I know the church does not condemn those who are lapsed or not fully in communion with the church. What does the church say to give us hope for the salvation of those people, especially those with strong faiths who for some reason or another may not be your full-on going-to-church-every-Sunday Catholic.
Hi, there.
Sacred Scripture warns those who have pledged to the Faith to practice it to their fullest ability. Those with only partial to no knowledge of Christianity (say, Protestants and Buddhists) are only responsible for that which they know, as well as their kindness and charity and other things that may please the Lord, even if they don’t believe in him.
Christ warns us that we cannot merely “go through the motions” in our Faith. We must embrace it and practice fully. Once you are part of the faith, you are liable for adhering to its tenants. See the story of the blind man in
John 9:35-41: "Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”
St. Paul also warns us that even a strong belief is not enough.
Paul’s letter to James notes how some may give the poor a blessing or well-wishing but fail to take it upon themselves to actually and directly help that poor person in need. That is what he means when Paul says that faith without demonstrable action of your faith (“works”) is dead. It is not enough to believe, but to believe and practice your belief actively and properly according to Church teachings and law.
Pray for those who claim they are Catholic but do not put consistency and action as part of their belief.
