There is no grade scale of sin. Sin is sin. You break one and you are guilty of breaking the Law, period.
James 2:10-11 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Works do NOT procure salvation. Catholics do not believe that works secure salvation. Catholics realize that because of free will, choices must be be made - these choices are constitute a “work”, i.e., actions flowing from our own conscience.
Then they need to stop quoting James 2:17. And no Catholic is secure in their salvation. Catholics rail constantly that nobody can know until they die and get there, and nothing sets a Catholic on fire like someone who is sure of their salvation.
God has sealed those who believe with His Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we take possession of it.
Ephesians 1:13-14 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
2 Corinthians 5:4-8 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
- these choices are constitute a “work”, i.e., actions flowing from our own conscience.
Our *conscience* is the worst possible means of determining a good work. God has prepared good works in advance for us to do that we should walk in them.
Our works on our own, are tainted with sin, and therefore defiled, filthy rags.
“...who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we take possession of it...”
St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians -
Chapter 2 - Verse 12
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but much more now in my absence)
with fear and trembling work out your salvation.
The bible makes it clear that salvation is not gauranteed because human beings are required to use their free will to cooperate with the grace they have been given by God alone. Anyone has the choice and free will to seriously disobey God and lose their salvation at any time - only Christ himself was sinless.
Assuming one has achieved salvation is presumptious and prideful, because all men sin.