Faith, Baptism, and getting Saved

[christcnection1]

In the Bible, typically people place their faith in Jesus, get baptized, and are then “saved.” As Catholics, we believe this is the ordinary means of salvation for adults.

In this day of age, ordinarily people must go through RCIA before getting baptized. Hypothetically, if they die before getting baptized, they can be saved through “baptism of desire.”

This is a three-part question:

1. What is the status of the believer who dies with “baptism of desire?” We know they are not sinless, because their sins were not “washed.” Yes, they are saved, but in what sense? Will they be judged similarily to person who was previously baptized?
2. I can appreciate in a theoretical sense why the Church does not want people to get baptized until they are formally admitted into the Church; however, on a spiritual level, is there any benefit? (…particularly in light of the fact that new believers were baptized immediately in the Bible.)
3. Now this is a big question… When we want to evangelize someone (share the gospel), and a person asks us how they can be saved, how do we as Catholics respond? Would it be accurate to say that we are saved by having faith in Jesus, plus getting baptized? (And then explain that as long as they “desire” baptism, and actively seek to get baptized, they are walking in God’s friendship?) Of course we should also explain that we must continue to walk with the Lord and live a holy life, if we want to get to heaven.

Of course, we should then help them find a Catholic parish and a priest to talk to, so they can enroll in RCIA.

If they are not very open to the Catholic Church, would it be good to encourage them to get involved in any Protestant church where they can be properly baptized? (Assuming they aren’t a bunch of Catholic-haters)

Sorry for the convoluted questions. I believe they are important ones, however. I appreciate your insights, (and more importantly) sound Catholic teaching.

 

[otjm]

1. they are baptized, just as if they were baptized with water.
2. It is my understanding that in the early Church, RCIA (which it wasn’t called at that time), the rite by which people joined the Church, could last as long as three years before they were baptized.
3. Perhaps you could say that as a Catholic, you are saved, you are being saved, and you hope to be saved, all at the same time. Then you could explain that we are saved by Baptism, but that if we manage to not die right thereafter, we have to become followers of Christ; that in doing so, we are being saved; and that we believe that salvation, once gained through baptism, can be lost, and we hope to be saved; that is, that salvation is not guaranteed, and we can lose it by our choice to turn away from God through serious sin.

The issue of encouraging them to go elswhere is a touchy one. I would be inclined to tell them why we believe that joinging the Church is critical, and that to have the fullness of what God has revealed, that their joining the Church should be through the Catholic Church. They will be Christians should they join another Church (assuming it isn’t one that is so far removed that we do not recognize their baptism), and as such are, we beleive, members of the Catholic Church, but imperfectly.