Here we are on Independence Day and this subject comes up yet again.
As a R.Catholic, I believe grace comes from God through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and this justifies us. It is an unearned gift. However, all the grace in the world will not save anyone if we do not manifest our love of God, and of his Son, Jesus, by loving our neighbors as ourselves - i.e. by charity. Can any sincere Christian actually believe that because God has bestowed grace upon them, they will automatically be saved regardless of whether they live a life of hedonism?
Charity should be done because we love Jesus and want to imitate Him and please Him - or - because Jesus commanded we love our neighbors as ourself, and will judge each and everyone of us someday. The first reason is the purest and most pleasing; the second, less pleasing. Yet the second is better than not performing charity at all. To believe that because you once had grace bestowed upon yourself, you are saved regardless of an unrepentent, sinful lifestyle, is idiotic.
This is such a simple concept, that I cannot understand why so many arguments come from it.