Sacraments or accepting the Savior

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I have a friend who is a “Born Again Christian”. She told me that Catholics are not Christians because we don’t accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. That we think that we are being saved through the sacrments.
I am a new Catholic, and to be honest, I never thought about this whole topic before. As a Catholic, I believe that Christ is our Lord and Savior and the Sacrements bring us closer to him. Am I wrong? Does she misunderstand Catholics? Can anyone help me understand this issue better so that I can better educate my friend? Is there any reason why a Catholic could not also be called a Born Again Christian?

Thanks so much!
Gabrielle
P.S. Isn’t it so sad that Christians judge other Christians. This entire line of query makes me so sad.
 
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gabrieller:
I have a friend who is a “Born Again Christian”. She told me that Catholics are not Christians because we don’t accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. That we think that we are being saved through the sacrments.
I am a new Catholic, and to be honest, I never thought about this whole topic before. As a Catholic, I believe that Christ is our Lord and Savior and the Sacrements bring us closer to him. Am I wrong? Does she misunderstand Catholics? Can anyone help me understand this issue better so that I can better educate my friend? Is there any reason why a Catholic could not also be called a Born Again Christian?

Thanks so much!
Gabrielle
P.S. Isn’t it so sad that Christians judge other Christians. This entire line of query makes me so sad.
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Sometimes we can be thrown when a challenge comes our way, just because it is posed as a challenge and not because there is any substance in it.

Of course Catholics accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. We just don’t require “the sinner’s prayer” as evidence of it, nor do we require that acceptance to be a one-moment-in-time blinding flash of insight. Catholics consider themselves redeemed by the Sacrifice of the Cross, but will consider ourselves saved when we have drawn our last breath and have been judged by our Lord.

Catholics can certainly be called “born again.” To Protestants, that usually means “accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.” We Catholics do that every time we receive him in the Eucharist.

The Sacraments are means of sanctification, and thus, they are means towards salvation because they convey real graces from God to assist us in our walk. Your friend undoubtedly does not believe that God endues material things (bread, wine, oil, water) and signs (laying on of hands, words of absolution) with the ability to impart grace.

Check the articles on the home page of Catholic Answers. I believe something there might help you to pull your thoughts together.
 
Thank you so much for your reply. I have to say that all of the distinctions that my friend made about her religion vs. Catholism was overwhelming. I knew in my heart what the answers were but, at the time, words failed me. Thank you!
 
Having accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, and resolving to embark on a life conformed to His will for me, and growing in relationship with Him, would I seek out like-minded Christians in a Church that hands me a book, and says, here, the only way for you to know Jesus is to read this book written by His followers. Or, would I yearn for something more, membership in a Church with like-minded believers who tell me: you can encounter the Risen glorified Christ in person, through the full experience of the senses, mind, heart, soul and intellect through participation in the sacramental economy of the Catholic Church. You can receive Him, body, blood, soul and divinity, as He promised in that book you are reading. You can fully appreciate the enormity of the sacrifice He made for love of you, by participating in that saving action.

The only reason the newly converted Christian would not choose the second Church is because that reality has not been fully made known to him.
 
I accept my Savior every single time I go up to receive the Eucharist.

An article that might be a good read for you (and your friend) is here:
How Do Catholics Hear the Gospel?
It discusses how, although the Mass is much richer than the “sinner’s prayer,” all of the elements that other Christians see as necessary to be saved are found in the Mass.
 
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gabrieller:
I have a friend who is a “Born Again Christian”. She told me that Catholics are not Christians because we don’t accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.
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That’s odd… as we profess Christ as our Lord and Savior in our prayers. I would simply send him this traditional Catholic prayer from the Daily Roman Missal, and leave it at that.

Actus Spei

O MY GOD! relying on Thy infinate goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of Thy grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
 
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