...no Roman Catholic can be saved?

[Gorgias]

Richard White:

Outside the Catholic Church There is No Salvation.

I see that you have the belief that one must be in the Catholic church for salvation and thought I’d share with you the reason for the hope that lies within me.

Elaine,

I don’t know whether Richard was trying to assert that no one but Catholics may be saved, but let me assure you, that’s not what the Catholic Church teaches.

We believe that all salvation, wherever and through whatever means God makes it available, proceeds through the Catholic Church. That is, there isn’t such a thing as “Methodist salvation” or “Presbyterian salvation” or “non-denominational salvation.”

 

[guanophore]

Hello Richard,

I see that you have the belief that one must be in the Catholic church for salvation and thought I’d share with you the reason for the hope that lies within me. I’m not Catholic, but I have a deep faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in Him for my salvation.

Years ago I came to the realization that I was lost in my sins which separated me from God. I heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and came to believe in Him, that He took the punishment for my sins on the cross, was buried and rose again. In a nutshell that gospel message can be found here:

Romans 3:21-26 – “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

| needed to repent and continue to live a life of repentance to the day I die. When I stumble, I can confess my sins to Christ, our High Priest. I rely on the promises of God in His word to help me and keep me in the faith. He continues to forgive me when I stumble: " 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I know there are many who believe Once Saved Always Saved, but I believe that one must stay in the faith and continue to love Jesus and keep His word.

John 14: 23, 24 – “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

I hope this will help you to understand that there are people of faith in Christ that are not in the Catholic church.

Thank you for joining CAF Elaine. Your faith sounds very Catholic. The reason we say that one cannot be saved outside the Catholic Church is because Jesus founded only one Church, so all who are members of Christ are members of His One Body, the Church.

There may be some people, such as yourself, that are not visible members of the CC, and who may not even realize that they hold Catholic faith.

 

[guanophore]

I believe that I was saved about 2,000 years ago. I believe that that applies to each and every one of us who accepts that as truth.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Atonement was made at that time, but not all will benefit from it. He paid the price, but some will not get into the bag and go home with Him.

 

[Randy_Carson]

I hope this will help you to understand that there are people of faith in Christ that are not in the Catholic church.

We know, but that is not what Jesus intended when He prayed that we would all be one.

 

[Elaine13]

Elaine,

I don’t know whether Richard was trying to assert that no one but Catholics may be saved, but let me assure you, that’s not what the Catholic Church teaches.

We believe that all salvation, wherever and through whatever means God makes it available, proceeds through the Catholic Church. That is, there isn’t such a thing as “Methodist salvation” or “Presbyterian salvation” or “non-denominational salvation.”

The universal church (the body of all believers in Christ) is sometimes referred to as the catholic church (not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Church). I agree that there isn’t such a thing as Methodist/Presbyterian, etc salvation.

The only salvation is by the name of Jesus Christ. as Peter makes clear in Acts 4, starting at verse 8: "…let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

My salvation did not proceed through the Catholic Church, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

[Elaine13]

Thank you for joining CAF Elaine. Your faith sounds very Catholic. The reason we say that one cannot be saved outside the Catholic Church is because Jesus founded only one Church, so all who are members of Christ are members of His One Body, the Church.

There may be some people, such as yourself, that are not visible members of the CC, and who may not even realize that they hold Catholic faith.

Thank you for your welcome, guanophore. As mentioned in my last post, sometimes the body of believers in Christ, no matter what denomination they hold to, is referred to as the catholic church. That can be confusing. I prefer to be known simply as a Bible believing Christian who clings to faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I’m assuming that your reference to Catholic faith to be the Roman Catholic church, to which I’d say that I have found differences between my beliefs and their catechism.

 

[Elaine13]

We know, but that is not what Jesus intended when He prayed that we would all be one.

I would agree that Jesus wants that all believers would be of one mind and one spirit.

 

[Randy_Carson]

I would agree that Jesus wants that all believers would be of one mind and one spirit.

So, you’re filling your mind with solid Catholic theology and your spirit with warmth and love for the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops and priests with whom you will soon be one?

 

[guanophore]

The universal church (the body of all believers in Christ) is sometimes referred to as the catholic church (not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Church).

Elaine, you have been given a deficient definition of the Church, and this has affected how you understand salvation. The definition you give here is a truncated product of the Reformation.

The only salvation is by the name of Jesus Christ. as Peter makes clear in  Acts 4, starting at verse 8: "...let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.  11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’  12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Exactly! And He is ONE with His Holy Bride, the Church. That is why everyone who is saved is saved through the Church.

 My salvation did not proceed through the Catholic Church, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

They are not separated, Elaine, but one. You did not recognize this because you did not have a full understanding of the nature of the Church, but Jesus identifies Himself completely with His Church. When you read the account of Saul in Acts on the road to Damascus, Jesus confronts Saul. What does He say to him? He asks a critical question.

Thank you for your welcome, guanophore. As mentioned in my last post, sometimes the body of believers in Christ, no matter what denomination they hold to, is referred to as the catholic church. That can be confusing. I prefer to be known simply as a Bible believing Christian who clings to faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I’m assuming that your reference to Catholic faith to be the Roman Catholic church, to which I’d say that I have found differences between my beliefs and their catechism.

The Catholic (universal) Church is not “Roman”. The Latin Rite of the CC is only one of 23 Rites of those united to the successor of Peter in Rome.

Your beliefs about the faith founded by Christ have been influenced by ideas that did not come from the Apostles, for example, the idea of a “bible believing Christian” is not part of what they taught. The Apostolic faith is not a religion of the book. Maybe this is one of the areas where you differ?

I would agree that Jesus wants that all believers would be of one mind and one spirit.

Perhaps this goal will be more realized by having you here at CAF? Here we can discuss differences and pray together for unity.

 

[rcwitness]

Thank you for your welcome, guanophore. As mentioned in my last post, sometimes the body of believers in Christ, no matter what denomination they hold to, is referred to as the catholic church. That can be confusing. I prefer to be known simply as a Bible believing Christian who clings to faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I’m assuming that your reference to Catholic faith to be the Roman Catholic church, to which I’d say that I have found differences between my beliefs and their catechism.

I too agree with Guanophore

We cannot have a saving faith which is in opposition to the foundational Teachings of the Catholic faith. If you are genuine in your faith, then it is not your faith but the “Universal” faith which has been given to you, and you accept. This certainly doesn’t garuantee you from not accepting the fullness of the faith.

I think it’s important to accept and defend what we truly believe, yet not to protest something merely because it contradict our personal beliefs.

I was raised Evangelical Free and was Baptised and Confirmed into the Catholic Church in my 20’s. I first believed and was “saved” in a certain sense, when I was only 5 yrs old. I consider myself Catholic from the beginning of my belief, because I never opposed the Catholic faith, I just didnt “know” it in its fullness.

 

[rfournier103]

As to the OP’s query, “we teach the wrong Gospel?”; it never ceases to amaze me the nonsense that some of these anti-Catholics spew out. Wrong Gospel? There are only four Gospels that I know of - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - and all four are taught DAILY at every holy mass on earth. If they say that THOSE are the wong Gospels, what are the RIGHT ones???

Anyone, be they Protestant or so-called ‘non-denominationals’ who says that “no Catholic can be saved” has no idea what they are talking about because they are presuming that they know the Mind of Jesus Christ. I think I read somewhere that HE (meaning Jesus) will pass Judgement on the human race, not the purveyors of biggoted hate-filled websites.

Anti-Catholic garbage like that really makes my blood boil, and I just can’t believe the way some people choose to conduct themselves in the name of our Lord. I truly believe that their time would be better spent actually DOING something. Why not be PRO-active rather than bashing other Christians from behind their keyboards. These people excell at talking the talk, but always seem to fall short of walking the walk.

If these people REALLY wanted to glorify God and Christ, why don’t they get off their duffs and volunteer at a soup kitchen (feeding the hungry), donating clothes - especially coats and shoes - to the homeless (clothing the naked), or even visiting someone in prison to bring the Word of God to them?

Oh… wait… that’s right… That’s working your way into heaven. That stuff is for Catholics. Nevermind what Matthew 25:35-40 says. That must be the wrong Gospel.

 

[McCartney]

As to the OP’s query, “we teach the wrong Gospel?”; it never ceases to amaze me the nonsense that some of these anti-Catholics spew out. Wrong Gospel? There are only four Gospels that I know of - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - and all four are taught DAILY at every holy mass on earth. If they say that THOSE are the wong Gospels, what are the RIGHT ones???

Anyone, be they Protestant or so-called ‘non-denominationals’ who says that “no Catholic can be saved” has no idea what they are talking about because they are presuming that they know the Mind of Jesus Christ. I think I read somewhere that HE (meaning Jesus) will pass Judgement on the human race, not the purveyors of biggoted hate-filled websites.

Anti-Catholic garbage like that really makes my blood boil, and I just can’t believe the way some people choose to conduct themselves in the name of our Lord. I truly believe that their time would be better spent actually DOING something. Why not be PRO-active rather than bashing other Christians from behind their keyboards. These people excell at talking the talk, but always seem to fall short of walking the walk.

If these people REALLY wanted to glorify God and Christ, why don’t they get off their duffs and volunteer at a soup kitchen (feeding the hungry), donating clothes - especially coats and shoes - to the homeless (clothing the naked), or even visiting someone in prison to bring the Word of God to them?

Oh… wait… that’s right… That’s working your way into heaven. That stuff is for Catholics. Nevermind what Matthew 25:35-40 says. That must be the wrong Gospel.

 

[Amandil]

The article cited in the OP is a giant strawman. That’s often the problem with protestants, they don’t even understand what Trent or the Church actually says because they refuse to understand the Church’s language.