Jesus Himself said that by believing we are saved.
John 3:3-8 Jesus answered him,“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Sanctification is the process by which we become more conformed to the character of Christ and is a process in which obedience to God plays a role.
Catholicism's problem is that it conflates salvation with sanctification.
It also chooses to ignore the difference between salvation and the rewards we are promised when we get to heaven.
The rewards for obedience can be gained of lost through works but that does NOT affect the salvation.
Salvation is not the reward for obedience.
The reward is not salvation, it is crowns that we give back to Jesus.
Catholics also like to take credit for their contribution to salvation and yet we are told in Scripture that works are not part of getting saved and the reason is that so no man can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
It's not even our desire to do what's right, it's God who puts it in our hearts in the first place.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
We can't even come to Him unless He draws us.
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
>> “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” <<
How many read that declaration without grasping the fullness of its meaning?
How many declare themselves "born of the spirit" yet have never moved invisibly through a crowd as the wind does?
.