“...not salvific merits...
That is the crux of the matter. Christ IS the unblemished acceptable sacrifice.
It is what we DO with the information that matters next.
“... The works we do as Christians are not salvific.
That is the set up. Catholics DO NOT EVER THINK the works they do are salvific.
NOT EVER. It is His Grace.
We cannot take our works that our blemished. That is the thing that went wrong!!!! We were told that is what Catholics think - that OUR WORKS take the place of HIS.
Catholics do not think this.
Thus we agree on the horse and cart analogy. As I said before to another poster Evangelicals are accused of saying “no works at all period.” I have to remind some we are not antinomians.
When one puts on Christ, there is a LOT of work to do. As He said the harvest is plentiful the workers few. This also...If we love Him we will do what He says. I fully understand when we confess with our mouth Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the “Lord” portion needs to be understood we are subject to Him and we take all commands from Him.