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None of those aforementioned [Catholic] friends seemed to think that I, as a Protestant at the time, was damned.”
They were correct, as nobody is damned until God judges them as such. God isn’t done with you yet.
Nor is He done with me, I hope.
Yet, nobody can have absolute certainty that they will persevere in faith and attain heavenly glory while they are still living, apart from a direct private revelation from God to that effect. …
Whether one is Catholic or non-Catholic, it is only those who die finally impenitent in either original sin or mortal sin who will not attain eternal glory in the presence of God, according to Catholic theology. Said positively, those who attain eternal glory are only those who die in what Catholics call a “state of grace,” in a state of final repentance. The only unforgivable sin, then, is final impenitence.
Yet, just as Scripture teaches, some may commit grave sin yet be forgiven of it if in their sinfulness they suffered from ignorance of the true Divine will. For instance, as implied by Christ’s prayer from the cross, those who rejected Him and crucified Him had the potential to be forgiven by God, due to their ignorance, “for they know not what they are doing.”
To be clear, however, one cannot fake ignorance with God. If God is the one urging you, either directly through his grace, or through the deeds and actions of others especially His Holy Church, then one is bound to obey. Those who knowingly and willfully reject the truth will suffer just punishment for their disobedience, and certainly risk eternal damnation (see Heb 13:17).
According to the constant teaching of Christianity, expressly affirmed by the Council of Trent, original sin and any personal sins, if any, are remitted upon baptism or at least the implicit desire for baptism. Only those born again in baptism or its desire will attain eternal life. For example, Cornelius in Acts ch. 10 was sanctified by the Holy Spirit, not based upon an explicit acceptance of Christ, but based upon an implicit acceptance of Him, shown in the way Cornelius lived his life. The Holy Spirit poured out upon Cornelius and his family and friends prior to sacramental baptism by water. Yet, Peter “commanded” them to be baptized with water, sacramentally, just the same. Note the word in Scripture is translated “commanded,” indicating Peter’s authority in this matter.
Moreover, Catholicism teaches that for a sin to be mortal, three conditions are required: 1) grave matter, 2) full advertence, and 3) perfect consent of will. There’s such a thing as objective or material sin, as distinct from formal sin. One can be a material heretic, clinging to material heresy, suffering in ignorance of their sinfulness, yet having what the Catholic Church calls “good faith.” Heresy is a grave sin, but it is formal heresy that is specifically a mortal sin, and those who commit such a sin impenitently risk eternal damnation if they remain finally impenitent of this sin unto death. Yet, material heresy, although still a grave matter which can lead to mortal sin or lead others to mortal sin, is of itself a venial sin, as full advertence is necessary lacking. Those who reject the true deposit of faith, indeed risk eternal damnation. However, for those who do so in ignorance of the true faith, even those who cling to material heresy may be said to be separated from the Catholic Church in body, yet be united to the Catholic Church in soul.
Pope St. Pius X asserted:
“If he is outside the Church through no fault of his, that is, if he is in good faith, and if he has received Baptism, or at least has the implicit desire of Baptism; and if, moreover, he sincerely seeks the truth and does God’s will as best he can such a man is indeed separated from the body of the Church, but is united to the soul of the Church and consequently is on the way of salvation” (Catechism of Pius X, The Ninth Article of the Creed)
St. Augustine too affirmed:
“When we speak of within and without in relation to the Church, it is the position of the heart that we must consider, not that of the body. . . . All who are within in heart are saved in the unity of the ark” (ibid., On Baptism, Against the Donatists, 5:28:39, AD 400).
