What's the difference between a Baptist and a Catholic?
Answer: Humanly speaking, nothing! If all you are doing is going to church or practicing a religion, one is as good, or shall I say as bad, as the other.
Since there are a number of varieties of Baptists, and each potentially differ in their beliefs, and since not all Catholics embrace what the Catholic Church teaches, let us rephrase the question like so: What is the difference between what the Bible teaches and what the Catholic church teaches regarding salvation? To that question may I say, "There are two main differences."
AUTHORITY is the first main difference.
In Titus 2:15, Paul told Titus to speak, exhort, and rebuke with ALL AUTHORITY
Notice the singular tense of the word "authority".not authorities.
What is the authority? The words of GOD! THE SCRIPTURES.
(2 Tim 3:16) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
All that we need is found in the scriptures.the single source of authority.
Church leaders, extra-biblical writings, as well as ancient traditions do not rise to the level of biblical authority, and therefore must be dismissed.
(1 Pet 1:23) "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
SUFFICIENCY is the second main difference.
What Jesus Christ did on the cross is sufficient to save a sinner.
(Eph 2:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
(Rom 4:5) "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
(John 10:28) "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish."
There you have it. The two main differences between what I believe and what you believe: Authority and Sufficiency.