This is a question that requires a little nuance. We have the guarantee of the road to salvation but not the assurance. This concept is best summed up in the gospels. “But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.” ¹ There’s an old Catholic saying. I was saved, I am saved, and I am being saved. Salvation isn’t a one time event but rather a process. A process that requires our participation.
You’ll often hear that Catholics believe they are saved by faith and works. This is a bit of an oversimplification. It would also be in error to say we believe in faith alone. “Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith “man freely commits his entire self to God.” For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. “The righteous shall live by faith.” Living faith “work[s] through charity.” ²
For Catholics we don’t believe that we have to fill out some mystical punch card. Do 10 good works and get to Heaven. Neither do we believe the amount of good works that have to be performed is some mysterious number. Rather, when we claim we are saved by faith and works it is a recognition of God’s love for us. He loves us so much that he saves us not by erasing who we are but by allowing us to participate in our salvation. ³ This is a free gift. However, he loves us so much he also allows us to return the gift.
Christ tells us “If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth.” ⁴ and James tells us “What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him?” ⁵ Just to be clear, salvation comes solely and primarily and ultimately through the grace of God. ⁶
So, throughout our journey with Christ we are to participate with his grace. As we participate with his grace he transforms us not by force but by a tempering. God tempers our soul through our works so that we may become more like him. Here’s the thing though. Just as he doesn’t force us to participate in his plan he doesn’t force us to continue to participate. At any time we can decide that we don’t want to live for him anymore and he respects that decision.
To sort of quote the protestants “It’s not about religion. It’s about a relationship.”. Don’t get me wrong. In the sense that quote is often used there is severe error. There is truth to it though. You can get baptized and follow all the rules to the letter. However, without a relationship you might as well not do it at all. Following Christ is about creating a relationship with him. One that must be maintained and if we decide we know longer want that relationship with him he respects that.
That’s why we cannot say we are guaranteed our salvation but we are assured. We are guaranteed the road to salvation in Christ but not assured of our relationship with him in our final days as that is ultimately our decision. That being said we are assured the fruits of our free choice. Will we follow Christ or our own desires?
¹Matthew 24:13
²CCC 1814
³John 3:36
⁴John 15:6
⁵James 2:14
6CCC 1992