In Catholicism, what are meritorious works?

from the old testament

• The Old Testament provides several principles that help clarify why meritorious works, as understood in Catholicism, don’t align with the biblical pattern of salvation and God’s reward. The Old Testament consistently emphasizes that blessings and favor come from God’s grace, not human merit. For example, Abraham is credited as righteous because of his faith, not the works he performed (Genesis 15:6).
• Similarly, Israel’s obedience or sacrifices were only acceptable when God’s heart and covenant were acknowledged (Deuteronomy 6:5-6).
• In passages like Isaiah 64:6, human righteousness is described as “filthy rags” (NKJV), highlighting that our best deeds cannot earn or obligate God to reward us. God’s favor is always rooted in His mercy and covenant promises, not in our ability to earn it.
• Leaders like Moses and David were called and empowered by God to act, but their authority and effectiveness came from God’s calling, not personal merit (Exodus 3:10; 1 Samuel 16:12-13). Obedience was a response to God’s grace and guidance, not a way to create a “ledger” of deserved rewards.

from the new testament

• For Catholics, penance is a type of work that can earn reward from God, particularly by making satisfaction for sins committed (cf. James 5:16; 1 John 1:9). Any good work might have congruous merit, meaning it is fitting for God to reward it, though He is not strictly obligated by the work itself (Romans 4:4-5).
• The Catholic Church teaches that baptism is the sacrament that removes original sin and symbolically “wipes the slate clean” (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5), enabling a person to perform works of congruous merit. Without these works, the Church teaches it would be inappropriate for God to grant immediate entrance to heaven.
• The Catholic Church teaches that a Catholic who dies in “a state of grace” (baptized and free from mortal sin) but lacks sufficient congruous merit undergoes purification in purgatory before entering heaven. The Bible doesn’t teach purgatory. But it does teach that the saved merit rewards in heaven based on their works (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Note that the salvation is not based on works, but the rewards post-salvation are.
• Catholics maintain that this system is rooted in grace, because God initiates salvation through Christ and promises to reward good works, yet humans are not technically earning salvation solely by their deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, in practice, the Catholic doctrine links works to ultimate entrance into heaven. By contrast, Protestant orthodoxy teaches salvation by grace alone, affirming that no human work—penance, merit, or otherwise—can earn salvation; good works are the fruit of faith, not the currency for heaven (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:5-7).
• Protestants believe that not only did Jesus pay the complete penalty for sins (purgatory doesn’t exist), but that He–not good works—is also the only source of righteousness. As Paul wrote, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:8-9). Our righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not through works.
• Similarly, Romans 4:4-8 says, "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessing are those who lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.'"
• The idea that trying hard, being good, performing enough good deeds, having the right morals, will earn favor from God is unbiblical: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

implications for today

Protestants often accuse Catholics of teaching works-based salvation, while Catholics insist they believe in salvation by grace. To engage in meaningful dialogue, it is important to understand what Catholics mean by meritorious works—that is, good deeds that, while empowered by God’s grace, are believed to have a role in God’s reward system without replacing the necessity of grace.

The Catholic Church teaches there are two types of merit: condign merit and congruous merit. Condign merit carries an obligation for reward, such as payment for a rendered service. Congruous merit allows for but does not require fitting and appropriate reward, such as a gratuity (tip) for a well-rendered service.

Catholic doctrine teaches that people cannot do works of condign merit. In other words, God can never be in our debt for how we perform or act. It teaches that people can, however, do works of congruous merit. In other words, it is fitting and right for God to reward people for certain works. Protestants, by contrast, emphasize that our works do not earn salvation or merit God’s favor; instead, good works are a response to God’s grace and evidence of faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10), not a currency to earn reward.

Our actions are important, no doubt. They reveal what we believe, reflect God’s character in our lives, and serve as a testimony to others. However, they are never the basis of our salvation, which comes entirely through God’s grace and Christ’s finished work on the cross. Obedience and good deeds flow from a heart transformed by faith, not from a desire to earn favor or merit with God. This perspective keeps our focus on Christ as the source of redemption, ensuring that our works are a joyful response to grace rather than a means to achieve it. Ultimately, our works matter because they reflect the faith that already saves us, not because they save us.