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
Rom_4:13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
Rom_4:16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
Rom_4:19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though,
at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
Rom_4:22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
Gal_3:6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
Gal_3:7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.
Gal_3:8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when He said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”
Gal_3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
Gal_3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Heb_11:8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.
Heb_11:17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,
Jas_2:23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.