“If a soul does notexercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 1317
The Bible reveals to us that the Judge has the goods on us. “Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done” Revelation 20:12.
One day, we will be numbered among “the dead,” and we will be judged by what we have done. Elsewhere we read in Revelation, that the saints enter heaven and “their deeds follow them” Revelation 14:13. Our works are integral to our salvation; indeed, they’ll be the stuff of our judgment.
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” James 2:14-18
These verses clearly state that works matter, what we do in action makes a difference. Luther added the word “alone” to his Bible in Romans 3:28 to come up with “Faith Alone.” This is something that Luther readily admits.
Yes, if a soul, lost in ignorance or whatever, comes to Jesus at that last moment to beg mercy, it WILL be granted like the thief on the cross – “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:42-43. But, even, he had works though limited by his time – he stood up to the bad thief and reached out to Jesus.
It is clear through Jesus’ words, the letters of the Apostles and through church teaching right up until Luther that works DO matter. it was only at that point, with the addition of one word did this theology change.
When we stand before God, I believe He will ask of us two questions. “Why should I let you into My Kingdom?” Of which, the obvious answer is, “I believe Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, to give me mercy.” That will lead to the next question, “prove it.” We prove our faith at that moment as St. James says, by our works.
Nothing we do can earn us Heaven. Trust and faith in Jesus and His Divine Mercy do that. But, coming empty handed before God, with no actions to show we believe, can be condemning. For, how can one claim to believe in what Jesus taught and said in His ministry, the Gospels and through the saints and His Church, and NOT act upon it. That would be a faith in the word alone.
For additional reading and proof, see “The Judgment of the Nations” in Matthew 25:31-46