to refute the accusation that is often made against the UNIVERSAL Church that it teaches salvation by works - here is my test i give to anyone who obviously has no clue what the Church teaches ( even some who claim to have been Catholic once - you know who you are ! )
a man has never prayed to God in his life, he utterly rejects God’s existance, he murders a man and is sent to death row. while on death row, he rapes a fellow prisoner and curses at God. the day before he is to die, he is witnessed to by a fellow Christian prisoner and is told the good news that Jesus Christ became man, lived a sinless life and willingly went to the cross as a Sacrifice for his sins to reconcile him to the Father. the Holy Spirit drew him to Jesus Christ and as his last wish the following day, one half hour before being put to death, the man requested a priest come and baptize him, which was done. one half hour, the prisoner went to his death. the prisoner NEVER DID A GOOD WORK IN HIS LIFE.
Here is the test to anyone who accuses the Church of teaching salvation by works -
according to the Catholic Faith, did that prisoner go to heaven or hell when he died????
Thank you for these two posts. Amen.