FAITH ALONE
This is the line that non-Catholics reference to say that all they need is to be "born again" - deeds don't count. Well, I wish they'd have read the rest of Jesus' statement.
Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, who was confused about being born again. Jesus clarifies what He states to Nicodemus by saying, (John 3:5) - Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Jesus isn't talking about anything different here, he's talking about the sacrament of baptism. The whole non-Catholic world would profit by simply reading the entire passage as presented in the Bible, not just the little bit they want to rely on.
There are other passages, too, that state quite clearly that entrance into Heaven is accompanied by faith and God's grace through the works of man. Take a look at these;
Phil 2:12 - ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Rom 2:5-6 - ...the righteous judgement of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
James 2:14 - What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?
Matt 16:27 - For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.
2 Cor 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Matt 25:31-46 - When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was anhungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Yes, it's quite clear to me that salvation is not as simple as stating that one proclaim Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. There's more to salvation than accepting Christ, there's the things we do to promote the works of God.
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