Catholic catechism 847 why even preach the gospel

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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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No. You’re misunderstanding what’s being taught here.

It’s not “if you don’t know Christ, then you’re guaranteed to be saved.” (If that were the teaching, then you might be able to make an argument for your case.)

Rather, it’s “if you don’t know Christ, through no fault of your own, then there’s still the possibility of salvation.” Not assurance, just possibility.

When I’ve taught this to Sunday school classes, I make the comparison of a final exam. If you study and understand the material, you will pass the exam. However, if you don’t study, there’s still a chance that you might pass, but it’s not at all certain. Which would you like – some assurance that you’re on the right path to passing the exam, or a blind hope that, by some miraculous occurrence, you manage to pass?
 
You mean Catholics somehow are sure of salvation while others are not???
 
Ezekiel 3-20

20 Again, if the righteous turn from their righteousness and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before them, they shall die; because you have not warned them, they shall die for their sin, and their righteous deeds that they have done shall not be remembered; but their blood I will require at your hand. 21 If, however, you warn the righteous not to sin, and they do not sin, they shall surely live, because they took warning; and you will have saved your life.
 
no, not at all … I didn’t even mention the salvation of Catholic believers in that post…
 
Maximilian75 said:
no, not at all … I didn’t even mention the salvation of Catholic believers in that post…
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Well when you say
As Catholics, we want to make that a "Will achieve eternal salvation’ , through our evangelization
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Would it not be more accurate to say “May achieve eternal salvation.”
The above formulation implies Catholics are saved while those we preach to … its unsure.
That very confidence seems to be your raison d’etre for evangelising.
 
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They won’t be saved by living like a pagan. They’ll be saved by responding to God’s invitation in whatever form God is revealed to them… even if that revelation is incomplete.
Let me ask you this… do you really believe a merciful God would condemn every single pre-Columbus native of the Americas to eternal torment just because they were born in a time and place where it was impossible to hear the Gospel? What a cruel, hateful God that would be.
 
Because for Catholics, salvation is more than just being “saved” in the sense of “now I’m going to Heaven.” Non-Catholics and Non-Christians might be to get to Heaven, through God’s grace. But why would you want to be devoid of the many graces and gifts God has to offer through his church? Holiness is the call for all people. Without confession, the Eucharist, the sacraments, proper teaching, the saints as witnesses and models, the leadership of the church, we can easily be led astray. But with them, we can have a fuller life on Earth, which is preparation for the fullness in Heaven.
 
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