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<small>'''''Prologue:''' This article reflects some of the understandings that I came to as a young adult as I began to explore my faith more. When I wrote it, I was not aiming to insult people of a different viewpoint and nor was I at all suggesting that those who feel differently are somehow less Christian. Indeed, I believe that all people who sincerely trust and follow Jesus, whether from a Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox background, are part of God's family and part of the universal church. Likewise, I was not trying to claim that how a person lives and acts is not important - it is hugely important. In this article I was simply trying to explore my belief that God is so loving and merciful that, like for the thief on the Cross, regardless of what wrongs we've done, we can receive God's forgiveness and eternal life simply through putting our faith in Jesus, and nothing more is needed.''</small>

It was in fact this very issue of justification by faith alone that lead to the division of the Catholic Church in the [[Reformation]]. At that time, a number of priests and bishops in the Roman Church was were involved in selling indulgences for [[forgiveness]] for money. This was based on the principles that Christians are not assured of their [[salvation]] and require works for their justification. The reformers believed that a Christian was saved by placing his faith in Christ, and therefore had no need to earn or buy forgiveness because he already has it!