Short Answers: Are Good Works Necessary for Salvation?

The Catholic Church and Scripture unambiguously teach that good works following justification are necessary for salvation. Although some Protestant churches hold fast to the idea that good works, to include those performed after justification, do not contribute to our salvation, their assertion is false. Below, I will show why this is the case.

Catechism on Good Works

First, we should be aware of the Catechism’s treatment of this topic. In its section on merit, the Catechism states:

Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life.

The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man’s free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man’s merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit.

In its section on Hell, the Catechism adds:

Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren (see Matthew 25:31-46).

A Short Syllogism on Good Works

Next, I would like to offer a syllogism that simplifies this perennial Catholic teaching:

Premise 1 – God does good works.

Premise 2 – God creates us to be like Him.

Conclusion – God creates us to do good works.

Defending the Premises

Regarding premise one, does God do good works? Scripture tells us that He does. For example, Psalm 107 repeatedly tells us to thank God for his wonderful works, and Psalm 119:68 says that God is good and does good. In Matthew 7:11, Jesus tells us that God gives good things to those who ask Him. St. Paul adds that God works for good with those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Finally, St. James writes, “Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father of lights …” (James 1:17).

Regarding premise two, does God create us to be like Him? Again, Scripture reveals that this is the case.  Genesis 1:26-27 plainly states that God creates us in His image and likeness (see also Genesis 5:1). Colossians 3:10 says that Christians put on a new self, “which is being renewed after the image of its creator.” St. Paul writes, “For those whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son …” (Romans 8:29). Finally, Jesus tells us to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), a clear indication that God makes us to be like Him.

Conclusion

Therefore, we rightly conclude that by doing good works we function as God makes us. Because grace makes us more like God, our duty to do good works increases with grace. If we choose not to do good works, we choose to reject our likeness to God. If we believe that good works are unnecessary following justification, then we believe that we must not be the image and likeness of God that He creates us to be.

Ephesians 2:10 sums up our responsibility to do good works rather nicely. It states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Additional Reading

Please click here to see why good works are not automatic and the implication of believing this heretical notion, please click here.

To read more about grace and good works, please click here.

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