Not Earned, but Received
The truth about "Works" in Catholic theology
There is perhaps no doctrine more hotly debated between Catholics and Protestants than the role of works in salvation. While we share belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ, we often speak past one another when it comes to what it means to “be saved” and how our response to grace matters.
Protestants rightly emphasize that salvation is a gift and cannot be earned. Catholics wholeheartedly agree. But confusion often arises over the place of works—especially when we talk about the Sacraments, corporal works of mercy, and the call to holiness. Aren’t those “things we do”? Doesn’t that mean we believe salvation depends on us?
Let’s take a closer look—especially at what Scripture actually says.
What Paul Condemns: Works of the Law
When Protestants raise objections, they often point to passages like:
“For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
—Romans 3:28“You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”
—Galatians 5:4
Paul was speaking directly against the idea that the Mosaic Law—the ceremonial, ritual, and legal prescriptions of the Old Covenant—could save. Circumcision, dietary laws, and ritual observances had become, for some, a source of self-righteousness and division. Paul’s warning was clear: these works cannot justify anyone. Christ has fulfilled the law. We are saved through faith in Him.
But Paul is not condemning all action. He is rejecting a system that tried to earn righteousness without Christ.
What Jesus Commands: Works of Love and Mercy
When we turn to the Gospels, we find that Christ makes no mention of justification through ritual observance—but He repeatedly demands the fruit of love:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
—Matthew 7:21“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink... Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”
—Matthew 25:35–40
The message is unmistakable: faith must move us toward love. Love of God. Love of neighbor. Christ doesn’t pit faith against works; He makes it clear that faith is proven through works of mercy.
James Says It Plainly
The Apostle James—often underemphasized in Protestant discussions—doesn’t mince words:
“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
—James 2:24“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
—James 2:17
This isn’t a contradiction of Paul—it’s a clarification. True faith is alive and active. If we claim to believe but never lift a finger to love or serve, then our faith is hollow. What we do reveals what we truly believe.
The Protestant Concern: Are Catholics Trying to Earn Salvation?
Many Protestants hear Catholic talk of Sacraments, penance, and almsgiving and conclude: “You’re trying to earn your way to heaven.”
We understand the concern. It’s easy to misunderstand a Church that speaks of obligation, participation, and response. But Catholic teaching is not about earning grace—it’s about responding to it.
We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9),
and that grace enables us to walk in the good works God prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10).
The Sacraments: God’s Action, Not Ours
The clearest place this comes to light is in the Sacraments. Protestants often view the Sacraments as something Catholics “have to do” in order to be saved.
But in reality, the Sacraments are not what we do for God—they are what God does for us.
In Baptism, God cleanses.
In the Eucharist, God feeds.
In Confession, God forgives.
In all the Sacraments, Christ is the one who acts on those who choose to present themselves to Him!
We do not earn grace through the Sacraments. We receive it. These are not magical rituals—they are tangible expressions of God’s love, instituted by Christ Himself. They are our ordinary means of salvation because God, in His generosity, gave them to the Church as gifts.
And yet, we know that God is not limited by them. He can work outside the Sacraments as He chooses. The Catechism affirms this:
“God has bound salvation to the Sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1257
This means that while we are called to receive the Sacraments faithfully, we trust in God’s mercy to work even when the ordinary means are unavailable.
Grace Comes First—But Love Must Follow
The Catholic Church teaches that we are initially justified by grace, received in Baptism. But the journey of salvation is ongoing—a process of becoming holy through love.
This is not legalism. It’s love in action.
“If I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”
—1 Corinthians 13:2
In the end, heaven is not a reward for good behavior. It is the fullness of union with God—who is love. And love cannot be passive.
Final Thought: Not Earned, But Entrusted
Salvation is not a paycheck—it is a gift. But a gift must be received. And once received, it transforms.
The Catholic view of works is not about earning salvation. It is about living salvation. God’s grace comes first, always. But grace invites us to cooperate—to love, to serve, to become who we were created to be.
Not because we have to.
But because we get to.
Because Christ lives in us.
And when He lives in us, the world will know—not just by what we say, but by what we do.
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