Catholic catechism 847 why even preach the gospel

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Hi. My name is Jacob. I’m a non Catholic Christian and look at Catholics as brothers and sisters in the Lord. I ask this question with a sincere heart not in an attacking way I really just want to know. In light of catholic catechism 847 why should people preach the gospel at all? Like if they don’t hear it then they would be saved, but if they do and reject it then they will be condemned. Also I would really appreciate it if you could give me a scripture on this topic thanks
 
ccc 847, for reference

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.

may
that’s a big ‘may’

As Catholics, we want to make that a "Will achieve eternal salvation’ , through our evangelization
 
Because the Gospel is, quite literally, GOOD NEWS.

Why would you NOT preach the Gospel?
 
Exactly. It would be like having the cure to cancer and keeping it hidden.
 
Thanks guys but I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t tell them as there would be no chance of condemnation. Plus I just feel like the good news is we are saved from our sins if we turn to Jesus Christ so how can it be that people can be searching for God and follow a different god and be saved ? Also doesn’t it say in romans that people have the law on their hearts
 
Well thanks. I try my best to speak in love because I know we differ in our views but we are still one in Christ. Do you know of any scripture that goes with catholic catechism 847 ? I feel like there are only a few things that are keeping me from being Catholic and one is this. This kind of looks like univesalism to me. Thanks in advance
 
But why Know him if you can live like a pagan and still be saved ? IDK maybe I’m over thinking it or not fully understanding
 
Noncatholicbrother said:
Hi. My name is Jacob. I’m a non Catholic Christian and look at Catholics as brothers and sisters in the Lord. I ask this question with a sincere heart not in an attacking way I really just want to know. In light of catholic catechism 847 why should people preach the gospel at all? Like if they don’t hear it then they would be saved, but if they do and reject it then they will be condemned. Also I would really appreciate it if you could give me a scripture on this topic thanks
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Just read the next item:
848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338
Click to expand...
 
That’s interesting, thanks. Ummm do you have a scripture on this please ?
 
Would you say this means that God would lead them to faith in Jesus rather than them being saved without faith in Jesus?
 
Noncatholicbrother said:
Thanks guys but I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t tell them as there would be no chance of condemnation. Plus I just feel like the good news is we are saved from our sins if we turn to Jesus Christ so how can it be that people can be searching for God and follow a different god and be saved ? Also doesn’t it say in romans that people have the law on their hearts
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I am Catholic but my personal belief is that almost nobody will be covered by invincible ignorance. It is pretty much impossible in this day and age for people not to have heard about and know about Christ and the only Church he established (the Catholic Church) and they have plenty of opportunity to find out out more.
That being said we should indeed be spreading the good news about Christ and his Church.
Believing in Jesus is not sufficient on its own to be saved. You must die in a state of grace.

CCC 847 is absolutely nothing like or to do with Universalism which is a heresy condemned by the Church
 
Most people would not be able to build a usable house by themselves, without being taught. Human beings have a natural ability to build, so a few could probably pull it off. But most people would need instruction.
 
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Noncatholicbrother said:
Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t tell them as there would be no chance of condemnation.
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Well, you see, that’s where you’re wrong.

Someone used cancer earlier. It’s like having the cure to cancer, and keeping it to yourself. You have the cure, and sure, some people survive cancer without it, but still, many would do better with it.

Why would you ever want to keep the joy of Christ to yourself alone? The Gospel is not a twisted version of Christ’s meritorious work on the Cross, but the entirety of Christ’s story.

What the passage is saying is not that those who are ignorant will escape condemnation, but that it doesn’t de facto make them condemned. They can possibly still be saved by accepting Christ in a way without knowing it. You can see this in early works, that those who take up proper reason are taking up of the Word, the Logos, and so for instance it was assumed ie Plato would have been saved (though he died before Christ was born).

As Christ says, from those with much much is to be expected. From those with less, less.

It would be more an exception, in spite of their ignorance, not because of it.
 
No. It does not say that. If they do not hear the Gospel, the reality is that they will not likely be saved because on their own it is difficult to be righteous. However, if they nevertheless do despite not having heard the Gospel then they can be saved. Therefore the Gospel (Good News) has to be preached to everyone. That it will be like a double edged sword that causes the rise or the fall of those who hear it.

God bless.
 
When someone preaches a great gospel and many people turn their life to Christ because of that preaching but others do not. Do you give up on those that did not become Christians at that preching? I hope not. I hope you continue preaching the gospel in different ways, different people, different words. Subsequently one or two from the original group may be converted.

Now if God gains another soul from a subsequent gospel message, does that mean the original message was flawed? No. Does it mean the 1st and the 2nd messages are fully complete and anyone after that who does not convert will have heard “the gospel” in its entiriey and we can proclaim that persons 3, 4, 5 and so on are to be condemed because they simply didn’t believe? I hope not. I hope the 3 time is the charm. I hope the 3rd or 4th or 5th time someone “hears the gospel” from some new source that really speakes to that person he will “hear the gospel” and repent. I hope we never give up on the persons who may need to hear the gospel in their own way.

The bottom line is who are we to think we, in our own words, can convert anyone? If we preach the gospel to a person who does not convert and think that person is condemed because he didn’t convert then we are putting ourselves on par with Christ himself. He is the Word we are not but we can do the best we can by preaching his word. Do you want to take the responsibility for the soul that didn’t convert based on your words?

Peace!!!
 
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