You must assumed that when the CCC states,
"Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification and for the attainment of eternal life (Catechism of the Catholic church, Part 3, Life in Christ, Merit, 2010)
And Trent (not Trump) stated,
"nothing further is wanting to the justified [baptized and faithful], to prevent their being accounted to have, by those very works which have been done in God, fully satisfied the divine law according to the state of this life, and to have truly merited eternal life." (Trent, Chapter XVI; The Sixth Session Decree on justification, 1547)
If anyone says that the good works of the one justified are in such manner the gifts of God that they are not also the good merits of him justified; or that the one justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit an increase of grace, eternal life, and in case he dies in grace, the attainment of eternal life itself and also an increase of glory, let him be anathema." (Trent, Canons Concerning Justification, Canon 32.
that it means saved by good works, which it does, "by God's grace," but not outside of Christ and the Catholic church (though what being part of it may mean sees debate among RCs) , though Catholicism allows that those ignorant thru no fault of their own may be saved if they somehow find Christ as their Lord and Savior.
That would be contrary to the paganism which was celebrated on Vatican grounds, while the Catholic salvation thru grace by merit gospel is also false.
Which [url=https://peacebyjesuscom.blogspot.com/2019/06/basically-what-is-roman-catholic.html]RC doctrine of salvation [/url], means that he act itself (ex opere operato) of baptism (even without the required personal wholehearted repentant justifying faith: Acts 2:38; 8:36,37) effects regeneration and makes one actually good enough (justified by his own righteousness: causa formalis) to be with God - until his remaining sinful nature manifestly shows he is not, thus resulting in the [url=https://peacebyjesuscom.blogspot.com/2018/10/did-new-testament-church-believe-in.html]false doctrine of RC Purgatory [/url] in order to become good enough to be with God (and atone for sins).
However, it is heart-purifying regenerating faith such as effects the obedience of baptism (all that we voluntarily choose to do is a result of what we truly believe, at least at the moment) that is counted for righteousness. (Acts 2:38; 10:43; 15:7-9; Rm. 4:5; Titus 3:5;)
And which evidences faith, and thus those who will believe and obey are promised salvation, (Heb. 5:10) just as those who believe. (Jn. 3:16) Cause and effect must go together, as with forgiveness and healing in cf. Mk. 7:2-16, but the effect is not to be made the cause.
Thus believers are made accepted in the Beloved, and spiritually made to sit with Him in Heaven, (Eph. 1:6; 2:6) on His account, and have access with boldness into the holy of holies in Heaven by His inless shed blood, (Heb. 10:19).
And thus they will go to be with the Lord at death or at His return and the believers resurection, being henceforth forever with the Lord. (Lk. 23:43 [cf. 2Cor. 12:4; Rv. 2:7]; Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17)
And which event is the next transformative event believers looked to in the NT church, that of being conformed to Christ at the resurrection of believers at the coming of the Lord. (2Cor. 5:2,3; 1Cor. 15; 1Jn. 3:2)
And after the Lord's coming is the judgment seat of Christ, with its giving and loss of rewards (Mt. 16:27; 1Cor. 3:8-17; 4:5; Rm. 14:10; 2Cor. 5:10; 1Thes. 2:19; 2Tim. 4:1,8; Rev.11:18; ; 1Pt. 1:7; 5:4; cf. Mt. 13:30,39; 25:31-46; Jn. 5:29; Rev. 20:5,6) based on the quality of the material they used to build the church with.
But the loss (1Cor. 3:14,15) of fruit and rewards (along with the implicit grievous displeasure of the Lord) is the only suffering mentioned for believers after leaving this world (versus purgatory, which has souls suffering upon death). And which loss is not that of personal defects but the fruit of such as providing material for building the Lord's church, and which loss the believer is saved despite of. (1Cor. 3:15)
Hope this too-prolix an explanation will suffice.
Good works done by a man in the state of grace are meritorious. That is the clear teaching of scripture.
An unjustified man's works are not. Nobody can merit the grace of justification by his own works or effort. Justification is always the result of God's gracious choice.
Galatians 2:19-20
For through the law I died to the law
so that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ,
and I ---no longer 'I' live
but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
'
Galatians 6:14
But as for me, may I never boast,
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
`
'
`