The problem as I see it from discussing with various Baptists including various stripes of Baptist Ministers is there is no real consensus. Saying, “I accept Jesus as my Lord and personal savior.” is not enough for all of them. You still may be judged by them if you “backslide” some will say that is proof that you did not really accept Jesus. Others will say “Once saved, (by your action of accepting Jesus) always saved, and no way will you go to hell, no matter what you do after that moment.” I had a college roomate who’s father condemned me to hell, when I converted to the Catholic Faith, but because his son, who later became a very active homosexual, and promoted the homosexual lifestyle, as well as active in an Athiest group, was “saved” at 12, he is going to heaven. Once again, not all Baptists believe this.
However as Catholics we do believe that salvation is open to us only by Christ. His Incarnation, Passion, Death on the Cross, and Rising from the Dead all bring the possiblity of our Justification into being. Our active cooperation Christ with those graces, and our submission to His will by the open reception of those graces (primarily) through the Sacraments, and the other means we are given, to grow spiriutally, and in Sanctifying Grace throughout our lives is how a Catholic looks at as the means of “Getting to Heaven.” While Baptists and other Protestants charge that Catholics believe that we can “merit” heaven, any Catholic who knows his faith is aware that our own actions, and good works are of no value if we are not in a state of Grace and united to the will of God when we preform any actions of works, and Just as Jesus is the primary minister of every Sacrament, it is His merit, that makes our works worthwhile.
).
Though, I always freeze on the ski lift. Can the Orthodox get one with heated seats? Please? 