Since the 16th Century, disputes have raged over exactly what Justification is. The purpose of this paper is merely my modest attempt to repeat the teachings of the Catholic Church on this fundamental issue.
Of all the world's Christians, the issues in dispute over this doctrine can sometimes appear to be the most glaring to an outside observer. My intention is merely to show that there are fundamental points we (Protestant and Catholic) agree on. In many ways, the differences are a matter of simple misunderstanding. Many Protestants believe that Catholics believe in a works righteousness. This is simply false. The Council of Trent was called to answer the many charges being made against the Catholic Church during the time of the Reformation. One of the fundamental issues was Justification. The Council issued thirty three canons on Justification. These were put forth in an attempt to quell misunderstandings among not only Protestants, but also Catholics who had not been properly taught exactly what the Church teaches on this issue. The very first canon of this 16th century Church Council reads, "If anyone says that man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or through the teaching of the law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be anathema." The Protestant answer was that we are saved by "faith alone." Catholics agree that faith is a necessity to salvation, yet the exact meaning of the term "alone" is what caused much of the disagreement. Martin Luther was one of the most well known and popular Protestant teachers of the doctrine of Justification by faith alone. Luther's well known quote "Sin and sin boldly, but believe more boldly still" summed up much of Protestant thinking on the issue. The idea is that no matter how badly one may sin after having developed faith, they were still assured of salvation. Sin has no effect on the "believer" whatsoever after they have come to faith in Christ. Grace alone by Faith alone in Christ alone is the often repeated belief among Protestantism still in the modern day.
Catholics agree with this statement depending on how one defines faith. Catholics could believe in the doctrine of "faith alone" if by faith we mean a living, breathing faith that produces "good works" which are only a result of Grace. In other words, not "faith alone", but rather, "faith working in love"(Gal 5:6). Nobody can truly do a "good work" unless it is by the power of God's grace. It is not of ourselves. But the Catholic belief is that faith must be more than a mental assent. It must be a faith that actually "works in love". A faith that allows one to not only believe in Christ's existence and atonement for our sins, but also allows Grace to work freely through us. For faith, strictly speaking, that is alone....unaccompanied by "good works" (acts of mercy, compassion, love) is a "dead"(James 2:17) faith. As Jesus pointed out in Matthew 25:31-46, those who haven't the grace inside them to do acts of mercy are condemned. Why? Because their faith wasn't a true, living faith. It was a dead faith that made it impossible for those with dead faith to even recognize our Lord (Matt 25:44-45) much less know Him.
If a Protestant defines faith as a faith that produces "good works", then a Catholic could whole heartedly proclaim we are saved "by faith alone". If one claims that faith alone (a mental assent), regardless of how many times one sins, is sufficient by itself, then the Catholic would disagree. The reason for this is because, Catholics believe that one who sins doesn't have God's grace within them. In Galatians Paul tells us that once he is justified, "yet I live, no longer I, but Christ within me."(Gal 2:20) If it is truly "Christ within me" after justification, and not merely an imputed righteousness, then sin cannot also be in me. My faith, would not be "alone", it would be a faith filled with Grace. A faith filled with Grace will allow me to perform "good works", but not by my own power. Rather, by the Grace of God. Simply put, a faith without "good works" is a faith without Grace. Therefore it is an incomplete faith or a dead faith (James2). If the term "faith alone" summarizes the Protestant position, then Galatians 5:6 summarizes the Catholic position, "only faith working through love."
If Grace is a gift freely given, we must be able to accept.....or reject it. If we are not free to chose to love God, and love of God is forced upon us, then we are not truly in love with Christ. How can one "love" someone they are forced to love? It is not true love if someone is forced to do it. The Catholic position teaches that Grace is a gift of God freely given. If one rejects Grace, they reject Christ. Grace allows us to do "good works" and is the cause of our "good works." It should also be pointed out that we affirm that "works of the law", which are Jewish ceremonial works (i.e. circumcision, etc...) are not "good works" which are governed by Grace alone.
A definition of faith is governed by the existence of Grace. True faith, will not allow for disobedience to Christ's commands. For how could one filled with Grace, disobey Christ in even his smallest commands? The Apostle John makes this clear in his 2nd Epistle. He writes "Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so progressive as to not REMAIN in the teaching of Christ does not have God;"(2nd John verse 8-9). Grace enables one to REMAIN in the teaching of Christ. Can one sin and still have Grace within him? St. John also answers this question very clearly when he writes "We know that no one begotten by God sins, but the one begotten by God He protects, and the evil one cannot touch him."(1 John 5:18). Sin and grace cannot cohabitate within us. For if as Paul says it is "no longer I, but Christ within me", then sin cannot also be in us.
Ultimately. if a Protestant means by "faith alone" a faith that is accompanied by the works of Grace, then a Catholic is in full agreement. If the Protestant means by "faith alone" a faith that is not accompanied by the works of grace, then the Catholic disagrees. For a faith that is without Grace dies (James 2:17). One knows they have Grace by the fruit of their faith. If their faith doesn't produce "fruit" it is a dead and useless faith.
The only verse found in all of scripture that contains the three words "Justification", "faith" and "alone", is James 2:24. It explicitly condemns the idea by saying "not by faith alone". The proceeding verses, especially James 2:14 explain the context of his words:" Can that faith save him?"(James 2:14) James is clearly speaking about a faith that can, or cannot, "save" someone. The faith he is talking about that is a "dead" faith is a faith that is "alone." James defines this dead faith as a faith without the works of Grace(James 2:17). Most Protestants, strictly speaking, would agree that a faith that doesn't produce the "works" of Grace is not a saving faith. Once again, the disagreement comes down to a definition of exactly what faith is. Is it mental assent? We would all agree that this is wrong. Is it giving your heart and life to Jesus? Yes. In everyway possible. This must include allowing the Grace of God to work though you. For only "faith working in love" is a living, saving faith. To reject these works is to reject Grace.