GOOD WORKS VS NO GOOD WORKS

I have always wondered why good works had nothing to do with salvation. I realize the Holy Bible says it would allow us to boast and take away from God's gift of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9) So one can get saved and then go on living a life as if they are not saved. That never made any sense to me since we are supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But I have run across an answer that for me is very satisfying.

In 1545 the Council of Trent gathered to discuss and answer back to the Reformation so as to clarify Christian doctrine on the issues that the Reformers were protesting. There were many topics and the Council lasted from 1545 to 1563. Also where the church had abuses they worked on fixing them so as not to allow Satan a complete foothold in the church. Out of this council came the answer as to why the church did not believe in faith alone was a very thin line.

Now in the Justification Doctrine in the first sentence, it clearly states, "There is Justification by faith, without works." So the Protestants can relax and take a deep breath now. The explanation of what the Catholic Church believes about works is this, "Because faith includes obedience, which results in them. Also, out of gratitude to so good a Father who even gives us by grace an inclination to good works. He, being Holiness, loves all that is good, and so is pleased with our good works. But they do not at all earn salvation in a primary sense, if they did, we would have a boast.

That answered my lifelong question and after being a lifelong Protestant it was funny to me to find my answer in the Catholic Church. This leads me to state that there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about this faith tradition that is just blatantly not true. I have started a deep dive research of Catholicism and found I believed many things about this faith tradition that are not true. It is like the old saying that it is easier to believe a lie than the truth. Be blessed, my friends.

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