Am I going to hell for not being Catholic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter KingJohn
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Continued from above post -
*Luke 15:7
7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.”*
*Luke 15:11-32 Two Sons
11 Jesus also told them another story:
Once a man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.
15 He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs.** 16 He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating,[c] but no one gave him a thing.
17 Finally, he came to his senses and said, “My father’s workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! 18 I will go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’”
20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.
21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”
22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals[d] for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
25 The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants over and asked, “What’s going on here?”
27 The servant answered, “Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf.” 28 The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house.
His father came out and begged him to go in. 29 But he said to his father, “For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. 30 This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast.”
31 His father replied, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found.”***
*John 21 20-23 Jesus and His Favorite Disciple
20 Peter turned and saw Jesus’ favorite disciple following them. He was the same one who had sat next to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.” 23 So the rumor spread among the other disciples that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He simply said, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return?”*
Many people struggle with these passages because of their false notions of “heavenly rewards” and “fairness.”

Also, most importantly, the truth of Catholicism is largely in the absolute truth of the most holy Eucharist - John 6:47-71

Please read through this thread - forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=791553&page=6 If you focus on the Eucharist, you will find the absolute truth to Catholicism.

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh
 
All people who are not aware of the Catholic Church do not go to hell. Our Lord said “I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” But, it is not fair that people who are not aware of this go to hell. We have to entrust them to God’s mercy.

However, if you are aware that the Catholic Church is the True Church, established by Christ Himself, and that all other denominations of Christianity are tainted, and that the Catholic Church has the Truth, and you choose to leave or not join the Church, then salvation cannot be guaranteed.
 
We’re all at the mercy of God, A G. Being a Catholic is not a pass by any means, in fact our living as a Catholic may very well be the determining factor. A Catholic may not divorce and remarry save a declaration that all prior marriages were null. What will the judgment be for those, otherwise good Catholics, who have denied this fact?
I was specifically talking about those outside the Church when I was replying. However, yes, we ALL are at the mercy of God. If we are Catholics, then we must be practicing Catholics, not “cafeteria Catholics” as some people put it. We believe the Catholic faith to be truth and therefore the doctrine of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus.
 
I’ve always wondered. Also, what do protestants think of this view?
Why do you ask if you are going to Hell for not being Catholic?

Do you think you are going to Hell for not being Catholic?

The Church teaches that Jesus will judge each person. People choose to go to Hell.

In Heaven today you will find people of many beliefs who Jesus judged to enter the Kingdom.

Most of these people would have been purified “as through fire” to be made totally pure before entering Heaven. We call that purification Purgatory - as to exactly how God purifies through Purgatory - we do not know. Very few will have been “pure” upon death and not need the purification before entering the Kingdom.
 
So, it’s basically… “We are 100% sure you go to Heaven as a catholic. However, if you’re outside of our faith, we are not sure.” Which can leave people to be paranoid.
No One, no one, Catholic or non-Catholic - has 100% certainty of going to Heaven.

The Church does not teach that being Catholic is a “Get Out of Hell Free” card.

So, no… that’s an incorrect statement.

Peace.
 
So, it’s basically… “We are 100% sure you go to Heaven as a catholic. However, if you’re outside of our faith, we are not sure.” Which can leave people to be paranoid.
No, being Catholic is not a guarantee of salvation. Some Catholics are damned.

**If you want to get to heaven, certainly becoming Catholic is the way. Christ established a Church, it is the Catholic Church. The Church provides us with the truth of Christ and of course the sanctification of the sacraments. Anyone serious about getting to heaven should become a Catholic. **

The Church teaches that for some who are unaware of the truth of Catholicism yet seek the truth with all their heart, live up to their conscience, and have no mortal sins (either because of the sacraments or perfect charity and the desire for the sacraments) and at least some supernatural faith they may be saved. This is not an exception from the need to become Catholic. All this means is that those who through no fault of their own remain separate from Christ’s Church God is merciful with and gives them a path to heaven although they are not formally Catholic.
 
So, it’s basically… “We are 100% sure you go to Heaven as a catholic. However, if you’re outside of our faith, we are not sure.” Which can leave people to be paranoid.
Let’s focus less on ourselves and our desires for paradise and instead try to focus on what Jesus said and did for a moment, OK?

Assuming you’re some sort of conventional protestant, we both agree that Jesus is God the Son and that He became incarnate in order to save us from our sins, the sins that otherwise would eternally cut us off from God. Agreed so far? Catholics and protestants agree on a lot of things, really.

But where we differ is on what the church IS, what role Jesus designed for the church and how the church is to be recognized by the faithful.

Catholics understand that Jesus chose twelve apostles and established them in apostolic office that would outlive the original holders of that office. Acts illustrates this by showing apostles replacing their number when one dies (Judas Iscariot) and shows the number being added to as the church grows (St. Paul becoming an apostle). Today, we call this office Holy Orders. Unlike protestants, we believe that this authority to lead continues. We understand that Jesus gave us a church that could be visibly recognized and that would be divinely protected against errors so that the truth would be proclaimed to (not just read by) all generations.

Around 500 years ago, the idea first took hold that people could be christians, but on their own terms and their own interpretation of Scripture and Tradition. This was a serious departure from what Jesus established, but 500 years later it’s hardly the fault of those who hold to that belief. We believe God to be merciful, not arbitrary. We don’t expect that people will be held accountable for holding to errors that are no fault of their own. What matters MOST is that each of us responds to the offers of Grace that we recognize as such in life. It’s just too bad that so many people are in circumstances where they receive fewer offers of that Grace than Christ intended there to be when He established the Church.
 
So, it’s basically… “We are 100% sure you go to Heaven as a catholic. However, if you’re outside of our faith, we are not sure.” Which can leave people to be paranoid.
That’s not necessarily true either. A Catholic can end up in hell too, if they reject Christ, God, refuse to repent of sins or refuse to accept the forgiveness of God.
 
So, it’s basically… “We are 100% sure you go to Heaven as a catholic. However, if you’re outside of our faith, we are not sure.” Which can leave people to be paranoid.
No, Catholics can reject God’s invitation just as easily as anyone else. The reality of being the Church as introduced ~2000 years ago doesn’t make one ready.

The key is understanding what the invitation entails.

I can go to a shirt and tie dinner in shorts and still eat, but only at the approval of the host.

I can go in a shirt and tie, not need approval to sit and eat, but make a scene that get’s me kicked out. (in reality it was my rejection of the desired atmosphere).

I might add in opinion, that a Catholic rejecting God, might have a special white flame waiting to cook as that person was in the know and rejected.
 
We believe God is merciful. Only God knows who will enter His Kingdom and who wont. All we can do as humans is try not to commit mortal sins and live a good life giving God His praise and glory in everything that we do.
 
If you want to be completely sure, then you should join the Church that Christ established for the purpose of bringing us to Heaven. 🙂

With regard to which, if any, Protestants will be saved, it is up to God to make that decision; not us.
What percentage of Catholics do you believe will be saved???
 
What percentage of Catholics do you believe will be saved???
Though there have been Saints who have said most will go to hell, there is no dogmatic statement by the Church on the number of the saved and the lost.
 
What percentage of Catholics do you believe will be saved???
100% of those who actually practice the Faith, and who, as a result of their fidelity, die in a state of grace.

0% of those who think they can pick and choose which teachings they like, and then don’t follow those that are inconvenient to them.
 
100% of those who actually practice the Faith, and who, as a result of their fidelity, die in a state of grace.

0% of those who think they can pick and choose which teachings they like, and then don’t follow those that are inconvenient to them.
That is comforting.

What about eastern and oriental orthodox Christians, if they too practice their faith, will they also be 100% saved?

Thankyou
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top