The largest segment of the organized Christendom, The Roman Catholic Church, has long opposed the Bible teaching for this age of the Gentiles, wherein ‘salvation is by grace, through faith alone.’ Rather, Rome teaches that it is by grace, through faith ... PLUS certain required good works [rites, rituals, and other performance requirements]. This of course negates God's 'pure 100%  grace' basis of salvation through 'faith' alone.

They protest that grace believers do not place the proper stress on good works, and that the Catholic does place as much emphasis upon grace and faith as we. But Paul makes clear that works negates true faith because it negates the effectual work of Christ at the Cross on our behalf.

“Christ is become of no effect [no benefit] unto you, whosoever of [thinks] you are justified by the law [and it works requirements]; Ye Are Fallen from Grace.” (Galatians 5:4 (KJV)

Our “Apostle to the Gentiles,” Paul is very clear about this most vital doctrinal issue:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

One advocate of this religious denomination agrees that men cannot be saved without Christ or faith or grace, but objects that the grace of God, accepted by faith in Christ, is not enough to save. He says according to Catholic doctrine: “All men are born in original sin, and all must be cleansed by Baptism. (They say,) In Baptism, Grace is implanted in the soul by God and confers the right to heaven.”

But we must ask; what about the thief on the cross, who looked to Christ in his dying moments and never had an opportunity to be baptized? Was he not saved? (See Luke 23:42,43).

If, according to Heb. 10:4, it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins (even though required by God), could this writer explain to us how any amount of water could possibly wash away one sin or right one moral wrong?

But one might gather from the above quotation that the baptized soul at least is safe and secure, since the grace implanted by God “confers the right to heaven.” But not so. The fact is that “The Catholic Church” never gives her devotees true peace or assurance; never sets them free. They say “The right to heaven,” conferred upon the baptized person, is the right to strive for it! Note how the writer goes on to say, “We worship God by the practice of our religious duties in order to obtain our salvation.”

By Contrast, how satisfying and reassuring is the Word of God itself on this subject:

“Now to him that worketh [i.e., for salvation] is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (NOTE: God will never be a debtor to man)

“But To Him That Worketh NOT, but [rather] BELIEVETH ON HIM [God] That Justifieth The Ungodly, His FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Rom. 4:4-5).

Neither the works of ‘man’s religion’ or of the ‘Israel’s God Given Mosaic Law’ will save anybody today, during today’s age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2)