Does the belief in 'works' take away from Christ?

[COrbyT]

Dear Sirs,
I was posed a question by one of my Protestant friends that the logic seemed sound. I know that the Church believes in both faith and works but it was asked that “If your works are part of your salvation then that would mean that Christ work on Earth was only 1/2 are he was a partial savior.” How do I contradict this belief?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

If we truly believe then it will be apparent in our works. Imagine telling someone you love them but never acting as if you do. As the old saying goes: “show me how someone lives and I’ll tell you what they believe.” Our works do not take away from Christ since works alone do nothing for us. It is by God’s grace alone that we are saved but we need to respond to that grace. We cannot merit or earn the gift of salvation but we can reject it or lose it through sin.

As the Epistle of James (2:18-22) states:

Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works.