" Put another way, then, Roman Catholics say that faith in Jesus is INSUFFICIENT to save us. Faith alone is not enough. Our faith must be "formed by love," which means that the burden of proof falls on our love. Only if we are loving enough, can our faith save us, say Roman Catholics. How much love is needed? How many good works? How much effort? Unfortunately the Roman Catholic Church cannot tell you this. It merely answers "Do your best and hopefully that will be enough." But how do we know when or if we've done our best? How is it that they overlook all the previously listed scriptures "from the Bible they claim to be aligned with??.
The Council of Trent made this teaching the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church (canon XII) and actually damned anyone who said that we are justified by faith alone for Christ's sake. Both the New Catholic Catechism, Vatican II, and other contemporary documents show that this is still the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church today. This first difference between Lutherans and Roman Catholics is a pivotal difference over the main teaching of Christianity. Galatians 5 tells us that anyone who seeks to be justified (saved) by the Law (by our love, effort, good works, etc.) is severed from Christ and has fallen from grace! We are not to depend on our works, even in part, but only on what Christ has done for us! Faith alone saves. So your assessment that for Lutherans salvation is "easier" is correct. Easier for us, since it' a gift that we receive by faith and baptism. But very costly for Christ who had to give His life to procure it!.
Difference # 2 is over the answer to the question, "What is the highest authority in Christianity?" Roman Catholics have argued that it is the papacy (or at least the magisterium); Lutherans have argued that Christ is the only head of the Christian Church, his body; and holy Scripture is that authority by which all Christian doctrine must be judged.