You might be surprised at the similarities between the Catholic and Lutheran points of view.
As I understand it, both Catholics and Lutherans believe that justification itself is through faith alone, and that is sufficient. However, Catholics especially emphasize, and Lutherans agree, that a change in life resulting from faith is inevitable. And such a change will show itself in the form of works.
This makes sense. Let’s review James 2:
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 if a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
16 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?
17 so also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 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.
Notice what verse 17 says. It says without works, the faith is dead. If the faith is dead, then it isn’t only works but faith also that is lacking – and therefore leads to lack of justification. I think the gist of it, is that to tell someone to go eat well is not faith. It’s just running off at the mouth. A faithful person will take action someone in need rather than just mouth wishes for them. Jesus was a man of action and words both.
Also I read that faith – being abstract and not directly observable – can only be known to anybody other than the person who claims to have the faith, through works. And works can be verbal; for example a kind word to comfort someone who is grieving, is a work of mercy and therefore a “work.”
Other opinions are, of course, welcome. My main source for this is the “
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION, by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church,” from the Vatican website.
4.3 Justification by Faith and through Grace
25.We confess together that sinners are justified by faith in the saving action of God in Christ. By the action of the Holy Spirit in baptism, they are granted the gift of salvation, which lays the basis for the whole Christian life. They place their trust in God’s gracious promise by justifying faith, which includes hope in God and love for him. Such a faith is active in love and thus the Christian cannot and should not remain without works. But whatever in the justified precedes or follows the free gift of faith is neither the basis of justification nor merits it.
26.According to Lutheran understanding, God justifies sinners in faith alone (sola fide). In faith they place their trust wholly in their Creator and Redeemer and thus live in communion with him. God himself effects faith as he brings forth such trust by his creative word. Because God’s act is a new creation, it affects all dimensions of the person and leads to a life in hope and love. In the doctrine of “justification by faith alone,” a distinction but not a separation is made between justification itself and the renewal of one’s way of life that necessarily follows from justification and without which faith does not exist. Thereby the basis is indicated from which the renewal of life proceeds, for it comes forth from the love of God imparted to the person in justification. Justification and renewal are joined in Christ, who is present in faith.
27.The Catholic understanding also sees faith as fundamental in justification. For without faith, no justification can take place. Persons are justified through baptism as hearers of the word and believers in it. The justification of sinners is forgiveness of sins and being made righteous by justifying grace, which makes us children of God. In justification the righteous receive from Christ faith, hope, and love and are thereby taken into communion with him.[14] This new personal relation to God is grounded totally on God’s graciousness and remains constantly dependent on the salvific and creative working of this gracious God, who remains true to himself, so that one can rely upon him. Thus justifying grace never becomes a human possession to which one could appeal over against God. While Catholic teaching emphasizes the renewal of life by justifying grace, this renewal in faith, hope, and love is always dependent on God’s unfathomable grace and contributes nothing to justification about which one could boast before God (Rom 3:27). [See Sources for section 4.3].
