The short answer
Salvation is God's gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet Scripture presents faith as living, obedient, and enduring—not as a single isolated moment.
Jesus said
Christ repeatedly calls people not only to recognize Him, but to come to Him, follow Him, remain in Him, and entrust their lives to Him.
John 3:16John 6:35John 15:4–10
The apostles taught
The apostles proclaim faith in Christ as the doorway into the new life of grace, while also warning believers to persevere and to express faith through love.
Romans 5:1–5Galatians 5:6Hebrews 10:36–39
The Catholic synthesis
The Church teaches that faith is a grace and a human act: God's initiative comes first, and the person freely responds. Genuine faith is formed by charity and bears fruit in discipleship.