Catholic Bible 101

A lot of  ministers say that works are useless  as regards getting into heaven.  But does the Bible really say what they say it says?  They say that works are useless despite what James says in James 2:26 - "Faith without works is dead".  These are good works (Ephesians 2:10), of course, and not the useless Jewish works of the law (circumcision, ritual handwashing, no pork, etc.) that Paul condemns (Galatians 3:10).

God freely gives us grace, which increases our faith in Jesus, which in turn leads to good works, justification, and salvation.  The reason Jesus cursed the fig tree is because it bore no fruit (Mark 11:21). Good works are the fruit of our faith (Colossians 1:10). Having faith in Christ without performing good works as a result of that faith is like having a full tank of gas in the car but never starting it up to go anywhere.  It just sits there doing no one any good. 

True faith in Christ means being a doer of the word, and not just a hearer (James 1:22).  So if you want to get into heaven, read the following scripture quotes and go out into the world and imitate the life of Christ by performing as many good works as you can, out of love, of course.  It may be your cross to bear (Mark 8:34), but that's OK. We are commanded to do them by Jesus -

John 14:12:"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father."

Matthew 18:3: and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

(**NOTE -  Being child-like is not the same as being child-ish. Being child-like means being innocent, meek and humble, and having total trust in God Your Father that He will take good care of you, no matter what.  What infant worries about money, clothes, or promotions at work? Then neither should we. (Luke 12:22-31)).

Matthew 25:31-46:"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

John 5:28-29: Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice  and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 

Romans 2:6: For he will render to every man according to his works.

Galatians 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 20:12-13: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.

(**NOTE- Notice that you are not judged by your "faith alone in Jesus Christ", nor in "faith alone in the Bible". You are judged according to what you have done with the graces that God gave you in this life. Remember the parable about the Master receiving back interest on his investments? (Matthew 25:14-30)) .

Revelation 21:22-27: And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it,  and its gates shall never be shut by day -- and there shall be no night there;  they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.  But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.