Faith, Works, and Redemption:
One of the primary concerns of all Christians is rendered to the simple question, “how can I be saved” (Cf. Acts 16:30). Many Catholics would answer, “With fear and trembling work out your salvation in Christ.” (Phil. 2: 12) Our Catholic faith is that which works by Charity. (C.f. ST. Basil of Caesarea, Letter 295) There are many who believe that the effect of Adam's sin was to make man as a worm, totally depraved and in capable of holiness. Therefore, such a depraved man is incapable of working out his salvation. He must wait till his name shows up on the roles of God's predestined saints. Thus, the logic continues, since man is incapable of holiness, he cannot cooperate with God's will and once predestined to be saved God saves always. However, this logic sets a scriptural dichotomy between faith and works that was never intended by the writers.
It would seem to me that a Scripture deemed Holy, inspired by God would be in harmony, one theological principle relative to another. What are we to make of the theological principle of faith alone as “by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Rom 3:20) compared with “So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.” (James 2:17) Are we to assume that the Holy Spirit was schizophrenic when he coined Scripture?
Obviously not; we're given the answer in the same chapter of Romans, “By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.” That is we should be, “mindful of the work of your faith and labour and charity: and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father “ (1 Thess 1:3); i.e. the work of your faith is hope, charity, and most of all love of God.
So as James tells us, faith is of little value without work; So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 18 But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without works; and I will show thee, by works, my faith. 19 Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?. 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar?. (James 2:17-21) All of which gets me back to my original comment: God reaches out with his gift of faith, we in turn cooperate by reaching out for that gift for the love of God. Thus the working of a synergism between God's grace of faith and works of holiness
JoeT