The War on Works

It seems to me there is a lot of confusion surrounding the faith vs. works disagreement between Protestant and Catholic Soteriology. There are distinctions between homophonic definitions and the rhetoric continually gets stuck here. Let us begin there:

1. "Works" as actions in general, without faith being necessary, including all human actions, whether morally good, neutral, or sinful. These works may stem from natural abilities and dispositions but lack salvific value apart from faith and grace. Without the proper orientation toward God, even virtuous actions remain within the natural order and cannot justify a person (cf. Isaiah 64:6).
2. "Works" as actions ad salutem to human cooperation with the grace of God, where one’s actions are oriented toward forming virtue, disposing the soul to receive the infused virtue of justice (justifying grace) but are not themselves the cause of justification (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10).
3. "Works" as actions ex salutem or from holiness, the Holy Spirit, God's ordaining Will, and the Kingdom are the fruits of sanctifying grace and the infused virtues. Such works are meritorious in the supernatural order, contributing to the increase of grace and glory, as they flow from a heart transformed by grace (cf. Galatians 5:22-23).
4. "Works of the law" or erga nomou in Greek refer to the external observances of the Mosaic Law, which, while good in themselves, could not confer the grace of justification. These works were symbols and dispositions pointing to Christ, who fulfills the Law and brings true justice through grace. As St. Paul teaches, justification is not achieved through these works but through faith in Christ which is actionable given definitions 2 and 3 to be discussed below (cf. Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16). Sometimes Paul shortens this idea to just "works" given that He gave full term before and will many times more as he speaks to his (formerly) Jewish audiences (Romans 4:2, 4:6, 9:11, 9:32, 11:6).
5. "Works of the Flesh" is meant to convey the works of fallen humanity, St. Paul lists out sins which signals a distinction from works in general as well as the others (Galatians 5:19).

I would argue that the Catholic position is neither Pelagian nor Protestant. We do not earn our salvation, we do not assume our salvation with a strong sense of stubbornness in our mind, and we do not need to pressure ourselves to have a certain personality type. We need to do only one action, to become one thing, to please One, and to live in light of one Covenant that fulfills all others.

First, works alone such as that which a dog can do, are incapable of saving us in themselves. Vacuuming the floor can arguably have something salvific about it, but it alone has no salvific value. I can say this confidently because we are talking about a verb without a subject in this case. Let us change the script for a moment. Can vacuuming be an act of love? Easy question, right? Of course, vacuuming can be an act of love, in fact, because it is not a thing to do that is often subjectively desirable, doing it often implies a gift/small sacrifice. Thus, this action with context exceeds the theoretical boundaries of the first definition of works, because every act has a context. However, there are actions in themselves that can only work against what is good, such as uncoerced murder.[1] No context makes taking someone else's life into your hands and ending it acceptable nor failing to supply for another's or your own life when it is common, and one is capable. No action can be truly judged good in itself without a context and intention to go with it (at least which is not further reducible to something lesser, preceding action i.e. context without being general or fundamental e.g. pursuing truth).[2] External works or experiences can be sanctifying, but it can only be so in the measure of the interior actions are done concurrently or inspired by them.

Second, those works that we previously discussed cooperate with grace in receiving, actualizing, and unfolding the salvation from our own fallenness that grace alone provides.[3] These works are at once therapeutic, salvific, and internal because they bring a greater state of nature which in turn allows for more grace which brings about healing and purification, believing, and so on. Examples in the participle forms are: surrendering to God, purging sins (to the extent we can of our own volition), growing in virtue (to the extent we can of our own volition), praying for virtue, receiving grace wherever possible, making external changes which help our growth and healing, forgiving ourselves and others, following Christ, loving others as Christ loved us, etc.[4] These acts do in fact bring forth freedom from sin and allow God's graces the fullest potency we can allow ourselves and even stretching to that which we once could not. These works are NOT believed to be sufficient simply and only in our doing them. They are ONLY salvific and true to their definitions in the measure they give God the permission He needs (because He so respects our free will, that even allows us to harm our neighbors of equal dignity to us) as well as respond to what He is doing in progressive and successive action (Philippians 2:12-13, John 5:6). Justification is NOT a label that God simply places over top of what is wrong with us and our conduct (good thing too otherwise it would either lose meaning or be evidence against God's goodness). Rather it is what it implies, making us who and what we were made to be, righteous and free from sin. This by definition CANNOT be instantaneous except at our baptism (1 Peter 3:21), which means we are NOT saved nor sanctified instantaneously, but rather, allowed in our free will to choose these actions which form a life-long process or further sin on any given day or at any given moment. At one moment we may have confessed our sins or been baptized, but do we remain sinless? God drags no one to Heaven nor shoves any to Hell, He does help us the moment we allow Him, in the fashion we do not take away our choice of will. This is how it makes sense that St. Paul said: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:1-3, read on). He did not say "God saved you and so you are presented as a living sacrifice...," instead he used active voice with imperative language, saying, "[you] present...[you] renew your mind and be transformed... [you] discern...". Even believing itself is an action. Belief does save if it is truly done, because it is the action by which we have to conform ourselves to what is true, so long as we believe what is true. God truly saves if He is truly believed in. A true believer of Christ is not satisfied with mere morality as with the Rich Young Man but in the giving of one's whole self to the mission of Christ i.e. true belief which alters the course of action (Mark 10:17-31). "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Colossians 1:24). This is real faith, not an idea which the mind possesses but an idea which possess the mind, in a manner of speaking (Ephesians 2:8–9). This level is only possible through grace and our cooperation with it: "Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).

Third, actions which result from salvation are possible now, but not fully so. Sometimes though we do need to act the part to truly put on Christ (Romans 13:14; 1 Corinthians 2:16). Given the above there is a paradox that if we are not purged of our sins, we have not fully believed, and until we fully believe we will not be purged of our sins. The paradox can only be solved by truly following Christ in His obedience to the Father, in His total self-gift. Without this, we cannot be saved, because without this we are not choosing salvation. This fundamental choice, which is itself the surrender, is necessarily done by the sinner and yet only done through grace, and certainly easier said. Action like works of mercy and signs that reveal the fruits of the Holy Spirit are sometimes the subordinate acts that come those which are salvific and so are works of the New Law. For example, if I serve the poor, and love as Christ does, it is because I am in the process of believing or that I have believed (unless I simply prefer their friendship or something like that). These types of works come from the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit being at work, and are God's ordaining will because they are only truly accomplished in pursuing His will, and yet, "we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us"(2 Corinthians 4:7). Even St. Paul did not experience complete salvation from sin and perfect sanctification, "Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Fourth, we shall discuss the works of the Old Law. The Old Law makes explicit the implicit natural law. Although there is certainly an aspect to helping man be in harmony with the Creator and fellow creatures, the Law is such a gift because it shows man how to become what he was made to be, to live in conformity with reality, and ultimately, to be happy. Interestingly, those to whom we are indebted are the object of the affirmative commands. In all these ways it seems the Old Law informs/orders and so greatly prefigures the New Law. 

Just as the term "healthy" is primarily and properly applied to something that possesses health and secondarily to something that signifies or preserves health, so too, justification primarily and properly refers to the causing of justice. Secondarily, and in a less proper sense, it can refer to something that is a sign of justice or a disposition toward it. If we understand justice in these latter two senses, it is clear that the precepts of the Law conveyed it insofar as they disposed people to receive the justifying grace of Christ, which they also symbolized. As Augustine states (Contra Faust. xxii, 24), "even the life of that people foretold and foreshadowed Christ."

If, however, we speak of justification in its proper sense, it can be considered in two ways: either as a habit or as an act. Accordingly, justification may mean, first, that a person is made just by acquiring the habit of justice, or second, that a person performs works of justice. In this second sense, justification is essentially the practice or execution of justice.

Now, justice, like other virtues, can refer either to an acquired virtue or an infused virtue. As has been previously explained (I-II:63:4), acquired virtue is produced by human actions, while infused virtue is caused directly by God through His grace. The latter—infused justice—is the true justice being discussed here. It is in this sense that a person is said to be just before God, as stated in Romans 4:2: "If Abraham were justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God." Therefore, this kind of justice cannot be caused by the moral precepts of the Law, which concern human actions, and thus those precepts could not justify a person by producing justice.[5]

Like Aquinas here, who echoes St. Paul, St. Paul speaks out against living as if the Old Covenant is still in-force, He repeatedly claims that the Old Law will take you from Christ. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6). Paul is clear these actions separate one from the framework Christ established because it takes belief away from the words of Christ and trust toward the self and away from God.

In conclusion, often either the wrong definition of works is applied, or the right definition is applied in a set of beliefs the Church does not actually hold. This has been apparent every time I have discussed this issue with folks. When they apply their alternative theory, it sounds similar to the Catholic understanding. This is a sign of a problematic question, looking at a tree that has two branches as if it were two trees.[6] We need only love (will the good of the other), to become one within ourselves, with God, and with neighbor, to please God alone, and to live in light of the one Eternal Covenant that fulfills all others, and God WILL help you do this and with all else. God would save you if He were truly sought, if one truly believed, and if one truly followed Him. I know Christians who are decidedly abusive, but who simply say "Well I believe, I am forgiven" and go on with life as though they have spoken the truth. Tragically, as much as I wish I could say that I do not partake in such a dynamic, I am not quite dead yet. To a lesser degree, hopefully, at least, we all partake in this dynamic.[7] If we truly believed it would not be so, but would that we believe a little more every day. Using the definition of works ad salutem (2.), Read the rest of the Church's understanding here...

Written by Carter Carruthers

FN:

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 1761.
2. CCC, 1760.
3. Carter Carruthers, "If the Shoe Fits, Outgrow It", Vivat Agnus Dei, December 22, 2024, https://vivatagnusdei.blogspot.com/2024/12/if-shoe-fits-outgrow-it.html.; also see:
1. Carter Carruthers, "Do we need grace to be saved?", Vivat Agnus Dei, July 7, 2024.
2. Carter Carruthers, "Faith or Works?", Vivat Agnus Dei, October 3, 2021.
3. Carter Carruthers, "A Thank You is an Analogy", Vivat Agnus Dei, December 10, 2023.
4. Carter Carruthers, "Defining Surrender and Applying it Well", Vivat Agnus Dei, December 15, 2024.
5. Paraphrased from Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae, I-II, q. 100, a. 12, at New Advent, www.newadvent.org.
6. Carter Carruthers, "Trick(Bad) Questions", Vivat Agnus Dei, September 24, 2023.
7. Carter Carruthers, "Abused or Abuser?", Vivat Agnus Dei, June 2, 2024.