Rebuttal: Faith without good works, is dead.

What the Bible Says
Can we agree that the words “do” and “does” imply some form of action? Well…

• Mt 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,* but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." (It's is not enough to say it; we must live it).
• Mt 19:16-17 – “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
• Rom 2:6-8 – "...the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness."
• Gal 5:4-6 – "You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."
• Jam 2:24 – “See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
• Ps 143:10 – “Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.”
• Rom 8:14-17 – "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba,* Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him."
• Titus 2:14 – "Who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good."
• Titus 3:8 - Paul says to Titus, "I want you to insist on these points, that those who have believed in God be careful to devote themselves to good works; these are excellent and beneficial to others."
• 1 Corin 13:13 – “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (Look how love trumps faith. Love is defined in the Bible as sacrifice / service).
• Lk 9:23 Then he (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross (this is work) daily and follow me."
• 1 Corin 13:4-7 – Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
• Eph 2:8 – "For by grace you have been saved, it’s from God and not from works; it’s the work of God in His mercy." 
• Luke 3:8-14 – “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance..."
• James 2:14-17 – "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

What the Church Teaches

• CCC 1830:  In regards to piety (the quality of being religious), the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit."
• CCC 1831: "The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations." 
• CCC 1832: “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory.  The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.” 
  • These are the good works of the Spirit; it’s not a means of earning salvation but evidence of the presents of the Holy Spirit dwelling in the individual. The Church defines “virtue” as the habitual and firm disposition to do good.  There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. They inform all the moral virtues and give life to them. The greatest of these is charity (love).
• CCC 1817: “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. The Holy Spirit... he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.”

In Other Words
The works in Ephesians 2:8 is the initial call from God. He supplies the free gift of faith through his love and mercy, in the present, resulting from a past action.  The works in Ephesians 2:10 are the results of faith working in us, as a future action after baptism. Note, “Do you want to be shown you foolish fellow, that faith apart from works is barren” (Eph 2:20). It is precisely because of God’s mercy that I am even able to do good works. Not my will, but his will be done. Catholics who know their faith, also know that they cannot earn salvation. They understand that it is a free gift from God. That gift is the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son. However, we can choose to reject it.
 
This is what the Church teaches and what Catholics profess to believe, every Sunday:
"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven  and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen."
 
This is orthodoxy, the Credo in which Catholics have been praying since the very beginning. This Credo became official in Nicaea, the Ecumenical Council. This council of the Catholic Church was held in 325 AD in order to extinguish the heresy of Arius.  Aryanism, a heresy which arose in the fourth century completely denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ.  It is from this council that ALL Christians become enlightened to enjoy the doctrine of the Trinity. Thanks, Catholic Church.
 
Having to 'earn' salvation is NOT what the Catholic Church solicits.  If someone gets the facts wrong, it’s not the Church to blame.  Example: If you were told by an uninformed Catholic that the reason for their piety such as prayers, fasting, feeding the poor, frequenting the Sacraments, being kind to people and the like, is to accrue points with the Father - you were misinformed.  I apologize. This is the reason why many people turn away from the Catholic Church – not because the Church is wrong, but because it is wrongly represented. I myself have been guilty of, and victim to, false representation. Please, go to the source and get the truth about Her (The Church’s) orthodoxy.
 
The Catholic Church, I assure you, believes and teaches it is only by His passion and death we are saved, and so it is His mercy (Love) for us that saves us. But it doesn’t end there; we must cooperate with God’s mercy and live the Golden Rule. We must do good works, not as the means to earn heaven, but to bring Christ to others and demonstrate our mercy towards our brothers and sister.  Surely you can understand this - remember the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25: 14-30.
 
God shows us his love and mercy, and he calls us to show our brothers and sisters love and mercy. We have been saved through faith; and this is not our own doing, it is a free gift from God. Not because of works, lest any man should boast ,you cannot save yourself. I will say it again, Catholics who know their faith understand that they cannot earn their way to heaven! But, Catholics also understand that “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.  For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them” (Eph 2:8-10). Our sinful works crucified Christ. Our good works glorify Him, here on earth. Let us pick up, carry our cross, and follow Him.

Keep These Additional Scriptures in Mind

• Romans 5:1-5 – "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us."
• Philippians 2:12 – "So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
• Philippians 4:8-9 –  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you."

 
These are the good deeds, of a Catholic, and we are to DO them, because of Christ within each person. Remember when Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of the brethren, you do to me” (Mt 25: 40).  It is NOT to earn salvation, but to express evidence of faith, in obedience to Jesus, and glory to God.