Can we conclude that without the sacraments its very difficult to be saved?

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As a former protestant, recent convert to Catholicism, it was impossible for me to live a sanctified life. As Protestants, we had no tools like the sacraments to assist us and more importantly, zero grace outside of the true church. Contrast that with what I have now: grace, sacraments, Jesus in the flesh everyday if I so choose, grace, grace, and oh… Did I mention grace? It is possible to get to heaven outside of the Vatican, just incredibly harder. MUCH easier in the church Christ founded. IE) I used to have a particular sin I used to struggle with and could never come close to conquering. Since I’ve been catholic it’s gone from impossible to accomplished.
 
Being in good standing with The Church and receiving the sacraments sure has changed me
 
Being in good standing with The Church and receiving the sacraments sure has changed me
 
I was always a practising Catholic, though just not Catechized. For all the time I lived without the sacraments I could tell you, I probably wouldn’t have been saved. Now at least there is a fighting chance.
 
As difficult as it was to be saved from the flood if someone was not on noahs ark
 
namer0331 said:
so what do you think? The title has the question.
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Yes, because it is easier to follow the dictates of one’s conscience with the help of the sacraments, even though one receives God’s help through actual grace. Baptism of desire is one way of salvation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has:

“Outside the Church there is no salvation”

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? 335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it. 336
**847 **This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation. 337
 
I’ve known some very good Protestants in my life. My own mother-in-law was one of the kindest, holiest women I have ever known. Frankly, if I make it to heaven, and Billy Graham and Martin Luther King aren’t there, I am going to be pretty surprised. Having said that, I think it is much easier to reach heaven through the Sacraments–not impossible–just harder. Picture your own life without Penance and the Holy Eucharist just to name two. Catholics walk a smoother path. Protestants take the rocky road.
 
The Sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation for God has bound salvation to the Sacraments.
 
namer0331 said:
so what do you think? The title has the question.
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Having just celebrated the feast of Fatima, Mary in scripture, in a few words, said it all.

“Do whatever He tells you” John 2:5

condensing that statement I see that as

  1. And for those who do NOT do as Mary said
    • **Tit 3:10 **“As for a man who is factious ( [αἱρετικὸν (http://bibleapps.com/greek/141.htm) ), after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
    • Romans 16:17-20 , Galatians 5:19-21 , Division διχοστασίας dichostasia= dissension / sedition same word in both Rom 16:17. And Gal 5:19…"shall not obtain the kingdom of God."
    Jesus can’t make idle threats, God doesn’t so that. He doesn’t establish sacraments so no one has to receive them. Jesus is the one telling us through the HS through the apostles, through the Church John 16:12-15 , the consequences for those who won’t “do whatever He tells you”
 
The church does teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. However even the church makes allowances for situations called baptism by blood in the case of someone as yet unbaptized who still dies as a martyr for the faith, and baptism of the spirit in terms of those who, through no fault of their own are never exposed to Christ’s teachings regarding the need for baptism in water, yet who lead godly lives, following a well formed conscience. Then there’s the situation of babies who die due to stillbirth, miscarriage or even abortion. The church no longer holds to the absolute dogma of limbo for these unfortunate little souls. These situations are very different from an adult who is quite aware of baptism and Christ’s requirement of it and simply declines to be baptized for whatever reason. I think the difference lies in the mature knowledge of a need for this sacrament and the person’s own mature knowledge and ability to comply or his choice not to do so vs an inability or lack of knowledge of the sacrament.
 
Starrsmother said:
The church does teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. However even the church makes allowances for situations called baptism by blood in the case of someone as yet unbaptized who still dies as a martyr for the faith, and baptism of the spirit in terms of those who, through no fault of their own are never exposed to Christ’s teachings regarding the need for baptism in water, yet who lead godly lives, following a well formed conscience. Then there’s the situation of babies who die due to stillbirth, miscarriage or even abortion. The church no longer holds to the absolute dogma of limbo for these unfortunate little souls. These situations are very different from an adult who is quite aware of baptism and Christ’s requirement of it and simply declines to be baptized for whatever reason. I think the difference lies in the mature knowledge of a need for this sacrament and the person’s own mature knowledge and ability to comply or his choice not to do so vs an inability or lack of knowledge of the sacrament.
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Baptism of Blood and Desire are inextricably linked to Sacramental baptism as they give the fruits of Sacramental baptism. There is no contradiction (or allowance). The Church teaches infallibly that Baptism is necessary for salvation.
 
thistle said:
Baptism of Blood and Desire are inextricably linked to Sacramental baptism as they give the fruits of Sacramental baptism. There is no contradiction (or allowance). The Church teaches infallibly that Baptism is necessary for salvation.
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Whatever. I think I made my point.👍
 
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