Revelation is addressing the tribulation. If you are saved by Jesus' blood, you will not be in this seven year period of terror. Those that are alive in this period will have to overcome till the end but sadly, not very many will survive.
Good works does please God and He expects them from us. On this side of the cross, we do them because of the love he showed us by coming to this earth as a man, being beaten and nailed to a cross for sins that we have committed. We do them out of love, not out of obligation.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
If you read it and stand on your answer let me know so I know where to start.
On the other hand,I believe you will amend your response and then I'd like to continue this discussion since chapters two and three have intrigued me for a long time. I have used them to fortify myself as I pursued some controversial matters with my pastor and a priest who was teaching some classes I attended, as well as an ex-bishop.
I believe we must cooperate with the salvific grace bestowed on us by a merciful and just Triune God in order to fulfill God's plan for man on earth and in heaven. When non-Catholics exclude Catholics based on their own conception/interpretation of the Word,man places stumbling blocks on the journey home.
In a nutshell,I believe God gave us a mind to know Him,a heart to love Him and a body to serve Him and a misplaced reliance on personal interpretation only serves the "evil one" and leaves many men as birds with broken wings. To overcome that I just ask that non-Catholics,who feel that Catholics are in error to believe that "works" are a necessary component to attain life everlasting,read with a desire to understand why we believe,say and do what we do. It's all in the scriptures.
You are sorely misled about Revelation here. Yes, some does apply to the Last Judgment.
It was written by John to the people of that day as a warning about the Roman Empire. There are many parallels in his language that the Romans would have understood.
Trumpets, bowls, etc. are pertain to these warnings. Heck the first chapters are specific warnings to the cities of that day.
It is not an End Times book, but what John was seeing in his day.
Many people do interpret it to be an End Times book, and as my first sentence stated -- yes, there are direct references. Please dod a historical Bible Study of Revelation. Then do the spiritual Bible Study of Revelation. It will make a lot more sense!
Sara -- fyi