Mark 16:15-16

[Coder]

…the purpose of my post was to show that claiming a person does not have to keep the commandments is contrary to the faith,

Hi, I am aware of the concept that faith means obedience.

However, how are we saved? We are saved by the “works” of Jesus including His death and resurrection. So what I propose that Protestants consider (and we Catholics keep in mind) is that when we do “works” that relate to salvation, it is only by the help of the Holy Spirit. Just as no Protestant would deny that the “works” of Jesus were necessary for our salvation nor should they deny the value of the works that Jesus contnues to do by the power of the Holy Spirit. No one can deny the importance of the works that the Holy Spirit does even today in believers. If one understands this and continues to deny the importance of works then I think that this may be an offense against the Holy Spirit because he helps us. The Bible (St. Paul) teaches that we must have love. This love comes from the Holy Spirit.

 

[puzzleannie]

Mark 16:15-120 (New International Version)

15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

What is this saying? I have some ideas but want your (name removed by moderator)ut.

God, being all-loving, certainly could not just condemn someone to Hell just for not believing in Him. Maybe it is referring to someone who does not believe because they do not want to believe for their own selfish reasons. I would also like to note that it does not say that you will go to Hell if you are not baptized- this could indicate that to believe in some kind of loving God is to “know God” enough- kind of like meeting a new person and knowing how the generally are but you don’t totally know that person.

irrespective of humans trying to tell God what he means and what he would do and can do, the passage says the burden of preaching the Word of God and evangelizing and baptizing is upon those whom he charged with that burden, namely the baptized especially the apostles (bishops) and priests. The burden of accepting the message and baptism is on those who hear the Word. Those who hear, understand and accept the Word yet still refuse baptism, that is refuse to be initiated into and to undertake the Christian life, are condemned. It is presumed that their evangelization has been sufficient to bring them to the knowledge required to make that decision in full free will.

 

[gtrenewed]

The way you can know if you are a true believer in Jesus is if you accept every single teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. If you reject even one dogmatic teaching, it is certain that you do not truly believe in Jesus - not the real Jesus, but, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormans, you believe in “a false Christ”. If you reject any teaching of the Catholic Church you may think you believe in Jesus, but in reality you do not. And that is why there is no salvation outside of the Roman Catholic Church, and why our Lord said to treat those who will not hear the Church as a heathen and publican

It is a teaching of the RCC that there are communities that are separated brethren. To be a brother they must be in Christ. They have a right to be called Christian.

It is also a teaching that there is salvation in the RCC and that there are those that are saved who are not in the RCC.

Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 817, 818, 819

Are you rejecting these teachings? It sounds like you are, so by your definition you do not believe in Jesus.

 

[ryanoneil]

How was that saying… to who is given much, much is asked from him, and to who less is given, less is asked from him. I don’t know how it was exactly, but I hopw you get my point.

Are you thinking of

and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. (Lk 12:48)

You are right that it is based upon what we know and then do, not just upon what we know.